Roadside Assistance: A complete guide

Have you ever come across the term roadside assistance? If so, have you ever thought of adding it to your car insurance policy? If not, grab a cup of coffee and continue reading.

Have you ever been trapped on the side of the road with a flat tire or discovered a dead battery in your car as you were driving to work?

Vehicle breakdowns are an unfortunate but unavoidable aspect of owning and operating a vehicle. Breakdowns are not only inconvenient to deal with, but they are also costly.

According to our findings, one out of every five American drivers cannot afford to repair their vehicle. Many drivers opt for roadside assistance plans for these reasons.

Roadside Assistance: A basic definition 

When a vehicle breaks down, roadside assistance is a service that helps drivers physically and financially. A yearly fee is usually charged for this service or membership. It has two significant advantages:

  • First, if a policyholder’s vehicle breaks down, they are entitled to emergency roadside assistance. Fuel delivery, fixing a flat tire, and towing to a service center if the problem cannot be fixed promptly are examples of services.
  • Second, roadside assistance can help you save money in the event of a breakdown. Roadside assistance policyholders pay a fee, or premium, to the service provider, similar to auto insurance policyholders. When a vehicle breaks down, the driver will not be responsible for any out-of-pocket expenses as long as the costs are within the policy limits.

Roadside help is not the same as other types of coverage available through a car insurance policy or a manufacturer’s warranty.

Basic auto insurance often covers the cost of fixing damage caused by accidents, and emergency assistance is not included.

Warranties cover the repair or replacement of defective equipment on your new car. Still, flat tires and empty gas tanks are not covered, except for a few exceptional circumstances.

You can typically purchase a roadside assistance plan as an add-on to your current service through your insurance provider or vehicle’s manufacturer. Although the convenience and potential cost savings may be appealing, you should look at them before committing to a plan to ensure that you get the most incredible pricing and service.

Range of coverage of Roadside Assistance 

If your automobile breaks down or something else occurs to it, roadside assistance will protect you. Although not all carriers offer the same bundle, most roadside help plans include the following:

  • Changing a flat tire is a simple task.
  • Charge or jump-start an electric vehicle’s battery
  • Vehicle towing
  • Locksmith service
  • On-site labor for up to one hour
  • Delivery of fuel

Check out the websites of the companies you’re interested in to see what’s available.

What isn’t covered by roadside assistance? 

It’s great to have roadside assistance coverage in case of non-life-threatening crises that leave you stuck on the side of the road. Still, it’s not a replacement for auto insurance and doesn’t cover more significant occurrences. Even if you are involved in an accident, you must alert the authorities.

You should also be aware of the limitations of roadside assistance, which are typical:

  • The price of auto repairs
  • Towing miles are unlimited (unless expressly stated in your coverage)
  • a full tank of gas (most provide one gallon of fuel)
  • The price of a diagnosis

Before you buy roadside assistance, read the fine print.

It’s possible that you’ll only be allowed to use the coverage on certain vehicles, that you’ll have to be present to use it, and that you’ll have to carry a membership card to prove you’re covered.

What companies offer Roadside Assistance 

There are various alternatives for roadside help. The majority of popular automobile insurance companies offer roadside assistance as an add-on to their policy. You can also buy roadside assistance from AAA or AARP on your own. Customers of some credit card providers can even enroll in roadside assistance programs.

Because different roadside assistance packages provide different degrees of coverage and other features, you may want to look into a few different options to determine which one is ideal for you.

Top in-demand companies that offer roadside assistance 

Some automobile insurance providers provide roadside assistance coverage, which is usually less expensive than purchasing a separate policy. The following are some popular programs with typical insurance providers:

Allstate: Roadside help is available as an add-on policy from Allstate, but you can sign up even if you don’t have Allstate insurance.

Nationwide: Nationwide Insurance offers essential plus roadside assistance as an add-on coverage option for your automobile insurance policy.

Travelers: Travelers offers a basic and premier package, both of which include winching, which is a difficult-to-find coverage with auto insurance providers’ add-on options.

The most affordable roadside assistance plans are usually those that come with your credit card. Check to see if any of your existing cards entitle you to free roadside assistance in the event you require it.

  • Chase Freedom Unlimited: A flat charge per call dispatch bonus for specified services.
  • Chase Saphire Reserve: You can get up to $50 per service event with Chase Sapphire Reserve, with a maximum of four events each year.
  • United Explorer Card: Cardholders of the United Explorer Card can get up to $50 per service event, with a maximum of four events per year.
  • Visa: For a predetermined fee per year, Visa cardholders can purchase a standard policy.

These plans’ credit card roadside assistance plan limits are notoriously low, and you may still wind up paying for the majority of your service bill out of pocket. If you value roadside help, you may want to consider purchasing additional coverage.

Points to ponder on Roadside Assistance:  

There are a variety of roadside help businesses to pick from. Your demands and which plan and company can best meet those needs will determine which option is ideal for you.

Roadside assistance can be obtained via AAA or AARP, but it may also be acquired as an add-on to a conventional motor insurance policy from some vehicle insurance companies.

Roadside assistance plans often cover you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This implies that you can use your roadside help at any time while driving. You may have to wait longer for service if you live in a region with fewer repair shops or towing services.

Many roadside assistance policies only cover the person, not the car. This implies that, regardless of whether you are in your vehicle or not, you should be able to use your roadside assistance package. Check with your plan’s provider to see if this is available.

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