A VEHICLE PROTECTION PLAN YOU CAN TRUST
frequently asked questions
Get simple, straightforward answers to common questions and explanations of unfamiliar terms. The information provided below is for summary purposes only, and is subject to the Contract Terms and Conditions that are issued to you. Additional state specific requirements may apply. See Your Terms and Conditions for complete details.
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A Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan is an agreement between the owner of the vehicle and the administrator, obligating the company to pay for repairs covered by the vehicle service Contract for a specific period of time. Your vehicle is a major investment. With a Vehicle Protection Plan from Consumers Choice you are protecting yourself from the unexpected cost of mechanical breakdowns.
An Manufacturer’s Warranty comes with the original vehicle purchase, and is included in the original price of the vehicle and provides specified coverage for the repair of the vehicle within a given period of time. A Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan is similar in nature to an extended warranty as they both cover the cost of the repair of the covered components. Where they differ is a Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan provides coverage after the manufacturer’s warranty runs out.
Although the term Manufacturer’s Warranty or Warranty is an inaccurate phrase when referring to a Vehicle Protection Plan or Vehicle Service Contract, we recognize that most consumers commingle these terms, so you may find them used within the Consumers Choice website.
Bottom line, after the manufacturer’s warranty expires on your vehicle, you have nothing to protect yourself from expensive vehicle repairs, unless of course you have a Vehicle Protection Plan.
With a Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan you are assured that all covered parts, labor, and taxes required for replacement or repair of covered parts in your vehicle will be paid on your behalf by the administrator.
Your automobile is most likely your second largest investment that you use on a day-to-day basis. A Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan will ensure that your vehicle is always in the best mechanical condition and can help you avoid expensive repair bills.
Except for a few excluded vehicles, as long as your vehicle is 10 years old or newer with less than 125,000 miles, it qualifies for a Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan.
Yes, you may still purchase a Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan through Consumers Choice after your manufacturer’s factory warranty has expired as long as the vehicle is 10 years old or newer with less than 125,000 miles on the odometer.
Yes, a Consumers Choice service Contract is insured by an A.M. Best A-rated insurance company.
No, however, keep in mind that no Vehicle Protection Plan will cover pre-existing conditions, regardless of which company you purchase a protection plan from.
A Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan is dependant on the Make, Model, Mileage, and options a vehicle has at the time of the purchase, as well as the term of coverage and deductible desired.
You can get a free no obligation hassle free quote by calling us at (877) 270-8880.
We ask for the make, model, mileage and year of your vehicle. We also will need the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and because rules vary from state to state, we need to know the state you live in. It’s that easy!
COVERAGE
Technically, there are two types of Vehicle Service Contracts/Vehicle Protection Plans:
1. The first type is called “Exclusionary Coverage” or Bumper-To-Bumper coverage as it is sometimes called. This is the ONLY coverage offered by Consumers Choice. The Exclusionary Coverage plan covers all mechanical and electrical failures on your vehicle except those items specifically listed in the agreement as being excluded and is available on vehicles 10 model years old with less than 125,000 miles at the time of sale. The list of excluded components consists mainly of routine maintenance items.
2. The second type is “Component Coverage” and is the coverage more commonly sold. The named or stated Component Coverage plan covers only those components listed as being covered in the agreement. A named or stated Component Coverage plan is intended to cover the major items on the vehicle compared to the Exclusionary Coverage plan that covers virtually everything.
Yes, Consumers Choice includes seals and gasket coverage.
Yes, Consumers Choice includes wear and tear coverage.
Wear and Tear coverage means that a part does not have to break for it to be covered. Should a part or component wear out prematurely, it is covered. Wear and Tear is defined as a part that can no longer perform the function it was designed for solely because of its condition.
Consumers Choice includes Wear and Tear coverage for a part or component which is outside allowable tolerances as prescribed by the manufacturer of that part or component, even if a breakdown has not occurred. Parts that are considered “normal maintenance” are not covered under the Wear and Tear option. These would be items such as brake pads, shoes, brake drums, rotors, manual clutches, etc.
Consumers Choice covers many items not covered by other Vehicle Protection Plans. Below are a few examples:
- Exhaust System including muffler and tail pipe
- Catalytic Converter
- Emissions System including all sensors
- Safety Restraint System including air bags and all sensors
- Struts and Shocks
- High Tech items such as crash avoidance, lane changing, adaptive cruise control and surround view camera system.
Yes, the following benefits are included at no additional charge with the Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan.
24-Hour Roadside Assistance Services: Emergency Roadside Assistance is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year throughout the United States & Canada.
Flat Tire Assistance: Service consists of the removal of the vehicle’s flat tire and its replacement with the spare tire located with the vehicle, or the service provider will drive you to the closest tire store for repair.
Fuel, Oil, Fluid and Water Delivery Service: An emergency supply of up to three (3) gallons of fuel, oil, fluid and water will be delivered if the vehicle is in immediate need. YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF FLUIDS.
Lock-out Assistance: If your keys are locked inside the vehicle, assistance will be provided to gain entry into the vehicle.
Battery Assistance: If battery failure occurs, a jump start will be provided to start your vehicle.
Towing Assistance: When towing is necessary, the covered vehicle will be towed up to one hundred (100) miles to the nearest qualified service facility or to another location requested by the driver of the covered vehicle.
Rental Car Assistance: For a covered repair you will be reimbursed for a rental car at the rate of up to fifty dollars ($50) per day for a maximum of seven (7) days.
Trip Interruption: You will be reimburses you for lodging and meal expenses actually incurred by you if the covered repairs are completed more than one hundred (100) miles from your primary residence and you are stranded overnight. The limit on this reimbursement is two-hundred dollars ($200) per day for up to three (3) days and a maximum of six-hundred dollars ($600) per breakdown.
Consumers Choice Value Protection Program
The Value Protection Program incorporates many of the most sought-after automotive aftermarket products available today. You receive these benefits FREE for three full years. Please CLICK HERE to view a sample Contract.
- Vehicle Anti-Theft System Protection: This theft protection program will deter professional thieves from making your vehicle their next target. The program utilizes a specialized etching process that makes the vehicle traceable by police. Should your vehicle be stolen and not returned within 30 days, an included anti-theft guarantee will pay you $2,500.
- Auto Deductible Reimbursement Benefit: In the event you suffer a collision loss on any motor vehicle insured under your master automobile policy, this coverage will reimburse you an amount equal to the deductible limit shown on your current automobile insurance policy, or $500, whichever is less.
- Exterior Paint Protection: This coverage includes the reconditioning of the vehicle’s factory painted exterior clear coat surfaces as the result of damage caused by normal wear and tear, including uv exposure that results in general fading, chalking, loss of gloss, oxidation or if the vehicle becomes damaged by the environment.
- Interior Protection: This coverage includes the cleaning or repair, or replacement of your vehicle’s original factory interior surfaces damaged as the result of normal wear and tear; specifically, if the fabric seats, carpet, dashboard, pigmented door trim, consoles and or vinyl and leather interior become permanently stained or cracked.
- Key/Remote Replacement Protection: Should your vehicle’s key/remote be lost, stolen or becomes inoperable, this unique protection will pay for the repair or replacement of the key/remote.
- Paintless Dent Repair Protection: Those irritating dents and dings, up to 4” in diameter, will disappear as a certified technician utilizes special tools that will gently remove minor dents without affecting the metal’s paint finish.
- Identity Theft Protection: Should you become the victim of identity theft, a professional theft recovery advocate will manage your recovery process to help restore your good name and credit to pre-event status.
YES. Consumers Choice requires a 30-day and 1,000 mile waiting period before mechanical breakdown coverage begins.
The mandatory waiting period is in place to help assure us that your car is in working order before coverage takes effect. A Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan does not cover pre-existing conditions (conditions that arise prior to Contract purchase or during the waiting period).
Commercial use means that your vehicle is used for commercial purposes, including farming, ranching, rental, taxi, limousine or shuttle, rideshare(including uber and lyft), snow removal, towing/wrecker service, dumping (dump beds), cherry pickers, lifting or hoisting, police or emergency services, principally off-road use, or prearranged or organized racing or competitive driving. If you use your vehicle commercially, it can’t be covered by a Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan, unless you pay a surcharge.
No. To find out what your Contract covers and what it doesn’t, review the Schedule of Coverages, Section VII and the Exclusions, Section IX of your Contract.
CLAIMS
Yes, there is a deductible for repairs. When purchasing a Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan you will have a choice of deductibles. The standard deductible is $100 for each repair visit, regardless of how many items to be repaired.
Consumers Choice is directly insured and the administrators maintain a future claims reserve for all policies to cover repair costs. A percentage of the premiums paid by all Consumer Choice Vehicle Protection Plan holders are deposited into a premium reserve account that is regulated by the government and used strictly to pay future claims. In addition, Consumers Choice is insured by an A-rated insurance company. This means that in the unlikely event Consumers Choice and/or the administrator should ever go out of business, our insurer will step in to handle all claims, protecting you for the life of the Contract.
The Consumers Choice claims process is fast and effortless.
For a mechanical failure claim, prior to repair, simply tell the dealership or ASE certified repair facility that you have a Vehicle Protection Plan with Consumers Choice. They will call the Claims Center number (833) 342-2794. Once the repairs are approved by the claims center and the repairs are completed, a payment will be made directly to your repair facility with a corporate credit card. There is no need for you the pay for the repair and wait for reimbursement.
For 24-Hour Emergency Roadside Assistance, towing call (800) 289-3920
For Consumers Choice Value Protection Package claims call 833-342-2794
Mechanical claims: Consumers Choice lets you choose the repair facility of your choice or, if you need help finding a repair facility, you can call (833) 342-2794 and we will let you know repair shops in your area. You can have your vehicle repaired by any licensed repair facility in your area. You may take it in for repairs to a new car dealership, your favorite mechanics repair shop, or any national chain that performs vehicle repairs, as long as the repair shop is A.S.E Certified. All covered repairs are paid direct to the service center with a corporate credit card, so you don’t have to file a claim and wait for reimbursement.
Value Protection Package claims: For automobile theft replacement, auto deductible reimbursement, appearance protection, key/remote replacement, paintless dent repair and windshield repair claims you must call 877-902-8790 prior to any repair or for reimbursement.
Emergency Roadside Assistance is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Just call (800) 289-3920. and a service vehicle will be dispatched to your assistance. You must first call the Consumers Choice Emergency Roadside Assistance number for assistance.
Definitely! Full retail prices are paid to the repair facility on all parts and labor for a covered claim. Your only responsibility is to pay your deductible, if any.
For a covered repair we will reimburse you up to $50 per day for a maximum of 7 days.
When your car breaks down, just bring it to your favorite licensed mechanic or repair shop. After paying your deductible, the plan will pay the bill for listed covered repairs directly to the shop. Please note that the administrator may ask for maintenance receipts or to inspect the vehicle at the time of the claim.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CONTRACT
Yes, your Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan can be transferred to another individual if you sell or otherwise transfer your vehicle while the coverage is still in force. Refer to the Contract for more details.
As is standard practice with all Vehicle Protection Plans, Consumers Choice only requires a 30-day and 1,000 mile waiting period before mechanical breakdown coverage begins.
The mandatory waiting period is in place to help assure us that your car is in working order before coverage takes effect. A Consumers Choice Vehicle Protection Plan does not cover pre-existing conditions (conditions that arise prior to Contract purchase or during the waiting period).
It is the failure of a covered part under normal service. A covered part has failed when it can no longer perform the function for which it was designed solely because of its condition and not because of the action or inaction of any non-covered parts. Subsequent damages resulting from the Breakdown of a covered part are covered by this Contract with exceptions including, but not limited to, when You have failed to perform the recommended maintenance services for Your Vehicle.
You can find your 10-digit customer Contract number on the registration page of your vehicle service Contract. Save time by having this number handy when contacting a representative.
Mechanical Claims: Consumers Choice lets you choose the repair facility of your choice or, if you need help finding a repair facility, you can call (833) 342-2794 and we will let you know repair shops in your area. You can have your vehicle repaired by any licensed repair facility in your area. You may take it in for repairs to a new car dealership, your favorite mechanics repair shop, or any national chain that performs vehicle repairs, as long as the repair shop is A.S.E Certified. All covered repairs are paid direct to the service center with a corporate credit card, so you don’t have to file a claim and wait for reimbursement.
Value Protection Package claims: For automobile theft replacement, auto deductible reimbursement, appearance protection, key/remote replacement, paintless dent repair and windshield repair claims you must call (877) 902-8790 prior to any repair or for reimbursement.
Your waiting period and plan expiration are measured in time from your contract purchase date. You can find your contract purchase date on the registration page of your vehicle service contract.
The exclusions section of your vehicle service contract is where you’ll find a list of parts and services that are not covered by your plan. Refer to Section IX – What Is Not Covered of the Consumers Choice Service Contract.
The total liability for benefits provided under this Contract shall not exceed the actual cash value of Your Vehicle at the time of Contract purchase.
The liability for a single Breakdown shall not exceed the average trade-in value of Your Vehicle at time of Breakdown as determined by the NADA Used Car Guide (without consideration of or deduction for the cost of repairs associated with said Breakdown).
Any liability for incidental and consequential damages including, but not limited to, personal injury, physical damage, property damage, loss of use of Your Vehicle, loss of time, loss of wages, inconvenience, and commercial loss resulting from the operation, maintenance, or use of Your Vehicle is expressly excluded.
In order for this Agreement to remain active, you must have the engine oil and filter changed within sixty (60) days after the contract purchase date, unless you have verifiable receipts that the vehicle engine oil and filter were replaced within 3 months prior to the contract purchase date. Thereafter you must follow the maintenance schedule in accordance with your vehicle manufacturers recommendations. If you do not have access to your vehicle manufacturers maintenance schedules you must change your oil and filter every six (6) months or six-thousand (6,000) miles whichever comes first.
All other maintenance schedules must be done in accordance with your vehicle’s manufacturer recommendations. You must keep and make available verifiable service/purchase receipts indicating dates, mileage and a description of your vehicle which show that this maintenance has been performed within the time and mileage limits required. The administrator will not reimburse for repair costs or expenses if you cannot provide accurate records proving that You have maintained the failed covered part.
GETTING A QUOTE
The VIN is located in several areas and is a unique 17-digit identifier of your vehicle. The most common are:
- On the driver’s side of the dashboard where the dashboard meets the windshield
- On your insurance card
- On the title of the vehicle
- On the vehicle’s registration card
- On the sticker inside the driver’s side door
No, however, keep in mind that no Vehicle Protection Plan will cover pre-existing conditions, regardless of which company you purchase a protection plan from.
BILLING
You can pay either with a one-time payment using a check credit card. For an additional fee Consumers Choice can provide a premium Financing plan to spread the payments over a 12 – 18 or 24-month period.