Mileage at the time you buy a contract often decides what the company will ask you to show first. Many contract sellers want a current inspection, a check of the engine and drivetrain, or photos of the car before they accept it. Read that request as a condition of the contract, not a formality.

What the inspection asks for

Find the inspection clause in the contract or application form. Write down three things: who performs the check, what it covers, and how long it stays valid. A check that expires before the contract start can put you back at the beginning of the process.

Get an independent check first

A shop you choose, not the seller, can look at the car before you sign. Ask for a written report that lists the engine, transmission, cooling system, steering, brakes, leaks, and any warning lights. Ask what the shop found, not only whether the car passed. Keep the report with the contract.

Ask the shop to note any problem present on the day of the check. A condition written down before the contract starts is easier to sort out later than one that first appears after a claim.

What a check does not decide

A pre-contract check does not decide whether a later repair is covered. That answer sits in the printed exclusions and limits. Compare the report against the contract's list of covered parts. If the inspected part is not on that list, the check shows the part was sound on that day, not that the contract will pay for its future repair. For how those lists differ, see Exclusionary vs Listed-Parts Contracts on Older Cars.

Questions to ask before the check

  • Does the contract require an inspection before the start, and who must perform it?
  • Will the company accept an inspection from a shop I choose?
  • How long is the inspection valid?
  • If the inspection finds a problem, must it be repaired first, or can the contract still start?
  • Is the report kept on file, and can I get a copy?

Reading the contract

Look for the words that tie the check to the start: effective date, start of coverage, waiting period, and any clause about the condition of the vehicle. Check whether conditions found before the start are excluded. If they are, a clean check on the day you buy matters more than anything the seller says aloud. Keep the signed report, the contract copy, and the odometer reading from the day of the check together in one folder.

The check protects you only when it is written, matched to the contract's terms, and kept with the paperwork.