Ford Bronco And Bronco Sport Can Get Off-Road Protection From Ford Protect

Ford's extended warranty division, Ford Protect, now offers Ford Protect Off-Road Coverage for Bronco and Bronco Sport vehicles. This new plan extends insurance coverage beyond regular road-focused options like TireCare, TireCare Plus, TripleCare, and TripleCare Plus, ensuring protection during off-road adventures.

TripleCare, a part of this offering, covers tire and wheel damage, dents, and windshield repairs. The idea behind this coverage is to save on potential expenses, considering the high costs of Bronco components such as wheels and tires.

Let's delve into what each division of coverage entails. The tire portion handles approved costs related to repairing or replacing tires or wheels due to off-roading damage, like a damaged tire from rough terrain. The Plus plans expand this coverage to include cosmetic damage to alloy, aluminum, and steel wheels caused by trees or rocks. The dent portion addresses minor dings and dents that can be repaired with paintless dent repair.

As for windshield coverage, it deals with minor chips and cracks. However, looking at the exclusions, some aspects raise questions. The TireCARE component excludes carbon fiber or chrome wheels, limiting coverage to steel and aluminum wheels, which is reasonable.

On the other hand, DentCARE doesn't cover dings larger than four inches in diameter, which may seem restrictive given advancements in paintless dent repair technology. Similarly, WindshieldCARE only covers minor chip and crack repairs, excluding windshield replacements.

Furthermore, it defines minor as less than six inches, potentially leaving longer cracks unaddressed. It's important to note that this plan must be purchased before the Bronco or Bronco Sport exits the initial three-year/36,000-mile warranty.

Additionally, the TripleCARE plans are not available in Florida, likely due to state laws that waive windshield replacement deductibles for those with comprehensive insurance coverage. Details about deductibles and plan pricing are not available on the Ford Protect site, so interested buyers can contact their dealers for specific cost information. However, based on dealer input, the plan has a one-time cost of $1,350.