Assurant First Extended Warranty Review

by Stephen Kenney

Updated: April 10th, 2024 Published: November 25th, 2022

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As vehicles age, mechanical breakdowns become more likely, and an extended warranty could help you save money and frustration when it comes to repairs. Assurant’s First Extended warranty could be a good fit for you if you’re looking for extended vehicle service protection after your manufacturer’s warranty expires.

In this review, we explore the costs, coverage, ratings, and more details about the First Extended warranty program. If a First Extended warranty is not right for you, we’ll also recommend a couple of the industry’s best extended auto warranty providers, which could be a better fit.

You can use the buttons above to start comparing extended warranty quotes from our top recommended providers.

Pros	Offers comprehensive coverage plans backed by Assurant, an AM Best A-rated company.
Cons	Coverage is sold exclusively through dealerships.
Bottom Line	First Extended warranty services are administered by Assurant, and Assurant has a strong reputation for excellence among industry experts.

First Extended Warranty Review: 3.0 Stars
First Extended Warranty Highlights
First Extended Warranty Coverage
First Extended Warranty Costs
Quotes and Claims Processes
First Extended Warranty Reviews and Ratings
Top Recommendations for Extended Car Warranties
Methodology

First Extended Warranty Review: 3.0 Stars

First Extended warranty plans are brokered and backed by Assurant, which has a strong financial record. However, with very little information available on coverage details and customer reviews specifically regarding First Extended plans, it’s hard to recommend these automotive vehicle service contracts.

If you find that a First Extended warranty is not the right fit for your vehicle protection needs, there are plenty of other reputable extended car warranty companies to choose from. Read on to learn more about two top-rated companies that can give you the ultimate peace of mind on the road.

First Extended Warranty Highlights

Overall Rating	3.0
Reputation	3.4
Coverage	3.2
Price	See dealership
Transparency	3.0
Customer Service	2.4

First Extended Service Corporation was acquired by Assurant in 2018, but the company’s namesake lives on through Assurant’s First Extended warranty plans. All services are now provided through Assurant, an AM Best A-rated insurance company. Assurant is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, but underwrites extended service contracts across the U.S. and Canada.

A First Extended warranty could be for you if you are:

Looking for a brokered warranty with a highly reliable insurance backer
Buying a new car from a participating dealership

Assurant works exclusively with car dealerships to sell extended vehicle service contracts. First Extended warranty plans can protect your finances from the cost of unforeseen repairs in the event of a mechanical breakdown or defects in materials or workmanship.

First Extended Warranty Coverage

There are six First Extended warranty plans, each of which can protect vehicles up to 12 years old and with up to 200,000 miles. These are especially high eligibility limits.

Here’s a breakdown of the six First Extended warranty plans:

First Extended Warranty Plan	Coverage Details
Powertrain	Covers the engine, transmission, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and select hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) components
Base	Covers everything in the Powertrain plan, plus the steering, front and rear suspension, brakes, seals and gaskets, electrical, air conditioning, and enhanced hybrid and EV components
High-Tech	Covers everything in the Base plan, plus high-tech components like sensors, instrument gauges, power seat motors, radiators, and more
Comprehensive	Covers high-tech systems, entertainment systems, safety and security components, and more
High-Tech Wrap	Covers everything in the High-Tech plan, minus the powertrain components
Comprehensive Wrap	Covers everything in the Comprehensive plan, plus adds coverage for powertrain components

First Extended Warranty Benefits

First Extended warranty plans come with the following benefits:

Roadside assistance: Provides up to $100 per occurrence for towing, lockouts, battery jump-starts, flat tire services, and water, fluid, oil, and fuel deliveries
Rental car reimbursement: Reimburses up to $35 a day for a maximum of five days for substitute transportation while your car is in the shop for a covered repair
Trip interruption reimbursement: Reimburses up to $200 per day for a maximum of five days for food and lodging expenses if your vehicle breaks down over 100 miles away from home

First Extended Warranty Exclusions

First Extended warranty plans do not cover all repairs. Some exclusions that will not be covered by your First Extended vehicle service contract include:

Routine maintenance services
Wear-and-tear items
Glass parts and bulbs
Aftermarket accessories and equipment
Parts not installed by the manufacturer
Other miscellaneous items

Be sure to consult your First Extended contract to learn the full limitations of your coverage. This is a crucial aspect of understanding your First Extended warranty.

First Extended Warranty Costs

Assurant does not share First Extended warranty cost information online. First Extended warranty plans can only be purchased from dealerships, so quote information is not directly available to interested parties over the phone.

To find out how much a First Extended warranty will cost you, call your local dealership and see if it sells First Extended warranties. Typically, an extended warranty costs anywhere from $600 to $1,000 per year of coverage. If you’re quoted a price that’s higher than this range, you’ll be better off with a plan from another aftermarket car warranty provider.

Quotes and Claims Processes

To get a quote for a First Extended warranty, you’ll need to find a local dealership that sells these contracts. Once you find an authorized retailer, you will be quoted based on the plan you choose and your vehicle’s age, mileage, make, and model.

If you are a current customer looking to file a claim, contact Assurant. You can either call the company directly or go online and start a claim by entering your customer policy number or vehicle identification number (VIN) and last name.

First Extended Warranty Reviews and Ratings

Although there are not many reviews specifically about Assurant’s First Extended warranty program, Assurant itself has a positive industry reputation, earning an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

However, the company has fielded over 1,200 complaints in the past three years and holds just a one-star rating from customers. Because Assurant is such a large company and offers many insurance products, from cell phone coverage to life insurance, these ratings should be taken with a grain of salt.

Top Recommendations for Extended Car Warranties

If you’re in the market for an extended car warranty, we recommend looking into Endurance and CARCHEX. These providers came out on top in our industry-wide review of the best extended car warranty companies thanks to their comprehensive plan options, positive customer reviews, and affordable prices.

Endurance: Best Coverage

Endurance is our highest-rated extended car warranty company. It offers six levels of high-quality coverage that range from a basic powertrain plan to an exclusionary, bumper-to-bumper extended warranty.

Each Endurance plan comes with one year free of Elite Benefits. These benefits include:

24/7 roadside assistance
Key fob replacement services
Total loss protection
Up to two tire repairs or replacements per year
Collision discount
Endurance mobile app

Find out more about why we recommend this provider in our full Endurance warranty review, and click the buttons below to find out how much you would pay for an Endurance contract.

CARCHEX: Best For Used Cars

CARCHEX has a strong reputation among experts in the extended warranty industry and partners with household-name companies like CARFAX, Edmunds.com, and Kelley Blue Book.

CARCHEX also offers customers five comprehensive coverage options, including automotive service contracts for high-mileage vehicles. All plans come with benefits including:

24/7 roadside assistance
Towing reimbursement
Rental car reimbursement
Trip interruption expense reimbursement

Read more about this top provider in our CARCHEX review, and see how much a CARCHEX warranty would cost for your vehicle by getting a free quote.

Methodology

Our review team prides itself on sharing accurate and unbiased information with consumers. We have accumulated data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate our rankings of the industry’s best providers. Companies receive a score out of 5.0 overall, as well as a rating in each of the following categories:

Price: Comparing providers can be difficult due to the many factors that influence cost. To determine this score, we employ a secret shopper analysis using different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations.
Coverage: A wide variety of coverage is essential to support the differing needs of customers. We take into account the number of extended car warranty plans available, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
Customer Service: The level of customer service and care provided by an extended warranty company is an important consideration. Our review team sifts through customer reviews and complaints from reputable sources such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot. We also consider the responsiveness of each company’s customer service team based on our secret shopper analysis.
Reputation: Good extended warranty providers consistently provide quality experiences. Our team takes into account BBB ratings and the company’s history of reliable service when giving this score.
Transparency: Customers value a commitment to open and honest communication when it comes to vehicle service contracts. Our team of experts takes into account the availability of money-back guarantees and sample contracts.

#AutoWarranty

Stephen Kenney

Stephen Kenney is a writer and editor who focuses on car insurance, auto financing, and vehicle shipping services. He's a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and has experience covering categories ranging from travel to sports to environmental sustainability. In his free time, Stephen enjoys going on long-distance runs, trying out new recipes, and exploring his adopted hometown of Cincinnati.

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Assurant First Extended Warranty Review

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First Extended Warranty Review: 3.0 Stars

First Extended Warranty Highlights