Ready to save hundreds on your car insurance?
If you’ve been in an accident and can’t drive your car, your car insurance will cover towing. To obtain coverage for non-accident-related scenarios, add roadside assistance to your policy.
What is roadside assistance?
Roadside assistance, also known as emergency road service coverage or towing and labor coverage, is a type of vehicle insurance that protects you in the event that you’re stranded on the highway, such as if your tire goes flat or you run out of petrol.
Do you really need roadside assistance?
Whether or not you require roadside assistance is a personal choice. Are you using your vehicle primarily for commuting, leisure, or business trips? You might want to have roadside assistance.
This service guarantees that you can travel securely, with protection against vehicle emergencies and breakdowns at your fingertips, wherever you go. You’ll get a number of services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You are vulnerable to all kinds of problems and unanticipated costs while on the road if you don’t have this service.
Ready to get started?
We’ve got you covered.
How Do I Add Roadside Assistance To My Insurance Policy?
If your auto insurance policy only covers liability, you won’t be covered for roadside assistance.
Collision coverage, which covers damage from an accident regardless of who was at fault, and comprehensive coverage, which covers damage from weather events, vandalism, and a variety of other scenarios, may be included in your policy.
Another important consideration: collision and comprehensive coverage are frequently paired, which means you must first pay a $500 or $1,000 deductible before your policy kicks in.
It is frequently simple to add roadside assistance, towing, and labor to your insurance if it does not already exist. For $5 to $15 per vehicle, you may add a rider to your basic policy.
What does roadside assistance cover?
Towing and labor are usually covered under roadside assistance, but you’ll need to check with your insurance provider for details on what services are covered.
- Tire replacements
- Jump starts
- Fuel or battery delivery to your car
- A locksmith if your key is lost, stolen, or locked in your vehicle
- Towing with certain limits
Automakers that offer roadside assistance often provide several levels of assistance. For example, Nationwide offers two roadside assistance coverage options: a basic roadside help package that covers up to 15 miles of towing and “Nationwide Roadside Assistance Plus,” which covers up to 100 miles of towing. Basic and “premier” tiers of roadside assistance are available for drivers: basic provides coverage up to 15 miles, while “premier” goes as far as 100 kilometers (62 miles).
It’s also possible that you’ll have to pay for the tow yourself and then ask your insurance company for reimbursement later. If you require payment, be sure to keep track of everything and save all of your receipts. It will be easier to get reimbursed if your records are better. Also, if your car is taken to a lot, make sure it’s retrieved as soon as feasible. Although your insurance may cover the tow, it won’t cover the additional fees you’ll incur if you don’t retrieve your automobile.
Does Insurance Cover My Car While it is Being Towed?
Even if you’re not the one driving it, your automobile is covered by insurance while it’s being towed. If the tow truck that is towing your car collides with another vehicle, both drivers’ insurance will cover the damage, just as if you were at fault when driving. If your car is damaged while being towed and you have collision coverage, you’ll almost certainly be compensated.
What about third-party roadside assistance?
If your insurance does not provide roadside assistance, there are alternative methods to be sure you’re covered. Some vehicle manufacturers give roadside help with a new automobile, usually for free up to a certain amount of time or miles. If you buy a used car from the dealer, it’s possible that roadside assistance will be included in the warranty.
There are also independent roadside assistance companies, such as AAA, which provides you with a certain amount of towing each year depending on the coverage plan you buy. Good Sam Roadside Assistance, National General Motor Club, Allstate Motor Club, and Better World Club are just a few other roadside assistance providers. For its members who are over 50 years old, AARP runs a roadside assistance program.
Your cell phone provider may also provide roadside assistance, which is a service that can save you money if you ever find yourself stranded on the road in need of assistance. Both AT&T and Verizon have roadside assistance programs that include towing, as well as fuel delivery, lockout help, and jump-starts for several dollars per month.
However, in the event of an emergency on the side of the road, having comprehensive coverage can make a world of difference.
