No, State Farm’s website doesn’t list mechanical breakdown insurance, and the State Farm car policy booklets RateFrog checked exclude parts that simply fail or wear out. State Farm’s list of auto coverage options has no mechanical breakdown, warranty or repair coverage on it, though State Farm notes that coverage options may vary by state. Under its Texas and California policy booklets, if your engine or transmission gives out on its own, the policy won’t pay to fix it.
If you carry Emergency Road Service, State Farm can help get you off the road. For the repair bill, you’d need a manufacturer warranty, a service contract, or mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) from another insurer.
Key Takeaways
- State Farm’s website doesn’t list mechanical breakdown insurance or any warranty-type product among its auto coverages, so there’s no listed add-on that pays for repairs. Ask a State Farm agent if you want to confirm for your state.
- State Farm’s Texas and California car policy booklets exclude parts that fail, are defective, or are damaged by wear and tear, freezing, or mechanical or electrical breakdown. The one exception is damage from the car being stolen.
- Emergency Road Service can pay for a tow to the nearest shop that can do the repair and up to one hour of roadside labor. It doesn’t pay for the repair or for parts.
- Repair coverage comes from a manufacturer warranty, a service contract or another insurer’s MBI. Whether any of them is worth paying for depends on your warranty status and how easily you could cover a big repair.
What a State Farm Auto Policy Won’t Pay For
State Farm’s coverage options include collision, comprehensive, liability, medical payments, emergency road service, and car rental and travel expenses. None of them is a repair or warranty product.
The policy language is direct about it. State Farm’s Texas car policy booklet (Policy Form 9843C) excludes any part or equipment that “fails or is defective” or is damaged as a direct result of “wear and tear,” “freezing,” or “mechanical, electrical, or electronic breakdown or malfunction of that part or equipment.” The California booklet (Policy Form 9805B) uses the same wording.
Both booklets make one exception: the exclusion doesn’t apply when the loss results from theft of the car. Policy forms differ by state, and your declarations page only lists your coverages, so check your own booklet for the exclusions.
When Collision or Comprehensive Might Still Apply
The cause of the damage matters. The Texas booklet defines a covered loss as “direct, sudden, and accidental damage,” and State Farm’s comprehensive coverage page lists events such as flood, fire, hail and theft. An engine ruined by floodwater is a different claim from an engine that wears out at high mileage.
Whether a specific claim is paid depends on your policy and the facts, and your deductible applies. RateFrog’s guide to collision and comprehensive coverage explains what each one handles.
What Emergency Road Service Does in a Breakdown
If you added Emergency Road Service, it helps get the car running or to a shop. The Texas booklet says State Farm will pay the fair cost of:
- Up to one hour of labor to repair the car where it broke down.
- Towing to the nearest repair facility where the needed repairs can be made, if the car isn’t drivable.
- Towing the car out of a spot where it’s stuck, if it’s on or right next to a public road.
- Delivery of gas, oil, a battery or a tire. State Farm doesn’t pay for the items themselves.
- Up to one hour of locksmith labor if your key is lost, stolen or locked inside.
State Farm’s Emergency Road Service page adds that it won’t pay towing costs beyond the nearest repair facility or labor past the first hour. Once the car reaches the shop, the repair bill is yours. RateFrog breaks down the details in what State Farm Emergency Road Service covers.
Rental coverage won’t fill the gap either. In the Texas booklet, Car Rental and Travel Expenses coverage pays only after a loss that would be payable under comprehensive or collision, so a breakdown alone doesn’t qualify. See whether State Farm covers rental cars.
Other Ways to Cover Car Repairs
| Option | Where it comes from | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer warranty | The vehicle manufacturer | A promise to fix certain defects or malfunctions for a set time after you buy the car. Check what’s left on yours first. |
| Service contract (“extended warranty”) | Manufacturers, dealers or independent companies | Optional and sold separately. The FTC says prices can run from several hundred to several thousand dollars, and you may owe a deductible per repair. |
| MBI from another insurer | Some auto insurers, such as GEICO | Added to an auto policy and paid as premium. GEICO limits it to newer cars and says preexisting issues aren’t covered. |
| Your own repair fund | You | No premium, and you keep the money if nothing breaks. A large repair could exceed what you’ve saved. |
Because MBI is sold as part of an auto policy, getting it means using an insurer that offers it. GEICO describes its MBI as “a coverage on your auto policy” and says you can keep it for “7 years or 100K miles.” It’s not an option for most used cars, though. GEICO’s MBI page says it can only be added to a new vehicle that’s under 15 months old with fewer than 15,000 miles, when you’re the first titleholder, and that it’s not available in all states. RateFrog covers the details in GEICO’s mechanical breakdown insurance. If you’d rather keep State Farm, a separate service contract is the other route. Progressive sells a similar add-on for newer cars, Progressive Vehicle Protection.
Repair coverage isn’t always a good buy. If your car is still under warranty, or savings could cover a major repair, you may pay more than you ever get back. If a surprise repair bill would put you in a bind, a contract or MBI makes costs more predictable.
Example (hypothetical): Your car is past its powertrain warranty, and the transmission fails on the highway. Emergency Road Service may pay the tow to the nearest shop that can do the work, but your State Farm policy won’t pay for the transmission. A service contract covering transmissions would decide what’s paid after its deductible.
Questions to Ask Before Buying Repair Coverage
- Does it overlap with my current warranty? The FTC says a contract that starts before the manufacturer’s warranty ends probably won’t help.
- Which parts are excluded, and is there a deductible each time the car is repaired?
- Who backs it: the manufacturer, the dealer or an independent company?
More coverage explainers are in RateFrog’s State Farm car insurance guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does State Farm Sell an Extended Car Warranty?
State Farm’s website doesn’t list one. Extended warranties are service contracts sold by manufacturers, dealers and independent companies. If an offer uses State Farm’s name, ask your State Farm agent before paying anything.
Is a Call Saying My Car Warranty Is About to Expire Legitimate?
Be cautious. The FTC warns that companies sending unsolicited calls, texts or mail about an expiring warranty “probably aren’t working with your vehicle dealer or manufacturer,” and they’ll probably pressure you for personal financial information and a down payment before you see the contract’s details. Your State Farm auto policy has no warranty to expire.
Will State Farm Pay for a New Battery or Tire?
Not for the part itself. Emergency Road Service can cover delivering a battery or tire, but the policy says State Farm doesn’t pay for the battery or tire.
Sources
- State Farm: Auto Insurance Coverage Options
- State Farm: Texas Personal Car Policy Booklet, Policy Form 9843C (PDF)
- State Farm: California Car Policy Booklet, Policy Form 9805B (PDF)
- State Farm: Emergency Road Service Coverage
- State Farm: Comprehensive Coverage
- FTC: Auto Warranties and Auto Service Contracts
- GEICO: What Is Mechanical Breakdown Insurance?
- GEICO: Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Eligibility