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Is a Zurich extended warranty worth it? Learn about available plans, cost, how to purchase, and more.
Is a Zurich extended warranty worth it? Learn about available plans, cost, how to purchase, and more.
Perhaps you’ve gone into a dealership, decided on a bright-red used 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia, and started the paperwork for purchase. Somewhere between all the F&I talk, the dealer brings up an extended warranty.
They throw in that they only work with Zurich, and you have to purchase the plan with the vehicle.
If you’ve never worked with Zurich before, or at least have never purchased a vehicle service contract from the corporation, you might be wondering whether it’s a good option. This article is intended to give you the confidence to decide.
Zurich and its products, which include far more than extended warranties, are legit.
Zurich US, previously Zurich North America, belongs to the global Zurich group. Founded in 1872, the insurance corporation expanded to North America in 1912.
You might be familiar with Zurich’s name through the corporation’s other insurance products, which range from healthcare and travel insurance to restaurant, law firm, and federal government contractors’ insurance.
Zurich is on the list of Chaiz-certified providers.
The badge you’ll see next to Zurich’s name in our provider directory means that the provider has been vetted and found to be financially stable. It has also passed Chaiz’s standard for service and consistency.
Zurich holds a 4.6 provider-quality score, assigned by Chaiz. Three factors are taken into account when calculating the score:
Before we continue, it’s worth disclosing that Chaiz is a marketplace that earns a commission on plans purchased through the platform, but that does not affect editorial rankings.
Now that we know that Zurich is legit, as are its vehicle-protection products, let’s break down three plans you’ll come across.
Zurich advertises that it provides coverage for vehicles up to 15 years old and with up to 150,000 miles on the odometer. The extent of coverage differs based on the selected plan and state. Eligibility requirements could also differ.
Zurich’s most basic VSC is a powertrain plan that covers essential mechanical components. At the mid-level is the Standard plan, which expands coverage but is not as inclusive as the Comprehensive plan.
The powertrain plan covers these systems:
The Standard and Comprehensive plans cover the same powertrain systems, but they also include the following:
As the name suggests, Comprehensive is the most robust plan Zurich offers. In addition to the other mentioned systems, the plan provides coverage for these components and systems:
Note that a system may be advertised as covered, but certain individual parts could be excluded. Read your contract carefully to make sure you understand what does and doesn’t qualify.
The Powertrain and Standard plans are stated-component agreements. That means the contract you receive will list the systems and parts that are covered.
The Comprehensive plan, which is similar to a factory bumper-to-bumper warranty, is exclusionary. Instead of listing what is covered, the contract will plainly state what isn’t.
As pointed out above, Zurich’s VSC coverage varies across plans, and each plan has exclusions. Here’s a small sample:
Some wear-and-tear parts that aren’t covered:
You’ll find that extended warranties typically don’t cover wear-and-tear components. This goes for Zurich too.
Zurich also doesn’t cover any parts or components that were not factory-installed. That means a claim on a modified part will be denied. Similar to wear-and-tear parts, this is a common exclusion across providers.
Each of the three Zurich extended-warranty plans comes with roadside assistance, trip-interruption benefits, and rental-car reimbursement.
Add-on coverage for specific components includes road hazard tire and wheel protection. Meanwhile, Zurich Shield offers protection for interior and exterior vehicle components. For example, it guards car paint from environmental damage. It also protects fabric, leather, and vinyl.
This is only a broad overview that mentions a select number of benefits and add-ons. It doesn’t account for state-specific coverage, eligibility, or availability.
Chaiz data suggests they are. Among customers who purchase add-ons, there’s an 18% cancellation rate compared to the 27% no-add-on cancellation rate. As for the percentage of buyers who purchase additional products, that stands at 50%.
You can cancel a Zurich auto-protection product. Zurich advises customers to request cancellation either by contacting the dealership that sold the VSC or by reaching out to Zurich’s customer service department by phone.
The refund terms might vary by product. If you cancel within 30–60 days of purchase and haven’t made any claims, you will usually qualify for a full refund.
Check your contract for the terms. This section, often titled “Cancellation of Contract,” should mention full and prorated refund rules, as well as potential cancellation fees.
This is where other providers might have an edge. Unlike VSC providers that sell their products directly, Zurich only works through dealerships.
If you contact Zurich, don’t be surprised if a representative directs you to local dealerships that offer the company’s coverage contracts.
Some dealerships only sell Zurich at the time of a vehicle purchase. That means if you don’t buy at that point, you might not be able to purchase a Zurich service contract from them later on. Not all dealerships follow this framework. You’ll have to check with the ones in your area if you want to purchase a plan on a vehicle you already own.
Aside from the age and mileage caps, there are some other factors that might lead to ineligibility:
Getting a Zurich quote is more complicated than it is with providers who quote and sell directly online. The primary way to get a quote is generally through a participating dealership.
Because you’re not buying directly, you’ll likely have to pay a markup, which can be high. It also means that the price will vary depending on the dealer.
Zurich’s website isn’t particularly helpful in this regard. Just as it doesn’t list estimates of its coverage plans, it doesn’t address its deductible structure.
There are options when it comes to the deductible. Some plans have a $0 deductible; others come with a $100 deductible. It could go up to $200, depending on the terms.
One customer might be quoted $5,000 for a warranty on a 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia. Another customer might be charged $2,800 for a 2017 Chevy Silverado. What goes into those prices?
As with any service contract, the price depends on various factors. Make and model, age, mileage, coverage level, and add-ons can affect the overall cost of a plan. Which state you’re in also plays a role. As mentioned above, there is also the possibility of a dealership markup.
Here are some more specific examples. The data comes from Car Talk’s research, and each example is based on Zurich’s Comprehensive plan for a used vehicle:
In theory, Zurich has a simple repair process.
The reimbursement structure is appealing because it means you won’t have to pay for repairs out of pocket and then wait on a refund.
The downside is that the process can drag if there are delays in authorization.
These are some of the most common claim denials you’ll see, and they’re not specific to Zurich:
If a breakdown is the product of neglected maintenance, it usually won’t be covered. Providers tend to be very strict about this, so keep all receipts and documents that can prove you followed your maintenance schedule.
If you need a repair and don’t wait on Zurich’s approval first, the claim will likely be denied, leaving you out of pocket for the expenses.
Service contracts can be confusing, and confusion can quickly turn to frustration when something goes wrong.
You may think you’re covered for a system, but not every part of the system is necessarily included.
For instance, with Zurich’s Standard plan, steering is covered. That won’t help you if you need a power-steering pressure line repaired. That’s a part you can only claim for if you have the Comprehensive plan.
That’s why you need to be careful when reviewing the contract.
Endurance and Zurich are two well-known names in the extended-warranty industry, and they may be on your shortlist of potential providers.
Both are Chaiz certified, but they are structurally different. Zurich is a major insurance company with many departments, whereas Endurance focuses on vehicle service and maintenance contracts.
State-specific exceptions may apply, but here’s a breakdown of some of the key similarities and differences:
Endurance could be more convenient because you don’t have to go through a dealership. You can find more information about plans online, including sample contracts.
If you investigate further and decide to go that route, make sure you’re aware of Endurance’s exclusions. The same goes for any provider.
Zurich makes a limited amount of information available, which can make shopping around difficult. With that said, some vehicle owners may prefer that Zurich’s contracts are backed by a company with a long history.
In 2026, some vehicle owners might argue that customer experience is worth more than a nice add-on. On paper, Zurich is a decent option. The corporation has a long history and is financially stable, and the plans come with nice benefits.
That’s all well and good, but if we don’t address all angles, you might feel deceived when you check Trustpilot and find a 1.2 rating.
In terms of its BBB business profile, Zurich has an A+ rating, and the corporation was accredited in 2017. There have been 288 total complaints filed against Zurich in the last 3 years, and 84 closed in the last 12 months.
Considering how big the company is and how many services it offers, those figures are within reason.
The BBB’s letter score is calculated using key categories, which include:
The rating doesn’t necessarily indicate the quality of service you’ll receive. In the case of Zurich, you’ll see a huge disparity between the BBB rating and the 1.14 customer rating.
Bear in mind that Zurich is a large corporation, and customers are reviewing various individual products.
Across the BBB website’s customer reviews, Trustpilot, ConsumerAffairs, and Reddit, there are some common denominators in the experiences customers have shared.
We’ll address the negative before spotlighting the positive.
Some Zurich customers report that dealership salespeople informed them that the warranty would cover A–Z. That’s false, and it can cause some big upsets when a claim needs to be filed. This is more of a dealership problem than a Zurich problem, but there are claim concerns directly related to the company.
Some reviewers argue that the contract’s wording makes it easy to deny claims. Other customers feel that Zurich “will do anything to get out of a claim.”
Administrative barriers have also created frustration and left some vehicle owners out of pocket.
Both mechanics and customers voice communication frustrations. Reviewers on the BBB’s website note having a difficult time finding a number for the company. Some also note that their mechanics struggle to get in contact with the company to start claims.
In some cases, reviewers report being passed between departments without progress. Others describe spending an hour or more on hold without ever speaking to anyone.
The common thread is that communication can be inconvenient, challenging, and time-consuming.
There are customers who are happy with their Zurich service contracts. On Trustpilot, some users remark on the great service they received and note quick authorization.
On Reddit, a user mentions that Zurich authorized a $3,000 claim over the phone and paid the $529 labor rate as well. Others agree that Zurich is fast and easy to work with.
On ConsumerAffairs, where Zurich has a 4.4 rating from 1,069 reviews, some customers state that they would recommend Zurich to friends and family. Some also mention that they’re satisfied with the value for money.
If you do further research, remember that platforms like Trustpilot are global. Because Zurich is a multinational corporation, some of the feedback submitted may be from policyholders in other parts of the world. The input from customers in the US may also center on unrelated insurance products.
Let’s assume that you’re satisfied that an extended warranty is worth it for you—because that’s a separate question. Is it worth it for you to choose Zurich as your provider? Too many Zurich extended car-warranty reviews don’t actually provide an answer.
The answer is that it might be. Zurich offers good value for money. However, having to buy through authorized dealers means you’ll usually be limited in how to purchase, when to purchase, and what you’ll pay to purchase.
Zurich is also a big insurance company, not exclusively a provider of vehicle service and maintenance contracts. That’s not a negative. In fact, it might provide peace of mind because you know that the business is financially secure.
Understanding any vehicle service contract is essential. Not following the authorization process can lead to a denied claim. Not understanding coverage terms and limits can lead to a denied claim. Not following the maintenance schedule can lead to a denied claim.
There’s no guarantee that a provider will be easy to work with, but there are some precautions you can take. Reading the contract thoroughly, understanding what qualifies for coverage, and keeping thorough maintenance records are some of them.
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