A service contract has a price, and that price is set at the point of sale, not in a catalog. The total on the order is the sum of several choices, and each choice moves it. This guide names those choices so you can ask about each one before you sign. It does not publish any figure. The published figures for each state sit in that state's own table on this site, and this guide points to those tables rather than repeating them.
What pushes the price up
Term length. A longer period of coverage carries more exposure for the company that will pay claims, so the price usually rises with it. Ask which term is on the order and what the shorter term would cost in the same paperwork.
Mileage limit. A contract that runs longer in miles usually costs more than one that ends sooner. Ask what the mileage limit is and whether the contract ends at the first limit reached, the term or the miles.
Vehicle age and mileage at sale. Sellers often price an older or higher-mileage vehicle differently from a newer one. Ask whether the price on the order would change if the sale were delayed.
Coverage scope. A broader list of covered parts or systems is usually priced above a narrower list. Compare the list of covered parts in the contract itself, not the name of the plan on the cover sheet.
Add-ons and bundles. Items sold with the contract, such as roadside help or a rental benefit, are often folded into one total. Ask for each item to be priced on its own line so you can decline it without losing the base contract.
What the order may not show you
The order may show one total while the contract shows its own stated price. Ask whether the two figures match and whether taxes or other charges are added on top of either one.
Ask also who keeps each part of the price. Commission and seller share are normal parts of many sales, and the contract does not always show them. Ask the seller to state in writing what portion of the price is retained by the seller and what portion is passed to the contract company.
If the contract is added to a vehicle loan, the interest charged on that added amount is a further cost that the sales office may not describe in the same place. Ask whether the contract price is included in the amount financed and what the total repayment becomes. This is a general point about how financing works, not financial advice.
Questions to ask before you agree
Which term and which mileage limit belong to this price, and what is the price for each shorter option?
Does the contract show the same price as the order, and are taxes or other charges added on top?
What part of the price does the seller keep, and will the seller put that in writing?
Will the price change if I wait to sign or to take delivery?
Can I decline each add-on and keep the base contract at its stated price?
If I finance the contract, what is the total I will repay, and is that total shown on the order?
Check the rules that set the frame
Each state sets its own rules for service contracts through its own statute and program. The state page names the regulator, the governing statute, and whether the state publishes a roster on a stated as-of date. For example, the Florida page sets out those points for Florida at Florida service contract rules and roster. Read the page for your own state before you compare prices, because the rules that apply to the sale depend on where the sale takes place.
This guide does not compare prices across states, and it does not say what any company's contract charges. The figures this site publishes are in its state tables. Use them to check the rules and the roster for your state, and use the questions above to check the price in the paperwork in front of you.