How Car Insurance Programs Offer Roadside Assistance
Many car insurance programs offer roadside assistance as one of the key elements of their car insurance coverage. Customers who qualify for roadside assistance can stay safe when something unexpected causes them to need to pull off of the road when they are driving. Most roadside assistance plans include towing services as well as battery replacement options.
The trend toward offering roadside assistance has been increasing over the last few years. Insurance companies have been a large part of the increased availability of roadside assistance plans. Many car insurance programs include different levels of roadside assistance as part of their general comprehensive insurance coverage packages. If you purchase the highest level of insurance, you will automatically be enrolled in the roadside assistance plan.
Drivers who are not interested in purchasing comprehensive coverage usually have the option to purchase roadside assistance as a supplemental service. Since the roadside assistance is performed by local mechanics or body shops, purchasing it as a supplemental part of your insurance coverage is usually less expensive than purchasing it outright from the shop itself.
Not all roadside assistance plans are the same. Drivers have the option to purchase less extensive plans at cheaper rates if they want to. The differences between more expensive plans and less expensive plans have to do with the number of miles that a person is allowed to be towed or the type of service a person is eligible to receive. If something should happen while you are driving and you need any of the services that are outside of the coverage plan you purchased, most roadside assistance companies will provide the service you need and charge you extra for the parts that fall outside of the standard plan. If you drive a long distance to work each day, or you have an older vehicle, it is a good idea to get as much coverage as you can afford.
The reason that insurance companies like to offer roadside assistance for their customers is because it lowers the risk of a customer being injured during a driving emergency. With a roadside assistance plan, the customer never has to get out of the vehicle when they pull to the side of the road. They can call for assistance using a cell phone, then sit safely inside the car until the assistance arrives. No matter what the mechanical problem is, the driver is never put in the dangerous situation of walking along the side of a busy road. Lowering the risk of injury or further accident can help keep your insurance rates down because it lowers the risk of having to file a larger claim.
