Omega Auto Care Review
We awarded Omega Auto Care the “Best Value” on our Best Car Warranties guide because the company offers three types of service contracts that cover everything from new cars to older vehicles with less than 250,000 miles. These contracts come with many benefits included in the price.
If you’re considering buying a used car or the manufacturer’s warranty on your existing vehicle is nearing the expiration date, a service contract (frequently referred to as an extended warranty) can save you hundreds on costly repairs. USA Today reported that a 2017 study from the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that nearly one-in-three Americans said that they couldn’t afford to pay a $500 to $600 car repair bill without going into debt. Based on those figures, a full brake job including rotors, calipers, drums, pads and cylinders can put you in a financial bind with an average cost of $750. Transmission replacement doubles that dollar figure and goes up with the average price running between $1500 and $3500.
Omega Auto Care coverage holders don’t have to worry about skyrocketing repair costs since covered services are only subject to a pre-defined deductible based on their plan. Accepted nationwide, Omega Auto Care coverage can be used at any licensed repair facility, so customers aren’t limited to a small handful of shops.
- High ratings from trusted review organizations
- Three plans are offered with varying levels of coverage for cars up to 15 years old
- Extra benefits like Roadside Assistance, Rental Car Reimbursement and Trip Interruption are included with every plan at no additional charge
- There is no way to purchase coverage or get a quote online; you have to call and speak with a sales person
Omega Auto Care Products
Omega Auto Care has three extended warranty coverage options: New Exclusionary, Used Stated Coverage and Powertrain Protection. Each coverage option has requirements on your vehicle’s age and mileage, and each one offers varying degrees of coverage. Omega’s website provides PDF examples of an agreement for each option. These sample agreements lay out the fine print for each protection package. We’ve highlighted what each protection package includes below.
| Coverage Plan | Vehicle Age/Mileage | Items Covered |
|---|---|---|
| New Exclusionary | Current model year + 7 model years with less than 150,000 odometer miles |
Most major component systems |
| Used Stated Coverage | Current model year + 10 model years with less than 150,000 odometer miles |
Most major component systems |
| Powertrain Protection | Current model year + 15 model years with less than 250,000 miles |
Engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axles, seals and gaskets |
What is not covered – Exclusions vary depending on the coverage purchased but the sample contracts Omega Auto Care provides spell them out thoroughly. The key is reading the entire contract upon receipt, so you know exactly what is covered and what isn’t. You can still cancel if you decide the benefits are not for you.
How To Submit A Claim With Omega Auto Care
Omega states before any repairs can be made to your car, you must call them to start the claim and authorization process. Its claims department operates Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (CST). To submit a claim follow these steps:
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Use all reasonable means to keep your car from getting damaged further. Stop your car and call for roadside assistance to tow it. Omega asks that if your contract states you should use Road America or Auto Knight, call the number listed for them on your contract.
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Only take your car to a licensed repair shop of your choice. Once there, have the repair shop call the number on your contract before they make any repairs.
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Authorization from Omega is strictly required before any repairs can be made. Once you have a diagnosis from the repair shop, call Omega’s claims department to start a claim.
Omega Auto Care Benefits
Omega Auto Care provides extra benefits at no additional charge to all customers regardless of their coverage level.
- Roadside Assistance – Roadside assistance is provided through Road America and Auto Knight. It’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Rental Car Reimbursement –The level of coverage determines the maximum per-day and per-occurrence reimbursement.
- Road Hazard Coverage (Tire Only) – Omega Auto Care pays up to $400 in reimbursement for any roadside hazard repairs, up to $100 for each tire replacement and up to $20 toward a full repair.
Omega Auto Care Cancellation Policy
The Omega Auto Care website doesn’t provide a cancellation policy but we spoke with their Director of Operations who stated customers have a 30-day money-back guarantee block of time to review the coverage and decide whether or not they want to keep the coverage.
Omega Auto Care Prices
Coverage with Omega Auto Care begins around $2/day for month-to-month plans. Prices will vary based on the type of car, the package you choose, and the promotional offer you receive.
To get a quick quote, potential customers can contact Omega Auto Care through a form on the website or call their toll-free number at 844-855-3956. Agents are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 7:00 pm (CST) and Saturday from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm (CST).
Omega Auto Care Reviews and Ratings
The review section on their website isn’t typical of what you find on the majority of company sites in that they don’t provide potential buyers with a lot of glowing customer reviews that have been submitted directly to the company. Instead, Omega Auto Care feeds reviews directly from those submitted to ConsumerAffairs, so you see the good, the bad, the ugly and the indifferent instead of just the cherry-picked best.
Phrases like “best customer service anywhere” and “outstanding service” are liberally sprinkled throughout the reviews. In the past three years, only 55 complaints have been lodged against Omega Auto Care with the Better Business Bureau. The company responded to each one of them. Sixteen were resolved to the customer’s satisfaction. The remaining 39 have been marked by the BBB with the following: “The Business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either (a) did not accept the response, OR (b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.”
- ConsumerAffairs named Omega Auto Care a ConsumerAffairs Accredited Brand with 4.5 stars based on over 200 customer ratings.
- Better Business Bureau lists Omega Auto Care as a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ Rating (4.86 out of 5 stars).
- Ripoff Report lists Omega Auto Care as a “TRUSTED Business” and notes, “Positive rating and recognition have been given to Omega Auto Care for its full commitment to quality customer service.”
Omega Auto Care Q&A
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Does Omega Auto Care sell a warranty or a service contract?
According to the FTC, though automotive service contracts are frequently referred to as “extended warranties,” they are not warranties as defined by federal law because they can be purchased at any time and always cost extra. A warranty is included in the purchase price of the car and isn’t something that can be bought long after buying the vehicle. Therefore, by definition, Omega Auto Care sells service contracts. -
What are key things to look for in the contract fine print?
Specific exclusions and covered parts will be listed in Omega’s contract but the FTC advises if you don’t see an item listed, assume it’s not covered. The government agency also warns consumers to be on the lookout for “absolute exclusions that deny coverage” (i.e. “If a covered part is damaged by a non-covered part, the claim may be denied.”) This phrase was found in a sample Omega Auto Care policy. Other review sites advise that repairs due to “normal wear and tear” may also be excluded from coverage. -
Does Omega Auto Care require pre-approval for repairs?
All of the sample contracts state that the repair facility must call the claims center before any repairs are made for approval unless it is a “simple emergency repair” of a covered part that will take two hours or less of labor to complete and it’s outside of regular business hours. Simple emergency repairs can be authorized by the coverage holder but they must be reported to the claims center within five business days. -
Is there a waiting period before a claim can be filed?
There is no mention of a waiting period on Omega’s website but as previously mentioned, we found out there is a 30-day 1,000 mile waiting period before filing a claim. -
Are monthly payments available or do the plans have to be paid for in full?
Omega Auto Care coverage plans can be paid for in full, up front or through monthly payments. -
What is Omega’s business record like?
Great. According to online reviews and ratings, Omega provides excellent customer service. We found two old lawsuits during our research that resulted from marketing companies using auto-dialers to call cell phones and landlines trying to sell policies. Omega has since changed the terminology in their agreements with marketing companies to prevent this from happening again.
Conclusion
Auto warranty scams are so rampant that the FCC has a warning page about them on their website. Those few bad apples have led some to believe that any service plan not offered by the manufacturer is a rip-off, despite research saying there is no better way to protect your vehicle than an extended warranty.
Buying an extended auto warranty or service contract guarantees the warranty company will pay for expensive repairs so you don’t have to. Omega Auto Care stands behind their customers with their customer service, reviews and ratings.