ShieldAuto Protection sells vehicle service contracts — the paperwork that steps in when a transmission gives up at 94,000 miles or the A/C compressor quits in August. What is covered is defined by your contract, not by a headline on a website.
Quotes are estimates only. Coverage, deductibles, waiting periods and exclusions are set by the contract you receive — some vehicles require an inspection.
Every figure on this page is an illustrative example, not a quote and not a promise of what any repair will cost or what any claim will pay.
Three ordinary failures, three ordinary Tuesdays. Ranges below are examples drawn from typical shop estimates — your vehicle, your market and your shop will differ.
A 2018 crossover hunts between third and fourth on the Broken Arrow Expressway. Rebuild or replace, and the shop's written estimate is four figures before fluid, mounts and labor are itemized.
$1,900 – $4,800 example repair range
Air conditioning is almost never one part. Compressor, condenser, receiver-drier, evacuate, recharge, and a diagnostic fee that starts before anyone opens the hood.
$650 – $1,600 example repair range
Modern head units are networked modules tied to the backup camera and climate controls. Dealer diagnostics run the clock long before a part number is quoted.
$500 – $2,200 example repair range
Vehicle service contracts come in three shapes. The difference is not marketing — it is how the covered-components section is written.
from about $52/mo illustrative
Built for higher-mileage vehicles where the worry is the catastrophic bill, not the small stuff.
from about $78/mo illustrative
If a part is printed on the covered-components list, it is eligible. If it is not on the list, it is not covered. No interpretation required.
from about $109/mo illustrative
Instead of listing what is covered, the contract lists what is not. Everything mechanical outside that exclusions page is eligible.
Monthly figures are illustrative examples only, not offers. Real pricing depends on year, make, model, odometer reading, use, ZIP code, deductible and tier — and some vehicles require an inspection before a contract is issued.
This is the table most sites bury. Read it before you read anyone’s price. “Varies” means the answer is in your specific contract, not on this page.
| Component group | Powertrain Guard | Component Select | Total Exclusionary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internally lubricated engine parts | Typically included | Typically included | Typically included |
| Transmission, transfer case, drive axle | Typically included | Typically included | Typically included |
| Cooling system (water pump, radiator) | Not included | Typically included | Typically included |
| Air conditioning (compressor, condenser) | Not included | Typically included | Typically included |
| Electrical (alternator, starter, motors) | Not included | Typically included | Typically included |
| Steering and suspension components | Not included | Typically included | Typically included |
| Navigation, infotainment and sensor modules | Not included | Not included | Typically included |
| Seals and gaskets with a covered repair | Typically included | Varies by contract | Typically included |
| Rental car and towing reimbursement | Varies by contract | Varies by contract | Typically included |
ShieldAuto Protection is not an insurance company and is not a repair facility. A vehicle service contract pays for eligible repairs under stated terms — it does not replace auto insurance and it does not guarantee that any specific repair will be approved. Read the sample contract before you buy; every exclusion is printed in it.
Four steps, in order, every time. Scroll and the car follows the road — the process does not skip stops either.
Pull over somewhere safe. If the vehicle will not drive, use the roadside number printed on your contract card. Do not authorize repairs yet.
Claims line: (877) 555-0134. An authorization number has to be opened before teardown. Repairs approved after the fact are the most common reason a claim is denied.
Your independent mechanic in Boise, a dealer service lane in Charlotte, a national chain — any licensed facility. The shop sends the diagnosis and written estimate to the claims team.
If the failure is covered by your contract, payment goes to the shop directly, less your deductible. If it is not, you get the reason in writing and the estimate stays yours to decide on.
No website can promise your claim will be approved. Coverage decisions follow the contract terms, the shop’s diagnosis and your maintenance records — and a denial always comes with its reason in writing.
Many new-vehicle bumper-to-bumper warranties run about three years or 36,000 miles, with powertrain coverage often stretching to five years or 60,000. After that, the next control arm, water pump or infotainment module is a conversation between you and the service advisor.
A vehicle service contract is one way to move that conversation off your credit card. It is not free money and it is not a guarantee — it is a contract with a covered-components list, a deductible, a waiting period and an exclusions page. The whole point of our comparison guide is to make those four things legible before you sign one, from us or from anybody else.
Full refund inside the 30-day review period per contract terms. After that, a prorated refund less any claims paid and the cancellation fee stated in your contract.
You receive the full contract, not a marketing summary. Read the exclusions section twice before the review window closes.
There is no repair network to argue with. The mechanic you already trust in Bend, Oregon works the same as a dealership service lane.
Selling privately? Most plans transfer for a small fee stated in the contract — which becomes a line in your listing instead of a loose end.
The transfer case on my 2017 SUV let go outside Columbus at 103,000 miles. I called before the shop opened anything up, got an authorization number, and the exclusionary plan handled the part and most of the labor. I still paid my $100 deductible — which is exactly what my contract said I would.
I read the sample contract before I bought, and I am glad I did. Brake pads and my cracked windshield were never going to be covered, and the paperwork says so plainly. What it did cover was the A/C compressor in August in San Antonio. Worth the monthly for that week alone.
I cancelled inside the review period on my first car and re-bought a different tier for my husband's truck instead. The prorated refund took about three weeks. No fight, but also no miracle — it is a contract, and it did what it said it would do.
Illustrative testimonials for a fictional demo brand. Individual coverage and claim outcomes depend on the contract purchased, the vehicle, the diagnosis and documented maintenance.
Get the guide first, decide second. It compares powertrain, stated-component and exclusionary contracts side by side — ours and everyone else’s — so a quote stops being a mystery.