In a Nutshell
pros
- $50 in free rewards when you get a quote
- Car inspections not required to buy a plan
- 24/7 roadside assistance on all plans
cons
- 24/7 claims not available
- Not available in all 50 states
Protect My Car Plans
The company offers 2 plan types—Selective and Comprehensive. The type of coverage you need depends on the number of miles your car has on its odometer.
Selective plans are designed to cover newer vehicles with fewer than 124,999 miles. If you’d like to take out a Selective plan, you’ll have the following options.
Supreme
For cars with under 49,999 miles
Select
For cars with up to 89,999 miles
Driveline
For cars with up to 124,999 miles
The Comprehensive policies cover vehicles that have between 125,000 and 299,999 miles on the odometer.
Ambassador Platinum
Best for low deductibles
Ambassador Elite
Best for keeping premiums low
Ambassador Pro
Best for combining low premiums with maintenance perks
Depending on the plan you choose, you may be eligible for certain maintenance perks as part of your policy. The Supreme, Select, Driveline, Ambassador Platinum, and Ambassador Pro plans all offer free oil changes and tire rotations.
All plans include 24/7 roadside assistance, trip interruption coverage, and rental car reimbursement.
When you buy coverage, you’ll be subject to a 30-day look period, which allows you to cancel your plan for any reason during this time frame and receive a full refund.
Be aware, however, the company doesn’t offer plans in the following states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Washington
Plan Exclusions
Regardless of which plan you choose, you won’t be covered against:
- Pre-existing problems
- Repairs/replacements completed without Protect My Car’s authorization
- Repairs to a vehicle that has been abused or neglected
- Breakdowns caused by lack of maintenance
- Faulty odometers
- Repairs to vehicles used for towing
- Repairs to vehicles without accurate maintenance records
- Breakdowns that result from overheating
- Vehicles that have been altered from the manufacturer’s specifications
Protect My Car Plan Pricing
The price of your coverage will depend on factors such as your vehicle’s make, model, mileage, and security features.
We entered the details of a 2015 Honda Civic with 200,000 miles on the clock and received the following quotes:
We then entered the details of a 2021 Jeep Cherokee with 40,000 miles on the clock and received the following:
$140.33
* Note, these prices were obtained in January 2022 and may be subject to change.
Like many extended warranty companies, Protect My Car requires you to pay a deductible if you need to make a claim. The amount of your deductible will depend on the plan you choose. If you opt for a Supreme or Select policy, your deductible will be $100. With a Driveline plan, this figure increases to $200.
If you take out an Ambassador Platinum plan, the amount of your deductible will be equivalent to 25% of your total repair bill. With the Ambassador Elite and Ambassador Pro plans, this figure is 50%.
At present, you can also save up to $500 on your premiums by applying through this link
As Protect My Car offers discounts to members of the military and students, you should contact the company to discuss pricing if you fall into one of these categories.
Overall, Protect My Car’s premiums are broadly in line with its competitors, although accessing its true value will depend on the quote you receive.
How to file a claim with Protect My Car
If you need to file a claim, you’ll need to call the claims department from the side of the road. Protect My Car will then send a tow truck to take you to the nearest licensed garage of your choice.
If you’re already in a repair shop, the mechanic will need to send the details of your vehicle and an estimate to Protect My Car before work begins.
As well as allowing you to take your car to any licensed mechanic, Protect My Car has a network of auto repair technicians, which includes:
- Take 5 Oil Change
- Jiffy Lube
- AAMCO
- Meineke
- Pep Boys
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Valvoline
When you take out a policy, the following payout caps will apply:
- Supreme: $20,000
- Select: $15,000
- Driveline: $10,000
- All Ambassador plans: $15,000
How long repairs will take will depend on how much damage is done, what exactly needs to be fixed, and how many other cars the mechanic or auto repair technician has to work on before yours.
Is Protect My Car Legit?
Protect My Car has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, which is classified as excellent. Large numbers of positive reviewers praised the quick and efficient way in which the company processed their claims. In contrast, a minority of dissatisfied customers complained about issues such as mechanics declining to accept Protect My Car due to payment problems and the company refusing to cover components such as transmissions over alleged poor maintenance.
Although Protect My Car isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau, it has a BBB rating of 4.35 out of 5. Again, this is based on favorable reviews from customers.
What’s Unique About Protect My Car?
The company includes its free points-based loyalty program, PMC Rewards, on all of its policies. When you get a quote, you’ll receive $50 in rewards points, which you can redeem at retailers such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Gap, and Ray-Ban. You’ll then earn additional rewards for every year you have a policy.
Help and Support
You can contact Protect My Car by phone or live chat. Its customer service hours are 9am-7pm (EST), Mondays to Fridays, and 9am-4pm, Saturdays.
If your query is more general, you can consult the FAQs on the company’s website. Although these don’t go into great detail, they do provide most of the information you should need about filing a claim, what to do if you sell your car, and other general questions.
Protect My Car also has a blog that covers a range of topics relevant to car maintenance.
All content on the company’s site is available in Spanish, which could prove useful for many customers.
What about the Protect My Car app?
The company doesn’t currently have an app.
Bottom Line
If you’re concerned about meeting the cost of an unexpected repair to your vehicle, Protect My Car could be an attractive solution. As well as having extremely favorable reviews on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau, it has a generous loyalty program that allows you to earn $50 simply for getting a quote. Ultimately, however, the question of whether the company provides good value for your circumstances will depend on the quote you receive based on your car’s make, model, and mileage.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a vehicle inspection when I buy a policy?
A: Protect My Car doesn’t require you to have an inspection before taking out a policy.
Q: If I sell my car, can I transfer my contract to the new owner?
A: Yes, all contracts are transferable. However, you’ll need to submit to a vehicle inspection at your own expense before you can transfer the policy to the new owner.
Q: Does my coverage pay for parts and labor?
A: Both parts and labor are included on covered claims.
