Editorial Guidelines & Methodology
Autwary exists to help car owners make an informed decision about extended car warranties (vehicle service contracts) without falling for the aggressive sales tactics the industry is known for. This page explains how we research, write, rank, and update our content.
How we evaluate warranty companies
Every company we review is assessed against the same set of criteria:
- Coverage depth: what is actually covered at each plan tier, and how those terms compare against the industry-standard categories (powertrain, stated-component, exclusionary/bumper-to-bumper).
- Price transparency: whether pricing is published or requires a sales call, and how published prices and publicly reported sample quotes compare across vehicle types and mileage bands.
- Complaint history and BBB standing: Better Business Bureau accreditation, rating, and the nature of unresolved complaints (claim denials, cancellation difficulty, sales practices).
- Contract terms: deductibles, waiting periods, cancellation and refund policies, and whether claims are administered in-house or through a third party.
- Customer experience signals: patterns across verified review platforms (BBB, Trustpilot, Consumer Affairs), weighted toward recent reviews over older ones.
We do not test warranty claims ourselves, since doing so would require owning multiple vehicles and intentionally waiting for mechanical failures. Instead, we synthesize publicly verifiable data — contracts, regulatory filings, BBB records, and patterns across large volumes of customer reviews — and we say so plainly wherever a claim is based on secondary sources rather than firsthand testing.
Update policy
Extended warranty pricing, plan names, and company status change frequently. Companies merge, rebrand, stop accepting new customers, or change their coverage terms. We review our highest-traffic articles at least once per quarter and update them sooner whenever we learn of a material change, such as a company ceasing operations.
Independence
Autwary does not use affiliate links and has no commercial relationship with the warranty companies it covers. The site is funded by display advertising — see our Advertising Disclosure. No company can pay to change its ranking, rating or the contents of a review, and we name real drawbacks and complaint patterns for every provider.
Not financial or legal advice
Content on Autwary is for general informational purposes and does not constitute financial, legal, or insurance advice. Contract terms vary by state and by individual policy — always read the actual sample contract for your state before purchasing, and consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.