Owning, driving and maintaining any vehicle is an expensive business, so it makes sense to look into any ways that might help you keep unexpected costs down. If you own a car, whether it is new, used or very used indeed, you will have to have Car Insurance, as it is a legal requirement in the UK. Depending on your level of cover, your Car Insurance will offer help with costs relating from accidents. You will also want to consider Vehicle Breakdown Cover – which supports you in the event that your car needs roadside assistance or recovery. Another product worth learning more about is the Car Warranty – it’s another way to deal with unexpected bills for your car.

What is the difference between a Car Warranty and UK Car Insurance?

Perhaps the most important point to make is that, in the UK, Car Insurance is a legal requirement and a Car Warranty is an optional product. Car Insurance and Car or Motor Warranties also cover different things – one covers accidents and one covers faults.

Car Insurance: Depending on the level of cover, Car Insurance covers costs resulting from accident, fire or theft. Your car insurance should also cover costs resulting from injury or damage caused by a car accident.

Car Warranty: A warranty is designed to cover the costs of repairing your car when unexpected faults appear. The warranty should cover parts and labour bills.

How do you get a Car Warranty?

Most car manufacturers offer a warranty when you buy a new car. The length of the warranty, the level of cover it offers, the limitations that might be imposed and the amount of maintenance the owner needs to do to the car to keep the warranty valid will differ between manufacturers. If you are a looking at buying a brand new car, compare the warranties offered by different manufacturers and you see quite some variation – for example, 3 years is a fairly standard warranty length (usually with a mileage limit) but some manufacturers may offer five or seven years.

If you buy a nearly new car, you will probably have some time remaining on the manufacturers warranty. Most Car Manufatures Warranties will specify both a length of time and a number of miles, after which the warranty expires – whichever comes first is the one they will use!

If you buy a used or second hand car that is no longer covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty, you may still get similar protection if you buy from a franchised dealership. Many manufacturers have approved second hand or used schemes for their vehicles and will offer a shorter warranty – often 12 months – on those used cars.

Finally, you can choose to buy a Car Warranty from an independent specialist provider. These warranties will vary in terms of length and the level of cover they offer, but in some cases may offer a better level of protection than the original manufacturer’s warranty. You can compare levels of cover and often add or remove options to get the price that works for you when you get a quote for a Car Warranty.

I bought a new car and the manufacturer has now offered to extend the warranty – do I have another option?

If you bought your car from new, you will probably have got a standard warranty from that car’s manufacturer. As the car gets older and that warranty reaches its expiry, the manufacturer may get in touch and offer you an extension. If you would like to continue to have cover for mechanical faults, it is important to know that you have another option – you can buy a Car Warranty from an independent provider, you don’t have to go with the manufacturer’s own warranty extension.

Can I protect a used car with a Car Warranty?

Yes! Car Warranty providers all have some conditions about the vehicles they will offer warranty cover for, but it’s important to know that Car Warranties aren’t just for new vehicles, or ones from manufacturer dealerships. Independent Car Warranty providers will usually specify a maximum age and/or mileage for a vehicle to be eligible for cover, and they will usually have some service history requirements, but it’s often the case that the limits that independent warranty providers work with are more generous than the ones leading manufacturers use.

Find the Warranty that works for you

To get a quote for your vehicle and select the right Car Warranty options for your needs, get a quote from a leading UK provider.

Get a Car Warranty Quote

What makes a good Car Warranty? What can a Car Warranty cover?

Car Warranties are designed to cover electrical and mechanical faults. Your Car Insurance will cover accidental damage, fire and theft. A good Car Warranty will offer cover for a wider range of faults and will include additional options like vehicle collection, cover for issues discovered during an MOT, and even European cover.

Car Warranties are not designed to cover consumable items – things that you are expected to have to replace over the lifetime of the car. Examples could include tyres, batteries, wiper blades and brake pads.

What would invalidate a Car Warranty?

Car Warranty providers will usually require some level of service history about your vehicle before they offer you a warranty – they want to know that the car has been well maintained. Once your warranty is in place, you will need to meet the conditions of your warranty to keep it valid – this will usually involve requirements like servicing as per the schedule in the car manual, regular MOTs, and replacing any parts at the time specified in the manual service schedule.

Car Warranties by Make and Model

To get a UK Car Warranty quote for a specific make and model of car, find the manufacturer and the model you are interested in below, then click through to learn more.

Find the Warranty that works for you

To get a quote for your vehicle and select the right Car Warranty options for your needs, get a quote from a leading UK provider.

Get a Car Warranty Quote