It is important to know the company that is promising to pay you if your car breaks down. A contract is only as good as the company that backs it. All contracts sold through Atlas Protection Services are are administered by Marathon Administration and Century Administration, who combined have over 30 years in the industry. And remove the last sentence about bank of America.

An extended service contract is an important option. With the high technology built into today's cars, repair costs have risen dramatically and will continue to do so. With just one major after-vehicle service contract or extended service contract repair, the contract could easily pay for itself. All vehicle manufacturers strive to have the best product; however, anything mechanical could eventually require repairs.

Most new vehicles come with a 3 year /36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper (comprehensive) manufacturer’s warranty. Once the manufacturer’s warranty expires, Vehicle Service Contracts take over – if you have one. A manufacturer’s warranty provides for repairs of covered components during a specific period of time or a certain number of miles driven.

Any licensed repair facility. The repair facility merely contacts the claims administrator to arrange for payment.

A deductible is the amount you pay for any covered repair. For instance, if your deductible is $100, and a covered repair is $500, then you would pay the first $100 and your extended protection plan would cover the remaining $400.

If you trade or sell your vehicle you have two options. You may transfer the policy to the new owner (for a small fee) or you may cancel your coverage and you will be refunded a pro-rate amount less a small cancelation fee. You can then use the pro-rata refund as a down payment on coverage for your next vehicle so you are always protected.

Yes. The contract is transferable. While the existence of a vehicle protection plan will not impact the “blue book” price of a car, potential buyers of your car will certainly feel far more comfortable buying your car if it has an extended service contract. A service contract may not increase the resale price, but it may sway a buyer to purchase your car instead of another car which is not covered.

A solid extended service contract company will offer you three layers of protection, the administrator, the insurer and the reinsurer. Insurance provides peace of mind, however the administrator is the company that handles claims. They are often NOT the company selling you your protection plan.The insurers financial strength is the most important factor in buying a vehicle protection plan.

Many vehicle protection plans exclude repairs needed due to "wear and tear." A large number of car repairs are needed because a part wears out from a long period of use, not because it was poorly built. Many vehicle protection plans define "mechanical breakdown" as a defect in parts and workmanship as supplied by the manufacturer, or a defect that makes the part unable to perform the function for which it was designed. Often, they will state that the gradual reduction in operating performance (wear-and-tear) is not covered. Service contracts that exclude wear and tear will not cover repairs needed because a part's performance has gradually deteriorated because of normal wear and tear, unless a mechanical breakdown has occurred. The more miles on a car when a repair becomes necessary, the more likely it is that the repair will be needed because a part wore out, rather than because the part broke due to poor manufacturing. Again, many after vehicle service contract or extended service contract protection plans do not cover parts that wear out.

Before buying any after vehicle service contract or extended service contract plans, you should carefully review what is covered and not covered to see whether wear and tear claims are excluded from coverage. That way, if it is not clear whether a repair is needed due to a manufacturing defect or simple wear and tear, it is more likely that the service contract company will pay for the repair. It is a mistake to assume that a repair agreement will cover every repair your car may need.