Roadside Assistance Coverage: Everything you need to know

Key Insights

• Roadside assistance coverage is not mandatory for the drivers but is recommended for better coverage limits and assistance.
• It provides coverage from your insurance company in case your vehicle breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
• It covers flat tire replacement or repair, towing services, battery jump-start, fuel delivery assistance, etc.
• The cost to add this coverage is much less as compared to the benefits and coverage limits it provides.

Searching if you should expand your coverage to roadside assistance or not? Wondering what will be the benefits of adding roadside coverage to your insurance policy? RateForce has the answer to all of your queries.

This blog is dedicated to guiding you about everything you need to know about roadside assistance coverage. Let’s quickly cover the introduction:

What is roadside assistance?

Roadside assistance is the coverage you will get from your insurance provider to help you when you are stuck on the road and no help is nearby.

If you are traveling by road and your car’s battery is dead on a lonely highway at midnight then what you will do? It is obvious that there will be no garage on the highway. And at midnight the chances of taking help from others are also low and risky.

In these types of situations; you can either wait in your car till the morning or ask your insurance provider to send help. If you have a roadside assistance program then your insurance company will send help instantly and your car will get back on the road.

What does roadside assistance cover? 

Another important question that arises in our mind is; what roadside assistance service insurance includes? We want to know the exact coverage we will get after spending extra bucks to get this insurance. The objective of emergency roadside service coverage is to connect the driver with the right professional when you are stranded on the roadside.

The types of coverage might differ in each company but there are some coverage types same for each driver and company:

1. Flat tire replacement or repair : The company will connect you with a professional who can either replace or repair your flat tire. But some insurance companies do not provide this coverage for bikes or motorcycles or other vehicles of this range.
2. Lockout service with locksmith service : If you ever get locked out of your car; then the insurance provider will connect you with a professional who can help you. But you will not get your locksmith directly. First, a lockout service provider will try to unlock your car from the tools. If that fails; then the company will provide you a locksmith service provider. The locksmith will break or open the lock for your car.
3. Towing service : If your car needs to go to the garage then the service provider will tow your car to the mechanic. But the insurance service provider will have a limitation for the distance of the garage. If the garage or mechanic is outside that distance then you will have to pay the extra money from your pocket.
4. Battery jump start service : Battery dead on a lonely road at odd hours? Your insurance carrier will send help to jump-start the battery. 
5. Extinction or Winching services : Got stuck off the road and need help? You will get help from a professional to get your vehicle back on the road. But if the car is badly stuck and requires more than one professional or vehicle then you will have to pay for the extra. The insurance service provider will cover the charges of one professional.
6. Fuel-delivery services : Out of fuel and the nearest gas station is out of sight? You can take help from your car insurance company. In most cases, you will have to pay for the fuel as per the local charges of the pump rates.

What Isn’t Covered by Road Service Coverage?

Now that we know what will be covered in our road service coverage; we have to check what will not be covered in that coverage. 

1. Labor cost after a pre-decided time : Every insurance company pre-decides the time for which the labor or mechanic will work on your vehicle to repair. After that, you will have to pay the labor cost from your pocket. Hence if your car needs more time to repair then you will have to pay the extra cost from your pocket. Always make sure to check the pre-defined hours of the company before buying the policy.
2. Cost of towing the vehicle beyond a certain distance : Just like labor hours; the cost of towing the vehicle up to a certain distance is free. But after that, you will have to pay from your pocket. This can be a specific number or term like the cost to toe the vehicle to the nearest repair facility. If that facility declines to repair your vehicle then you will have to pay from your pocket. You can purchase separate car towing and labor coverage if you want to avoid towing services and labor charges of company.

How to get roadside assistance?

Once you have all the information about the roadside assistance coverage; now it’s time to understand the process of buying it. 

You can buy roadside assistance insurance either by your insurance provider or by a third-party company. Yes, there are a lot of third-party companies that provide roadside assistance coverage to drivers. 

Also in most cases, it is covered with a collision or comprehensive insurance policy. So the first thing you have to do is; check your present policies and ask your insurance carrier about the inclusions in your policy. 

• If roadside assistance is not included in the policy then you can ask for a quotation.
• With third-party companies, you might get added perks like member discounts, better coverage limits, etc. But most of the drivers prefer keeping all their coverage under one car insurance carrier only.
• The end decision is always the driver’s; if the third party is providing good discounts and affordable rates then drivers might change their mind.
• If you want to get roadside coverage from your present insurance company then you just have to call them and ask for a quotation. The agent at the company will check your profile and provide you the cost of adding this coverage. After the quotation, you can either check other third parties or buy the coverage directly.
• If you want to try third-party coverage then there are companies like Better World club, National General Motor club, and AAA. You can get in touch with their team and get a quotation. The best part is; you can get benefits like 24/7 affordable roadside assistance, no limit on the towing, roadside assistance to motorcycles also and many more.

It is always advisable to get quotations from different companies and compare their rates for an informed decision. You can also compare the benefits from each company or third-party provider to make your decision.

What is the cost of roadside assistance?

And here comes the most searched and important question. What will be the cost of getting roadside assistance coverage? In most cases; roadside assistance is not much expensive and highly affordable.

• The first thing that you need to do is; get a quotation from your present insurance company and then ask for quotations from third-party companies.
• The cost of roadside assistance coverage can be a bit higher from third-party companies. But most of the time it is manageable with the extra benefits they provide. The best example here is of AAA insurance company. If a frequent traveler gets roadside assistance with AAA then he or she might get discounted rates for hotel stays, rental cars, or even airline tickets.
• The average cost of roadside assistance insurance from an insurance company is between $50 and $370 per year. But in most cases, drivers get less than $18 per year cost after discounts and memberships.
• If we are talking about third-party companies; then the basic membership cost is $60 per year and the most expensive plan is $350 per year.

Overall it depends on a lot of factors to get the final cost of roadside assistance insurance. Measure all the factors; all the perks and benefits and then make your decision.

Which insurance companies provide affordable roadside assistance?

Almost all car insurance companies provide affordable roadside assistance insurance to drivers. The rate might vary as per the company’s policy and coverage types. Here are the top 5 car insurance companies that can provide you the policy:

1. Geico: Easy to send your location through the mobile app.
2. State Farm: Even without a roadside assistance policy you can get instant help and pay for it.
3. Progressive: Basic coverage with lenient towing guidelines.
4. Allstate: Provides the highest number of options for roadside assistance as per the requirements of the driver.
5. USAA: Basic roadside assistance add-on with existing policy. 

Over to You!

The decision to add or remove roadside assistance in your policy will be yours always. But we can advise you to see this as a smart investment instead of an extra expense. You will be free to move and travel at any time and anywhere with the assurance that you will get help when required.

The best way to get affordable insurance rates is by checking the types of car insurance discounts available for your profile. Make sure to get coverage as per your budget and vehicle and you will be good to go.

Need help to get rates from top coverage provides? RateForce is here for your support. Get in touch with us today or compare rates from our website directly.

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