A Look at GWC’s Warranty Policies

Amid the sea of bad experiences and auto scams out there, does GWC Warranty break the mold?

byJason Collins|
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“No Worries, Just Drive.” This has been GWC Warranty’s motto since it began in 1995. To date, the Wilkes-Barre-based company has gladly shelled out more than $3.5 billion in claims to more than 8.5 million drivers across the country, and it has no plans of stopping there.

While GWC takes pride in being a best-in-class used vehicle service contract provider in the automotive industry, can you really be sure that it talks the talk and walks the walk? GWC claims to have reliable partnerships with agents, lenders, and auto dealers to provide drivers with solid vehicle protection plans with confidence. We’re here to take a look at whether or not a GWC warranty is right for you.

GWC Insurance Overview

GWC has a variety of options you can choose from depending on your specific needs and budget. Unexpected repair costs are never pretty, and GWC shields car owners from stressful out-of-pocket expenses with their worry-free coverage options.

  • Exclusionary Coverage: This is GWC’s most comprehensive coverage plan. It includes all the vehicle parts that are covered under the basic factory warranty of the manufacturer, even for cars with starting mileage of 150,000 miles. Still, you should pay close attention to any parts specified in the “Exclusions From Coverage” area of your contract, as GWC won’t cover these.
  • Stated Component Coverage: This is probably the most straightforward contract, especially for cars with a starting mileage of 200,000 miles. If you have components listed explicitly in the vehicle protection plan, GWC will cover them—labor and parts included.
  • New Vehicle Protection Plans: If your car is still covered under the basic factory warranty of your manufacturer, this type of plan can provide you with extended coverage when your basic coverage ends.
  • Used Vehicle Protection Plans: This also covers your car after the expiration of your basic warranty. It’s specific to used cars, so even if you’ve been with your vehicle for a while now (think 200,000 miles or so), you can still get decent coverage.

Most plans may also include 24/7 roadside assistance, as well as rental car reimbursement and reimbursement for travel and lodging. GWC offers users options to upgrade their basic plans with optional benefits like service vouchers, navigation system coverage, zero deductibles, and coverage for high-tech sensors.

Warranty Costs

GWC Warranty doesn’t provide exact costs online for their vehicle protection plans for both basic and extended warranties. You can check your existing warranty coverage from their website’s coverage-lookup feature, though—but if you need an actual quote, you will have to reach out to one of their agents directly or via your dealership. 

In general, the company will cover your expenses minus any deductible. It’s easy to take your new car or used vehicle to licensed repair facilities, which you can also lookup on their website. GWC Warranty will be responsible for your repair bill when it comes to auto repair, oil changes, towing, or whatever your coverage includes. For better business, GWC can help you locate a service center as well, in case you’re having trouble finding one.

You can also take advantage of optional upgrades for additional benefits like zero transfer fees, zero deductibles, $25 gas cards, windshield repairs, checking engine lights, reimbursements for rental cars, and other luxury costs for car buyers.

Things We Like

GWC Warranty promises that their employees strictly abide by a commitment to excellence to provide best-in-class customer service. The company is nationally acclaimed, with achievements like the Motor Trend® Recommended Best Buy for Independent Dealers under its belt. They’ve been around for a long time—as a company, you can’t possibly have a terrible service department and still stay afloat for years.

That said, the brand’s solid reputation in the industry is a huge plus for us. You can think of GWC Warranty as an extended auto warranty broker, and you can fully take advantage of their budget-adjustable plans with customizable add-ons for cars with 0-200,000 odometer miles.

We also like the fact that the vehicle service contracts can cover used cars. For new vehicles, you’re also pretty much covered the instant your car rolls out of the lot—there’s no waiting period compared to other companies that make you wait 30-60 days for a claim.

Things We Don't Like

While GWC’s warranty coverage is top-notch, we don’t particularly like that their rates aren’t readily available online. You will personally have to reach out to get even just a rough estimate of your quote. We’re also not big fans of the fact that GWC Warranty has limited availability at select dealerships only.

There’s a little bit of a common trend among Better Business Bureau users that complain about how difficult it can be to talk to the right person at GWC for your particular concern. There’s a chance your issue might get passed around until you get in touch with the service representative who can actually help you with your problem. 

At the very least, the silver lining here is that GWC is quick to respond to these complaints to ensure they stay committed to their standards of customer service. They try to make filing claims as stress-free and hassle-free as possible despite minor bumps in the road, so we have to give them a little bit of credit for that.

FAQs

Q. What kind of cars are covered by GWC Warranty?

A. Both new and used cars are included in the company’s warranty coverage from 0-200,000 odometer miles. You can contact the company directly for an estimated quote on your particular vehicle type.

Q. I already have a basic manufacturer’s warranty. Can I still apply for a GWC Warranty?

A. Yes. The company provides vehicle service contracts that can extend your basic warranty when it expires.

Q. What parts are covered by GWC Warranty?

A. You will have to check the “Exclusions From Coverage” or the fine print in your contract. You may also go through the details of the Stated Component Coverage if you choose that plan.

Is a Warranty from GWC Worth It?

With its different plans that you can customize to suit your needs and budget, GWC certainly does its job at offering you some peace of mind for either your new car or used vehicle. The years of experience in the industry is a huge plus, along with the fact that there is no waiting period to make a claim compared to other companies.

You can take your pick among the 3,000 preferred service facilities across the United States. There are plenty of extras you can add, such as Powertrain Plus services, 24/7 roadside assistance, diagnostics, fuel system coverage, and sensor packages. Overall, their “No Worries, Just Drive” motto rings true. It’s worth it to consider contacting an agent to get an estimated quote at the very least.

More Information

Here are a few more resources you can use:

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