Protect My Car

Extended Warranty Q&A

To begin a claim, call 844-556-4762

What is the process for getting repairs approved by Protect My Car?

Diagnose the vehicle based on the customer’s concern and determine the repairs/parts needed. Before performing any additional work other than the diagnosis, call one of the three numbers to call in the claim for authorization.  Be sure to identify your shop as a RepairPal network shop.

Will I have to change my labor fees or parts markup rates? 

• There are preferred labor rate guidelines when completing these repairs. Upon completing the RepairPal certification process, RepairPal will address any questions regarding labor rate. 
• Protect My Car bases all estimates and approvals using Mitchell as a labor guide.
• Parts markup is not to exceed OEM MSRP.*

  • How this works in practice: you source parts for your customers as usual.  You can use an OEM part or an aftermarket part, as you deem appropriate.  When you request approval for this repair, you use OEM list price for the parts you used which should create margin between your acquisition cost and the parts price you will be paid.

    Very rarely, OEM MSRP (List Price) is not available. In these cases, the part purchased from an outside vendor shall not exceed the cost paid plus 30%.

Can I charge shop supply fees? 

Protect My Car doesn’t pay shop supply fees.  You will not be reimbursed for anything you don’t itemize fully on the invoice.  You should not add these fees to the invoice.

What do I need to put on my invoice in order to get paid? 

1. Your invoice should include the date, customer name and address, vehicle year, make, and model, and VIN.  
2. It should include line item detail about the services and repairs performed.
3. It should include parts numbers.
4. It should show the breakdown between parts used and labor hours/ charges.
5. It should include a total at the bottom.
6. It should include customers signature on the final invoice.

How much back and forth can I expect once I have the car in the bay? 

Once you call in the claim, Protect My Car will give an answer quickly on approval and confirm the customer’s deductible, and any coverage exclusions. Larger claims can take a few days due to needing inspections to be completed.

Protect My Car is trying to provide and ship parts to my shop for the repair. Do I need to accept them? If so, what is the warranty coverage?

Many extended service providers have relationships with parts houses that allow them to leverage great pricing. To participate in this partnership, you must accept parts that they source themselves. All you need to warranty is your labor on the part. Should it fail for some reason, the part is warrantied through the life of the consumer’s contract, and PMC will replace it.

How will I be paid for completed repairs?

Follow the reimbursement instructions provided during the claim authorization phone call. Important, should a customer pay out of pocket for a repair without getting authorization through a shop first: only small repairs can possibly be reimbursed for VSC contracts. All preauthorized repairs for AMB contracts will be denied for reimbursement. Typically, Protect My Car offers a credit card to the shop over the phone for prompt payment.

How do I handle non-covered repairs (such as regular maintenance, brakes, etc.)? 

The customer would pay you directly. If combined with a claim, the customer would pay you directly for the non-covered services as well as the deductible, with the provider covering the rest.

Is my diagnosis covered? 

Yes, Protect My Car will cover reasonable diagnostic charges as part of the repair order for covered repairs. If more diagnostic time is needed beyond 1 hour, stop and call for further approvals.

Is tax covered?

Based on your state and municipality, tax may be applicable. Protect My Car will pay taxes based on your state. Here are the scenarios. Please consult a state or local tax expert if you have questions:

1. Tax is not covered and needs to be paid by the customer.
2. Tax does not apply to the repair at all because:
   1. Local laws do not require tax payments on extended warranty work

My customer needs a rental or loaner car. Is this covered? 

When a customer’s vehicle is inoperable or unsafe to drive and the repair requires the vehicle be held overnight (or longer) for repair, Protect My Car will reimburse the consumer for a rental car if the repair is approved with four or more hours of labor time. There are multiple coverages, so please follow the directive of the claims agent.

Very important: You must request rental car authorization at the same time you call in authorization for the repair, once the diagnosis is complete and you have an estimate for parts, labor and sublet work. You’ll need to know when you’ll have the repair completed, so it’s important to have accurate ETAs for any parts needed. Protect My Car will only authorize a rental vehicle for the time needed to receive THEIR parts they elect to ship in and complete the repairs in a timely manner. Once the rental has been authorized, the authorization number must be provided to the rental company. 

What if my parts are delayed or the job takes longer than I thought? Can the rental car be extended? 

Most policies specify a maximum number of days (5 or 7 is typical), regardless of any failures from the parts vendors, your shop or the customer. This is why timely completion of the repair is critical to customer satisfaction. If issues arise beyond your control, and the customer is upset about the loss of rental car reimbursement, please contact RepairPal so that we may explore other solutions for the customer.

Will my customer need to pay for the rental car up front? 

Your customer will be required to leave a deposit for the rental car, according to the rental car provider’s policies. The customer will also be required to pay any additional fees above the covered amount or for extra days. All rentals that are approved will need to be sent in to reimburse unless the shop provides the rental. Protect My Car can then pay the shop directly for the rental.

What happens if my customer rents a car before the repair is approved by Protect My Car? 

Your customer runs the risk that they’ll be responsible for the rental car fees, if the repair is not approved by the Provider. 

If I am not able to charge a customer the full amount I’d normally charge for the repair (because the full cost isn’t approved by the ESP), can I charge that back to the customer?

No, you cannot charge the customer over and above the approved ESP claim amount, unless the customer opts to have extra work done (such as brake work, regular maintenance, etc.) that isn’t covered at all by their plan.

What do I have to do to prove which repairs are necessary?

1. Provide vehicle mileage and VIN, as well as customer name and contact information.
2. Provide detailed diagnostic notes and test results.
3. Where appropriate, include pictures.

Sometimes, depending on repair severity and cost, you will also need to:

1. Do a thorough “tear down” diagnosis.
2. Work with an independent inspector who will review and help to determine whether a repair is necessary.
3. Collect maintenance or other vehicle service records from the customer.

What if I disagree with Protect My Car?

Contact RepairPal immediately.  We can help sort through the issue so that good customer service is provided.  

Do NOT badmouth the partner or the policy coverage; the partner is referring customers to you so that you will provide amazing service and they will not continue to do so if you don’t represent them professionally in that process.

Anything else to be aware of? 

• Yes, here are some other guidelines:
• You may only test drive the customer’s vehicles to verify the concern and repairs.
• You may not use the customer’s vehicle for personal use.
• You may not use the customer’s vehicle for shuttle service.
• The customer’s vehicle cannot be driven home and/or taken to lunch.

Resource:

• PMC Extended Warranty Q&A (pdf)