Are auto warranty companies exempt from carrying general liability insurance coverage?

Answer 1

No - they are not exempt - there really is no requirement for General Liability insurance such as there is in some states for auto insurance. To my knowledge there are no general laws that require any company to carry General Liability insurance. There may be local or state laws that require proof of insurance to access privileges, such as being licensed to conduct business in a town or state. Many entities require proof of coverage such as customers, lienholders, mortgagees, licensing entities (city, state, business, professional licenses), and many more. I do not believe there is a blanket "law" or requirement that applies to all business entities. In practical fact, it is the stakeholders in and around any business that "require" insurance to make the risk of doing business with the entity one that is somewhat controlled. Auto warranty companies may be only selling a promise to provide a service through another entity - the dealer or repair shop - and therefor try to advise an unhappy customer that they don't need insurance, i.e. go see the entity that was to provide the maintenance/repair. That does not mean the warranty company does not have insurance; most probably they carry both General Liability and Professional Liability. It is most likely they carry a VERY high deductible and REINSURE the rest and are probably part of a Risk Retention Group which further reinsures the exposure.