Premier Auto Protect gets okay scores from NerdWallet compared to some other extended car warranty providers. The company offers fairly low plan deductibles and has a live operator available 24/7/365 days a year to process warranty claims.
Premier’s exclusionary plan pricing was middle-of-the-pack for newer cars, and the lowest among competitors for a higher-mileage sedan. Premier also has higher average scores on three major customer review websites than many of its competitors.
However, the NerdWallet shopping team found Premier’s plan options confusing – the plans listed on the website didn’t match the sample contract. Premier also doesn’t let you see your quote online like competitors Endurance and Olive – you’ll have to call.
🔎 Spotted by the Nerds: Premier is a direct claims provider, not a broker, but the company doesn’t administer its own claims. This can leave customers unsure where to turn if something goes wrong. Direct administrators like Endurance, for example, are responsible for the entire claims process. Premier sells vehicle service contracts administered by LotSolutions.
To give you a better idea of Premier’s offerings, NerdWallet’s editorial team investigated contracts, compared quotes for different vehicles and read dozens of customer reviews. Here’s what we found.
Why trust NerdWallet
Our Home Services Team reviewed nine extended warranty companies across 50 unique rating factors.
We've read hundreds of pages of service agreements to compare coverage, exclusions and policies.
We've researched more than just the biggest national extended car warranty companies.
The Nerds' take on Premier Auto Protect
Best for inclusive coverage
Cost comparison
$$
Online quote
No
Plan choices
Good
NerdWallet rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
What makes it shine: Even though Premier Auto Protect doesn’t provide quotes online, a representative was responsive via email and quickly sent us quotes and a sample agreement. We also like that Premier offers 24/7 claims submission. Overall, Premier doesn’t really stand out from competitors because its offerings are fairly typical. It may be worth a look if you have an older vehicle and available coverage fits your needs. It also offers special ATV and water vehicle coverage.
What could be better: The plans listed on the Premier website didn’t match the plan names in the sample contract we received, and Premier wouldn’t give us pricing information for other plans even when we asked. Also, Premier doesn’t say whether they cover high-tech, modern features such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), blind-spot sensors and backup cameras in any plan. Other companies list these features in higher-level plans.
📌 Premier Auto Protect extended car warranty plans
All Premier plans include towing and locksmith services, 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car coverage and services for a dead battery and empty gas tank. These are your options, from narrowest to widest coverage:
Powertrain: Basic coverage. Covers the following components and systems:
- Engine.
- Transmission.
- Drive axle.
- AWD / 4x4.
- Seals.
- Gaskets.
Powertrain Enhanced: Covers everything in the Powertrain plan, plus the following components and systems:
- Turbo or supercharger.
- Air conditioning.
- Fuel system.
- Electrical.
- Heating.
- High-tech electronics.
- Hybrid systems.
Premium: Covers everything in the Powertrain Enhanced plan, plus the following components and systems:
- Steering (manual or power).
- Anti-lock brakes.
- Rear suspension.
- Front suspension.
Exclusionary: This means the plan covers all parts and systems in your vehicle (with specific exclusions). This plan is intended to most closely replace an original manufacturer warranty. Covers everything in the Premium plan and “many more” components, according to the Premier Auto Protect website.
EV Exclusionary: Specific coverage for electric vehicles. Includes everything in the Premium plan, plus the following components and systems:
- Electric motor.
- Transaxles.
- Charger.
- Battery control module.
- Auxiliary heater.
Extra Care: Intended to complement powertrain coverage. Covers the following systems:
- Specific parts of the cooling, electrical, steering, air conditioning, suspension, brakes, electronic high-tech, fuel, turbocharger and audio systems.
🔎 Spotted by the Nerds: Premier also offers extended warranty plans for motorcycles, personal watercrafts, ATVs, UTVs and scooters. It’s the only company we reviewed that has these kind of plans; another company we reviewed (Carshield) offers motorcycle coverage, but not other vehicle types.
💸 How much Premier Auto Protect will cost you
These were the costs we were quoted for Premier’s exclusionary plan, adjusted to include down payments and likely contract terms.
- 2025 Toyota SUV with 5k miles: $69.92 monthly or 5.8 cents per mile.
- 2025 Audi sedan with 7k miles: $90.76 monthly or 7.6 cents per mile.
- 2017 Honda sedan with 80k miles: $60.05 monthly or 5 cents per mile.
The price you’ll pay depends on your car’s make, model, age and mileage, plus the plan you choose. You have the option to pay upfront or make monthly payments. Premier doesn’t have an online customer portal or payment app, though, unlike some of its competitors (Endurance, Olive, Carshield).
🔎 Spotted by the Nerds: Premier will only reimburse your repair facility once your claim is approved. Some other companies, like Endurance and Carshield, say they will either reimburse you personally or the repair facility.
How Premier’s pricing compares to competitors
A Premier exclusionary plan lands above and below the average prices we found when shopping, depending on the vehicle you’re getting quotes for. These are the average costs we found when shopping for an exclusionary plan across all the extended warranty companies we reviewed:
- 2025 Toyota SUV with 5k miles: $63 average monthly (about $35 to $115 range), or 5.4 cents per mile.
- 2025 Audi sedan with 7k miles: $84 average monthly (about $40 to $175 range), or 7.69 cents per mile.
- 2017 Honda sedan with 80k miles: $102 average monthly (about $60 to $140 range), or 8.49 cents per mile.
Deductible cost
Premier quoted us a $100 deductible for all three cars we shopped plans for.
Deductibles across the companies we reviewed range from $100 to $500 per repair. Some charge deductibles based on a percentage of the total repair cost, and one charges different percentages based on how many years you’ve had the warranty (the longer you’ve had the warranty, the lower the deductible). Several other companies charge a higher deductible ($500) for engine or transmission repairs, and a lower deductible ($250) for other repairs. Only one company, Olive, lets you choose a higher deductible for a lower premium fully online.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Don't expect an extended warranty to cover wear-and-tear items like tires, brake pads and rotors. Car warranties, including Premier’s extended warranty plans, pay to repair or replace components and systems that malfunction because of mechanical or electronic failure. They don’t cover normal wear and tear, which means an item stops working because it's worn out. 💡 Premier’s membership perks are minimal
Like most other extended warranty companies we reviewed, Premier offers 24-hour roadside assistance including towing, flat tires, lockout, battery and fuel/fluid delivery. However, there are a few extra benefits you get with a Premier extended warranty. Here are our favorites:
- Rental car coverage. Premier pays up to $30 per day for up to six days for you to rent a car while your vehicle is under service, with a maximum payout of $180. This is higher than Endurance’s coverage ($150 max), but lower than most other companies’ coverage (Carshield’s maximum is $420).
- Premier Maintenance. Premier offers a “Premier Maintenance Plan” that was included in our sample contract. This plan will reimburse you for $40 per service for things like oil changes, tire rotation, brake pad replacement and alignment checks. You’ll have to wait 180 days between covered services.
- Resulting damage (with limits). In specific instances, Premier will cover damage to a non-covered part caused by a covered part. Several of Premier’s competitors don’t offer this coverage. Premier and other extended warranty companies don’t typically cover the opposite case, damage from a non-covered part to a covered part.
- Aggregate limits. Premier has no set aggregate dollar limit for its exclusionary plan. All repairs and benefits can't exceed the vehicle’s cash retail value. This can be better for car owners than other extended warranties we reviewed which set a cash aggregate limit, such as $7,500, no matter how much your vehicle is worth.
🚨 The catch with Premier Auto Protect
There are a few aspects of Premier’s coverage with limits to watch out for. Here’s what to know:
- Trip interruption. Premier doesn’t explicitly offer this type of coverage. Some competitors, like Endurance and American Dream, pay up to $150 per day.
- Perk usage limit. You can only use up to $100 of roadside assistance coverage per occurrence, which is one of the lowest limits we saw.
- Next-day reporting. For an emergency, unauthorized repair, Premier requires you to report the repair to them the next business day, while other companies allow up to five business days.
» Learn more: How to file a car warranty claim in four steps
🚙 Used-car coverage is inexpensive, but vague
Compared to other providers, Premier gave us the lowest per-mile and per-month quotes for an older, higher-mileage vehicle by a significant margin – but this pricing could be too good to be true.
Premier’s plan names don’t always match between its website and agreement documents, so it’s hard to know if the coverage is what it seems. The sample contract we got from Premier was also vague about the valuation sources used. This means that the amount they’ll reimburse for parts and labor is up to Premier’s discretion. This is something used-car owners should pay attention to, since payouts could be determined by sources with lower values.
Who can get a Premier Auto Protect plan?
Premier’s website says its coverage is available nationwide. Our contract didn’t mention any excluded states. There are special rules for vehicle service contracts in California, though, so Premier’s coverage may not look the same there.
What car owners say about Premier Auto Protect
This section highlights customer reviews and posts about Premier Auto Protect. Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like extended car warranties, so I sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about Premier. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances. Likewise, I can’t verify the experiences customers post on consumer review websites.
Positive comments on Reddit about Premier Auto Protect address the company’s fair pricing and helpful customer service. Several users report the company being easy to work with compared to competitors.
🟢 A standout positive review:
“Premier Auto Protect honored their commitment by fully covering my vehicle repairs. Initially, my air conditioning system required replacement, followed by a transmission replacement a year later, both covered under the warranty. By promptly reporting issues and securing approval before repairs, the process was transparent and expectations were clearly managed, ensuring a smooth experience.”
— Elias, Better Business Bureau review, October 2025
Negative comments about Premier reflect general customer complaints about extended warranties. These typically include issues with claim denials and unhelpful customer service, including difficulty reaching the claims department. This is concerning because Premier advertises 24/7 claim filing services via phone. Several users warn against extended warranties overall and recommend putting that money into a savings account, and some users call Premier an outright scam.
🔴 A standout negative review:
“They refused my claim after selling me a policy and not disclosing all the facts, and never sent me a contract. Refused my claim and canceled my contract.”
– David, Better Business Bureau review, June 2026
Premier Auto Protect is Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited with an A rating. It earns high average ratings (4.35 out of 5 stars overall) on customer review websites, including the BBB website, Consumer Affairs and Trustpilot. Premier’s scores on all three websites are better than competitors like Endurance, Olive and Carshield.
NerdWallet's Editorial Team Picks for Best Overall Extended Car Warranties
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What to know before buying an extended car warranty
To help avoid costly misunderstandings in the future, make sure to read the coverage and exclusions information in your contract. You have a right to read your contract before purchasing a plan, and it’s important to understand that extended car warranties:
- Always have exclusions to coverage, no matter what their sales pitches say. Read your contract carefully before purchasing a plan — especially anything listed as an exclusion or limit of liability. For example, extended warranties tend not to cover damage to a covered part that’s caused by a non-covered part.
- Are not a type of insurance. Even though some companies call their service fees deductibles, car warranties do not work the same way as insurance policies. They differ in what they cover and how they pay for repairs or replacements. An extended car warranty is not a substitute for car insurance, and it’s not legally required like car insurance.
- Can deny your claim for several reasons. Examples include work performed on a covered item without approval, or modification of a system with aftermarket or used parts.
- May not pay enough to cover the full cost of repairing a covered item. For example, extended car warranties often authorize hourly labor rates up to the repair facility's posted labor rate, and reimburse for the hours needed to complete the repair based on a nationally recognized labor guide. Your repair may take longer or cost more than your warranty is willing to pay.
Frequently asked questions about Premier Auto Protect
How long do you have to have Premier before you can use it?
Premier Auto Protect does not provide this information in their sample contract. The company responded to a customer complaint on the Better Business website and indicated in that customer’s situation that the waiting period is 30 days and 1,000 miles. We were not able to verify the information with the company. This waiting period is standard for most of the extended warranties we reviewed. However, competitor Olive has no wait time for you to start making claims after purchasing a warranty.
Does Premier offer refunds?
Premier does offer a full refund if you cancel within the first 30 days of your plan. After 30 days, you can still cancel for a prorated refund for a $50 fee.
Can I transfer my Premier car warranty to a new car owner?
Yes, you can transfer your Premier car warranty to a new owner for a $50 fee. Your request must be in writing. Some warranties aren’t transferable (Toco), but some don’t charge a fee (Olive).
Alternatives to Premier Auto Protect
Endurance
Best overall
Cost comparison
$$$
Online quote
Yes
Plan choices
Excellent
Why it's a good alternative to Premier Auto Protect
Endurance:
- Is a direct provider and administrator that handles most of its own claims in-house.
- Offers seven customizable plans with built-in trip interruption coverage and roadside assistance.
- Makes quotes available online and clearly explains coverage in preview contracts.
This option makes more sense for car owners who want extra perks from a direct administrator.
Olive
Best consumer-friendly terms
Olive
Cost comparison
$$
Online quote
Yes
Plan choices
Limited
Why it's a good alternative to Premier Auto Protect
Olive:
- Is the only extended car warranty company we reviewed with no waiting period for coverage to begin.
- Spells out exact national guides used to set labor cost limits.
- Has among the lowest per-mile and per-month cost for non-luxury car brands.
This option makes more sense for car owners who don't want to wait 30 days for their extended warranty to kick in.
CarShield
Cost comparison
$$$$
Online quote
No
Plan choices
Excellent
Why it's a good alternative to Premier Auto Protect
Carshield:
- Offers one of the cheapest per-mile plans for a newer car.
- Covers the cost if they require a teardown to diagnose a problem with your car.
- Has higher maximums for roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement.
This option makes more sense for car owners who want lower premiums and don't mind a higher deductible.
How we rate and review car warranties
Our Home Services team reviews car warranty companies with our readers in mind. We provide unbiased reviews that consider several factors, including cost, covered items, coverage limits, customer ratings, ability to choose your own repair shop and transparency. When rating car warranties, we researched 9 companies, compared terms and conditions in their service agreements and read customer reviews from three consumer review websites. While NerdWallet does have partnerships with some car warranty companies, our editorial team is not involved in that process to ensure unbiased reviews and recommendations. Read more about how NerdWallet rates car warranties.
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