‘Expected a warranty to cover everything’: What to know about vehicle service plans

CHARLOTTE — Joshua Arnold bought a used SUV. It came with a limited warranty, and he wanted more protection. So he bought a service plan through a separate company.

“Just like anybody else, [I] expected a warranty to cover everything,” he said.

But it didn’t. According to paperwork Arnold showed Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke, he filed a claim to fix the suspension, but the company said it was a “pre-existing” condition and denied it.

Arnold filed a claim for the infotainment system. The company also declared it “pre-existing” and denied it.

Arnold filed claims for the headlights and one of the brake lights. Again, denied. This time, because the agreement doesn’t cover those parts.

Arnold filed a claim for the “heads-up display unit.” The company denied this claim due to the recently applied window tint.

“They agreed to cover nothing,” he said.

Arnold estimates — if he has to pay these repairs out of his own pocket — it’ll cost him more than $18,000, exactly what he was trying to avoid, the reason he bought the service plan in the first place.

“Helping people avoid the mistake of what I’m going through,” he said. “Another expense I don’t want somebody else to have to go through for the same issues... you purchase a warranty, you just want it covered.”

The company, Fortegra, told Action 9 by phone that it takes all customer complaints seriously, but won’t discuss Arnold’s for privacy reasons.

A lot of people call these “car warranties.” Stoogenke prefers to call them “service plans” or “service contracts” because, technically, a “warranty” is like a guarantee (usually the manufacturer gives) that the car will work right. A “service plan” is something you can buy that may or may not pay for repairs.

Service contracts can be helpful. Just make sure you:

• See whether you’re paying for something that the warranty that came with your car already covers.
• Read reviews about the company.
• Read the fine print. The FTC recommends asking yourself these questions as you read it.

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