The price of a service contract is set by a small number of settings. Some you choose. Others the seller sets and you may not be able to change. Knowing which is which tells you what to compare and what to ask.
The dials you choose
Term length is how long the contract runs. A longer term usually raises the total price, and a shorter term usually lowers it, but compare totals only across the same covered items. Coverage level is the list of components and conditions the contract includes. A wider list usually costs more to sell, and the contract paper shows which list applies to the offer in front of you.
The settings the seller sets
Age and mileage limits decide whether an item can be enrolled at all, and at what point. Some contracts price newer and older units differently, and some refuse older units outright. Ask for these limits in writing before you compare offers.
The shop and the region
The hourly rate a shop charges for labor, and the source of the parts it installs, both feed into what a claim costs. Ask which shop network applies, whether the rate is fixed by the contract, and where the rate applies. Do not compare a shop rate with a rate from another region without noting the difference.
List the settings each offer uses
For each offer, write down the term, the coverage list, the age and mileage at enrollment, any charge that applies at claim time, and whether the price is paid once or over time. Line up the same settings across offers. A difference in one setting explains a difference in total only when the other settings match.
Check the roster before you compare totals
If a state publishes a roster of service contract companies, check the name on the paper against it before you compare totals. A roster shows registration. It is not a quality rating, so use it as a check on the name, not as a judgment of the offer. The state pages on this site show whether a roster is published and the as-of date of the list.