Does Progressive Offer Mechanical Breakdown Insurance?

Key Points:

• Progressive no longer offers mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI).
• MBI is a type of auto insurance that covers repair costs when parts break down due to normal use.
• The biggest difference between MBI and an extended warranty is that MBI plans are regulated by state insurance commissions.

If you’re in the market for mechanical breakdown insurance, Progressive is no longer going to be your best bet. In the past, the company offered Progressive Advantage^® Mechanical Repair plans through Warranty Direct, but it currently doesn’t sell mechanical breakdown coverage.

Progressive does offer 24/7 roadside assistance, which can help you out after your car breaks down by providing towing, winching, jump-starts, fuel delivery, and battery changes. However, this policy won’t pay for the cost of repairs after your vehicle is in the shop.

If you’re set on purchasing a mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) policy and you’re already a Progressive customer, you have other options. You can switch to a provider that does offer MBI coverage, or you can purchase an extended auto warranty from a warranty company. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between MBI policies and extended car warranties and recommend some of the top providers in the industry.

If you want to get started comparing costs from the best extended car warranty providers, you can do so by clicking below.

---

What Is Mechanical Breakdown Insurance?

Mechanical breakdown insurance, or MBI, is a car insurance policy that covers the cost of repairs to certain vehicle parts after they break down as the result of normal use. A typical insurance policy covers you when your car needs repairs after an incident such as an accident, theft, or severe weather. But such events aren’t the only reasons you might need to take your vehicle to a repair shop.

As vehicles age, certain components can break down or malfunction, especially if they were installed improperly or have a defect that went undetected during the manufacturing process. Mechanical breakdown insurance covers the cost of any unexpected breakdowns that may occur, as long as the damage isn’t the result of improper maintenance, neglect, or negligence.

Most MBI policies are paid on a month-to-month basis along with your basic car insurance and include a deductible for repairs. As with other types of auto insurance, after a breakdown occurs, you file a claim with your provider and the provider pays your repair facility directly if the claim is approved. Although you can’t get mechanical breakdown insurance from Progressive, a few other car insurance companies have MBI.

What Does Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Cover?

Mechanical breakdown insurance will typically cover car repairs for every mechanical component and system. Items that are typically excluded from coverage include non-mechanical parts such as exterior trim, interior upholstery, and auto glass, as well as:

• Fluids
• Routine maintenance services such as oil changes and tire rotations
• Wear-and-tear items like wiper blades, brake pads, bulbs, and fuses

The full list of exclusions may vary from provider to provider and will be detailed in your MBI service contract.

---

Is Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Worth It?

Like other types of insurance, mechanical breakdown insurance can help guard your finances against potentially major expenses. While not likely, it’s always possible that your vehicle could experience a major engine malfunction or other expensive mechanical failures. In such a case, an MBI policy could save you thousands you’d otherwise pay out of pocket. However, if you never experience a major breakdown, you could be paying for coverage you don’t use.

Most MBI policies must be purchased while your vehicle is still relatively new and covered under a factory warranty. While your manufacturer coverage is still in place on your new car, an MBI policy provides little value, as most repairs are already covered by the factory warranty.

You should only purchase an MBI policy if you plan on maintaining your mechanical breakdown insurance coverage after your manufacturer’s warranty expires. MBI policies are typically inexpensive to add to your basic auto insurance policy, so even after paying for months of extra coverage you don’t need, the total cost is still reasonable to protect your vehicle after your factory warranty expires.

---

Where To Buy Mechanical Breakdown Insurance

Only a few major insurance providers offer mechanical breakdown insurance options. Progressive isn’t one of them. However, one very well-known provider–Geico–offers mechanical breakdown insurance as an add-on coverage option for interested customers.

In our Geico review, we rated the company highly, and along with inexpensive comprehensive coverage, it offers low-cost MBI options. Check with your current insurer to see if it offers MBI, as your best bet will be to add this coverage to your existing car insurance policy.

If you’re looking for mechanical breakdown insurance from Progressive or another provider that doesn’t offer this type of coverage, you’ll need to switch providers. If you don’t want to switch providers, you can instead look into an extended car warranty, which offers similar coverage.

---

Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Vs. Extended Car Warranties

Perhaps the biggest difference between mechanical breakdown insurance and extended car warranties is that MBI policies are regulated by the state insurance commissioner. As a result, MBI policies may offer better peace of mind if you’re on the fence about an extended warranty.

See more differences between MBI and extended car warranties in the chart below.

If you know that you want to extend your vehicle’s warranty protection for an additional few years and your insurance provider offers MBI, it may be your best bet. Keep in mind you’ll likely need to begin paying for this policy within the first year of owning your vehicle. If you want to get coverage for an older used car, an extended car warranty will likely be your only option.

Additionally, if you’re looking for mechanical breakdown insurance from Progressive because you already have your car insurance through Progressive, you’ll be out of luck. You can, however, purchase a plan from an extended car warranty company without switching your insurer.

Read more: The Pros and Cons of Extended Car Warranties

---

Top Recommendations For Extended Car Warranties

If you think an extended car warranty would be better for you, it’s important to compare rates from reputable providers so you can get the best deal. We recommend starting with two of our most reputable providers: Endurance and CarShield.

Endurance: Best Overall

Endurance offers top-tier coverage at a competitive cost. With Endurance, customers can choose from the following plan options:

• Secure: Affordable coverage for powertrain components such as the engine, transmission, and transaxle
• Secure Plus: Covers powertrain components as well as your brakes, air conditioning, steering, and certain electrical parts
• Select Premier: Designed for high-mileage vehicles (up to 150,000 miles) and covers everything included in the Secure Plus plan, as well as the fuel system, engine cooling system, and enhanced electrical parts
• Superior: Provides the highest level of stated-component coverage, protecting most vehicle systems and components
• Supreme: An exclusionary coverage plan that includes nearly all vehicle components with select exclusions and is the most similar to an MBI policy

Because of its extensive coverage offerings, high level of customer satisfaction, and positive industry reputation, we’ve rated Endurance 4.7 out of 5.0 stars. Learn more by reading our full Endurance warranty review, and get a free, personalized quote from the provider by clicking below.

CarShield: Best Flexible Payment Plans

Like Endurance, CarShield offers five levels of car warranty coverage. However, according to our first-hand research, CarShield’s prices may be lower than Endurance. CarShield’s plan options include:

• Aluminum: Provides specialty coverage for most electrical and computer parts, such as the engine control modules, starter, alternator, and navigation
• Silver: A powertrain warranty that protects parts of the engine, transmission, drive axles, and water pump
• Gold: Covers powertrain components as well as the alternator, starter, power windows, and air conditioning
• Platinum: The highest-level of CarShield’s stated-component coverage, protecting everything included in the Gold plan as well as most other vehicle components
• Diamond: Exclusionary warranty coverage that projects most all vehicle parts with few exceptions and is most similar to an MBI policy

CarShield is also one of the only top providers to offer a coverage plan for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. We named CarShield the Best for Monthly Payments because of its flexible payment plans and rated the company 4.4 out of 5.0 stars for its strong reputation and excellent coverage. Learn more by reading our full CarShield review. You can also click below to get a free, individualized CarShield quote.

---

Progressive Mechanical Breakdown Insurance: Our Take

Progressive no longer offers mechanical breakdown insurance. Geico is one of the few major auto insurers that does sell MBI. You can find similar coverage for your vehicle with an extended warranty plan from a provider like Endurance or CarShield.

---

Progressive Mechanical Breakdown Insurance: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions about Progressive mechanical breakdown insurance:

---

How We Rate Car Warranty Companies

Our review team extensively researches extended car warranty providers to deliver informed and unbiased assessments of leading companies. We evaluate several key rating factors that are important to consumers to determine which providers are the best in the industry:

• Reliability: Warranty providers that earn strong ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), work with reliable partners and administrators, and have a long history in the warranty industry score well in this category.
• Coverage Plans: We take a close look at the coverage plans available through each provider, including how many are offered, maximum term limits, plan exclusions, and more. We also evaluate the added benefits companies include with their warranty plans, such as roadside assistance and trip interruption benefits.
• Pricing: Our team performs a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and coverage plans to get a sense of a provider’s average costs. We see how each company’s pricing, deductible options, and discount opportunities compare to competitors when determining this score. 
• Transparency: We evaluate the availability and transparency of each company’s contracts, as well as whether each provider offers a money-back guarantee.
• Customer Experience: We consider customer reviews and complaints from sites like the BBB and Trustpilot. Our team also reaches out to customer service reps during our secret shopper analysis to get a sense of the customer experience with each company.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

---