Owning a car with a rebuilt title can be a smart financial decision, as it offers competitive savings compared to purchasing a vehicle with a clean title. However, for those interested in adding a warranty to their vehicle with a rebuilt title, you’ll likely notice that it’s challenging to secure such protection for your vehicle.
In this article, we will dive deep into the different extended warranty providers along with what type of coverage they offer, if at all, for vehicles with rebuilt tiles. Everything from coverage details, limitations, and exclusions, along with valuable tips for choosing the right warranty for your rebuilt vehicle, will be covered so that you can make the right choice for protection.
Warranty Landscape for Rebuilt Titles
Before diving into the specifics of which providers cover rebuilt titles, it’s important to ensure a solid understanding of what exactly this type of vehicle is. A vehicle with a rebuilt title is one that formerly held a salvage title due to flooding, significant damage, a crash, or some other event. The salvage title car essentially means that the vehicle is so damaged it has very little value from a financial standpoint.
Going from a salvage title vehicle to a rebuilt title requires the skills of a certified and thorough mechanic. This mechanic must repair the vehicle to such a point that it can legally be considered safe and road-ready, given the requirements of the state that you are in. Once this has occurred, the vehicle is officially one with a rebuilt title.
Extended warranty providers generally balk at the idea of a vehicle with a rebuilt title, given that there is a greater perceived risk. After all, an extended warranty works by offering financial coverage due to manufacturer defects, but a vehicle that has been through significant history is far more likely to have issues. It is important to run a vehicle history report through CarFax or another provider before purchase.
In addition, this is why many extended warranty providers don’t offer coverage for vehicles with a rebuilt title. However, Endurance Warranty, CarShield, and Omega Auto Care are among the few who offer this protection under specific conditions.
Comparing Providers: Who Covers What?
The providers mentioned above are all competitive in their own right in the coverage they offer for vehicles with a rebuilt title, though there are distinctions between the companies. Looking at this difference in coverage is crucial for ensuring you get the best protection possible for your vehicle:
Endurance Warranty
Starting with ourselves here at Endurance Warranty, we’re proud to offer comprehensive coverage to those with a used car with a rebuilt title. In particular, the Advantage contract offers coverage for both salvage vehicles and vehicles with a rebuilt title. Specifically, the Advantage Preferred plan by Endurance offers the necessary coverage.
Under this plan, drivers can enjoy the most comprehensive coverage available on the market today, with Advantage offering near bumper-to-bumper protection with even seals and gaskets covered. It will cover vehicles ten years or newer with up to 150,000 miles, making it an excellent choice for those with a rebuilt title. Additionally, this Advantage Preferred contract gives you access to up to $3,500 in maintenance benefits that can help your vehicle run for years to come.
CarShield
CarShield is slightly less clear about its coverage offered for salvaged vehicles or vehicles with a rebuilt title. Their website simply informs visitors that CarShield does offer coverage for salvaged or rebuilt vehicles, though an undisclosed surcharge could potentially be applied to add them to a plan. To find out more, visitors are directed to call the company to gather additional details from one of their specialists.
Omega Auto Care
Any salvaged vehicle or vehicle with a branded title will not be eligible for an Omega Auto Care plan, but those vehicles that do qualify are eligible for any of Omega’s plans. The Used Stated plan is the most commonly seen under Omega Auto Care for those with rebuilt titles, as it offers coverage for only crucial components most commonly seen with issues on used vehicles. New plans won’t be applicable to those purchasing a vehicle with a rebuilt title.
Understanding Limitations and Exclusions
Given that each of the above companies offers varying levels of coverage for vehicles with a rebuilt title, it’s worth looking at some common limitations and exclusions in the industry. First, and perhaps most importantly, if the insurance company pays you the fair market value of your vehicle following an accident, yet you choose to keep the vehicle and rebuild it yourself, it will earn a salvage title and not be eligible for warranty protection.
To get the rebuilt title on a vehicle and to make it eligible for the largest number of warranty plans, you will need to take your vehicle to be repaired by a certified mechanic. Additionally, depending on the type of damage the vehicle sustained, such as a flood, fire, or severe damage in an accident, an extended warranty provider still may choose to deny offering a coverage plan based on their risk appetite.
Additionally, if the vehicle you are purchasing has more miles than the mileage cap for a plan or the vehicle is older than the limit, the warranty exclusion will kick in and you will not be offered a contract.
Choosing the Right Warranty for Your Rebuilt Vehicle
Comparing different warranty providers for your rebuilt vehicle can be extremely difficult, especially considering how similar certain warranty contracts may seem. However, there are a few tips to keep in mind which can help make the warranty coverage decision process a little bit easier:
- Consider the extent of the past damage and the likelihood of future issues with the vehicle, weighed against the price of each contract.
- Research the reliability of the warranty provider you are considering in terms of how often they do, in fact, cover repairs.
- Assess the current condition of your vehicle to determine how much potential protection you may actually need, whether it’s just surface level or something as complex as the electrical system.
- Read the fine print of any warranty contracts you are offered to ensure you have a full understanding of what is being covered and what is not being covered.
- If the rebuilt title somehow still has a manufacturer warranty on the vehicle, try to choose an extended warranty plan that fills in the coverage gaps.
The Role of Extended Warranties in Protecting Rebuilt Titles
After taking in all of this information, it’s entirely possible that you’re still wondering whether or not an extended warranty is even necessary for your vehicle. While an extended warranty isn’t required by law the same way car insurance may be, depending on your state, it is equally as helpful. Warranty coverage protects you against the unknown by offering financial coverage for mechanical breakdowns.
This means that assuming a breakdown falls under the breadth of your warranty contract, you don’t need to pay for the repair when you get your vehicle fixed. Over the life of a car, this can save a driver thousands upon thousands of dollars potentially. Considering the fact that a part such as the transmission can cost as much as $5,000 to repair and replace in some vehicles, having financial assistance is not a bad thing.
Going further, having an extended warranty tied to your vehicle can even bolster the car’s value for resale in the future. When you’re already looking at purchasing a car that will come at a cheaper cost due to the fact it has a rebuilt title, the potential to make money back by selling the car in the future should be an exciting prospect. Additionally, extended warranty contracts with Endurance go a step further by allowing you to customize your plan to suit your unique needs. This means whether you only need stated and high-level protection or something more comprehensive, there’s a plan for you.
Endurance Warranty: Your Path to Protected Driving
No driver should be left unprotected on the road, but that’s exactly what happens to so many drivers when their factory warranty expires or when they purchase a used vehicle. Those making the financial decision to purchase a vehicle with a rebuilt title may believe there’s no hope, but an Endurance auto warranty can help.
Endurance offers a variety of vehicle service contracts that can help you protect your old vehicle, salvaged vehicle, or rebuilt title car. The Secure Plus plan, in particular, is a great choice for older vehicles as it is designed to specifically protect the most important components under the hood, such as the engine, transmission, air conditioning, and more. On top of this, the Elite Benefits, which come with all Endurance contracts for a small activation fee, provide bonus perks such as tire coverage, collision discounts, key fob replacement, and total loss protection.
To learn more about how Endurance can help cover repair costs for your rebuilt title vehicle, reach out to our award-winning customer service team at (800) 253-8203. Alternatively, you shop online and see your price right away.
