It's not only the tough emergencies which require intervention and help on the road. Sometimes it's just a flat tire.
Murphy’s law says anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. We’ve all felt this way sometimes and it can be extremely frustrating when it involves your car. You think about that time when you were driving home from the airport, late at night, and your tire blew out in the middle of nowhere. Or the other time you swerved to hit that adorable puppy and ended up in the ditch.
When things like that happen, it’s hard to fix them yourself so you need someone to call. Roadside assistance can prove to be one of the most valuable services you invest in but it seems like everyone and their uncle offers a plan. You know you can get it through your insurance company so why not just bundle it all? If you look a little closer, you may find that your insurance is charging you more for roadside assistance when you could get a better program somewhere else. If you’re equipped with the right criteria, finding the right roadside assistance program should be as easy as changing a tire…right?
What Does Roadside Assistance Cover?
Different people need different levels of assistance when it comes to vehicle dilemmas and luckily, most programs can cover the spectrum. If you find yourself broke down on the side of the road, even the most basic programs will provide towing services. They can offer key replacement, change your tires, provide help if your car is stuck, and they will even bring gas to you if you’re stranded. When you find yourself in any one of these situations, roadside assistance is going to be your best friend. They offer other perks as well. Some programs will help you with directions and can even provide travel discounts. This may sound great but don’t get ahead of yourself. These programs aren’t free. While it would be nice to have a road concierge, you really have to ask yourself what you need.
Do I Need Roadside Assistance?
No one is completely self-sustainable but some folks are more handy than others. If you know how to change your own tires and have a friend that owns a tow truck company, then you may not need roadside assistance. But if that friend doesn’t exist, you might want to look into getting a basic package. There are other important questions you need to ask yourself. How often are you traveling?
If you have a long commute every day, the chances of your tire blowing out are much higher than someone who works from home. Are you traveling alone? You may wonder why this question is necessary but a young mother with infant twins may be more apt to buy roadside assistance than a group of male firefighters who carpool. The last thing you need to do is sit down and take a good, hard look at your car. Does it require constant repairs? Or is it just beginning to wear down? Even if you take care of a car to the nines, it will eventually give out and if you know that the expiration is close, having roadside assistance may save you a ton of money.
Buying Roadside Assistance Through Your Insurance Company
When you go to purchase your insurance policy, your agent may offer to add roadside assistance to your package. At first, this may seem like a great idea. Why not bundle everything together? We all enjoy a one stop shop but it may cost you if you don’t shop around at other stores first. There are many roadside assistance programs that have refined their offering and many insurance companies find it hard to compete. If you have your roadside assistance through your insurance company, you will find that it could eventually cause your premiums to rise.
Claims can take some time to be solved and you will pay out of your pocket first. Many insurance companies have a set limit on the amount of coverage they provide you. If you rack up enough roadside assistance claims, your insurance may look at those and your bad driving record and start to charge you more. At that point, the help you paid for is being used to punish you. Before ruling out your insurance company completely, talk to your agent. Your questions can be answered and then you can decide if you want to purchase a program through them or a private company.
Buying Roadside Assistance Through a Private Company
If you don’t want to purchase a roadside assistance program through your insurance company, you have several other routes available to you. If you purchase a new car, many times the manufacturer will offer a program that is specific to the car. This will not affect your insurance rates at all and can be a wise decision if this is the only car you own. If you own other cars, going with an auto club plan may best your best option. Under well-known companies such as AAA, the GM Motor Club and the Better World Club, multiple cars can be covered and you can select a plan that best suits your needs.
Be cautious though. Some companies can begin to add on extra services that might not be as useful as you think they are when you’re sitting in the office. You want to make sure you have your basic bases covered first and that it fits within your budget. Make sure that all drivers in your family are covered as some plans will only cover the one driver named on the policy. Once you get a plan that is tailored to you and your family, don’t be afraid to use it. Just make sure you are familiar with what your program covers.
Buying roadside assistance can seem confusing at first
but if you do the proper research on companies and your driving habits, you will be able to find the perfect match.
