autopom! Extended Warranty Review

autopom! is an extended warranty broker, offering coverage from a few different providers, and with several coverage levels available. autopom! is frequently praised for its customer service, speed, and responsiveness, but it’s not the cheapest option. Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always a good choice in terms of value. In our research, we found that autopom! has at least one plan option available in all 50 states. Let’s take a look at what makes autopom! tick.

(Editorial Note: “autopom!” stands for “automotive peace of mind” and the exclamation point is part of the name, as well as the lowercase usage of the word. So we’re keeping it, despite the grammatically unique way it looks on the page!)

Pros and Cons

Which autopom! Warranty Plan is Right for Me?

Additional Benefits Included in All autopom! Plans

• autopom! allows its customers to choose the shop they want to perform repairs and is partnered with 2600 certified repair facilities for their clients to choose from.
• Plans include rental car assistance, in the event a vehicle is in the shop for an extended period.
• Roadside assistance is available that includes nationwide help.

Because autopom! is not itself a warranty provider, it’s able to work with its partner companies to offer the best options. As a result, it’s able to offer four major coverage options to its customers: Exclusionary, High-Level, Mid-Level, and Powertrain Plus. Exclusionary covers nearly everything, but be aware that there are parts not included on that list. In general, autopom! Exclusionary coverage is about as close to a manufacturer’s warranty as you’ll find outside of a dealership.

High-Level coverage includes the drivetrain, HVAC, and fuel system components, as well as much of the electrical system. Mid-Level coverage covers powertrain, fuel, and suspension systems, and Powertrain Plus coverage is mainly related to just the engine and transmission and/or related components.

While we’re quick to note that autopom! is one of the better options for extended warranties, it’s also important to remember that it only offers full coverage to vehicles in good shape. If your vehicle has seen better days and you’re just looking for something to prevent astronomical repair costs, autopom! will still cover your car to a point, just not anything that is deemed a pre-existing condition. This is standard practice within the industry.

Exclusionary Plan From autopom!

• Engine
• Transmission
• Fuel system
• Climate controls system
• Electrical
• Steering
• Transaxle
• Braking
• Seals, gaskets, hoses

Mid-Level Plan From autopom!

• Fuel system
• Braking
• Steering
• Climate controls system
• Engine
• Transmission
• Turbo or supercharger
• Differentials
• Transfer case

Powertrain Plus Plan From autopom!

• Engine
• Transmission
• Differential
• Drive axle
• Turbo or supercharger

How Much Does an autopom! Warranty Cost?

autopom! does not disclose rates without walking through the entire quote process. Digging through various enthusiast forums and review sites, we were able to gather the following estimates. Please note that these rates are self-reported by the vehicles’ owners and may not reflect the rates that you’re able to obtain.

The average autopom! policy should cost somewhere between $1,500 and $4,000. That large variance in cost comes from a bunch of factors, mainly location and vehicle type. The initial down payment for an autopom! plan is equal to the first month’s payment.

How autopom! Compares Against Other Warranty Companies?

autopom! is a broker of extended warranty plans from other warranty companies. As a result, it offers some of the lowest prices anywhere on the market. The company’s coverage offerings include plans from Mercury Insurance Group, Omega, Integrity and Royal Administration. Getting a quote from autopom! is one of the most straightforward processes you’ll find, and quotes can be obtained over the phone or by email.

autopom! is also known for its customer service. Its customers rave about the easy quote process and even more about the easy claim process. One downside is that, after obtaining coverage, drivers must have traveled at least 1,000 miles and waited 30 days prior to filing a claim. Once past those markers, the covered vehicle can be repaired at any licensed shop or dealership in the country, after the required deductible has been met.

How to File an autopom! Claim?

The company’s process states that, once a repair is needed, the owner needs to take it to an authorized repair center. From there, the owner will:

• Present coverage paperwork to facility.
• Repair shop verifies coverage with autopom!
• Claims are paid directly to shop from the company’s credit card.
• Owners have no out of pocket expenses other than the deductible.

While autopom! is great about letting its customers take their vehicles almost anywhere they please, the company is clear that owners cannot perform repairs themselves. This includes taking the vehicle to an unlicensed shop.

Is My Car Eligible for an autopom! Warranty?

autopom! coverage is easy to get, but you’re not home free once you buy a policy. To continue coverage, you’ll need to:

• Maintain your vehicle according to its manufacturer’s recommended maintenance plans.
• Service under an autopom! policy must be obtained at a licensed shop.
• Customers must keep documentation of services performed in case a dispute arises.

To Obtain Coverage:

• Eligibility varies by state
• Vehicle must have a clean record
• Vehicle must have no performance modifications
• Vehicles can have pre-existing maintenance issues, but these will not be covered
• Vehicles cannot be over 14 years old.

Most Common Reasons Why autopom! Claims Are Rejected?

autopom! falls back on the “call us with questions” phrase as an answer to most questions on why claims are rejected, but its documentation offers some clues. First, repairs must be performed at a legitimate shop, not your uncle’s garage or your backyard. It’s also important to note that the company has funky wording around what is and is not covered with certain repairs. For instance, it states that, in the event of overheating, it will pay to repair the cause of overheating. It will not cover any other damage that came as a result of the overheating. This fine print can be confusing, especially if you’re in the middle of a breakdown.

Customer Reviews of autopom!

Reviews site Best Company received several reviews, both positive and negative on autopom!.

Positive Reviews

"It's been great in time of need they were there to assist me. Fast and efficient!"

"After extensive online research, I contacted autopom! to receive an extended warranty quote for a vehicle I recently purchased. My experience was consistent with the reviews I read (overwhelmingly positive). The process was straight-forward with no upselling & all my questions were effectively answered. I purchased a Omega Exclusionary extended warranty which meets both my budget & coverage needs. Follow-up contacts to date (10/8/20) have addressed additional questions. Outstanding experience so far!"

"autopom! was recommended by a friend and I researched them and I found them to be legit. The rep was pretty straightforward. The process was easy and simple and not complicated. It is good to have for peace of mind. I can breathe a little easier."

Negative Reviews

"I have not had a good experience with autopom! and royal administration. I have had to fight to get repairs covered and have had a claim denied. And it caused additional damage that they did not cover. Not a good customer experience."

"Bought their premium warranty, and recently took my car to the dealer to use the warranty AFTER I was told that my plan covered the needed repair, only to be told by the dealer that the repair was declined."

Should You Get an autopom! Extended Warranty?

We’ll never stand in the way of you receiving a product or service that provides extra peace of mind. That said, it’s important to think through the costs and benefits of extended warranties, including how well your vehicle has treated you from a maintenance standpoint so far. You might not need any additional coverage if your vehicle is reliable, but that’s a choice that only you can make.

Our Methodology For Best Warranty Providers

Car Talk has spent the last year doing a deep dive into the warranties industry for the benefit of our readership and long-time listeners. Our process for deciding on the best warranty companies for the year was exceptionally thorough, involving in-depth research and our unique secret shopper initiative. We compiled over 50 data points across all reviewed companies to refine and inform our selection process. Car Talk reviewed the following important criteria for each company:

• Consumer Satisfaction: Cross referencing multiple trusted resources to pull our fair and balanced customer reviews.

• Cost: Utilizing our secret shopper initiative, we got comparable quotes across all companies so we can validly compare pricing.

• Coverage and Offerings: Our research team delved into the coverage and offerings for each company, comparing what is available, including extras and discounts.

• Official Ratings: We consulted a wide range of verified review sites to extrapolate a ratings score for each.