Roadside Assistance

I must agree that it’s never a fun experience when your vehicle breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Such emergencies on the road can be a nightmare and can dig deep in to your pockets too. However, there’s no need to panic. With a roadside assistance you will have peace of mind when your car breaks down. There are multiple companies to get your roadside service from and many insurance companies even offers this service.

The good thing is that today, there are so many auto insurance companies that offer drivers assistance coverage. This assistance is designed to make up for emergencies that would have otherwise stranded you. What’s more, this roadside assistance ensures that you avoid hefty towing as well as tire repair bills.

The roadside assistance tends to vary from one company to the other. All in all, most companies will basically just offer assistance to drivers who might be stranded. Rather than the customers incurring hefty bills, you will always have professional assistance just a phone call away.

Regardless, it’s important that you understand the services the roadside assistance company will offer depends on the package you choose. Although these services will differ depending on the service provider. Some of the common services include; towing, battery jump starting, flat tire repairs, emergency fluid and fuel, and locksmith services.

What is Roadside Assistance?

Well, roadside assistance is the help the professionals offer in order to make the vehicle drivable again. Mostly the minor repairs. In most cases, there is a whole list of things that could go wrong with your vehicle. That is why, the roadside assistance is a worthwhile addition to your insurance policies.

If you cannot drive your vehicle for whatever reason, you will always get professional helping hands. Some of the services you are likely to get from the roadside assistance companies include;

• The Towing service;

  We use towing in cases where your roadside assistance cannot bring back your vehicle to a drivable state. This varies much depending on the service provider. All in all, when your vehicle needs towing, the company does so for some miles. However, there are instances where you might need them to tow your vehicle further. The company will not necessarily leave your vehicle there but you might have to pay extra.

• Flat tires;

  this is a common mishap that most people will experience. Nonetheless, the roadside assistance is always there to help you. This means that if you register with roadside assistance services, they will send a professional who will report to your location then help you to replace the tire.

Mostly, they will use the spare tire inside your vehicle. However, you need to realize that the roadside assistance will not cover a flat tire for another automobile.

• Battery Jump-Start Service;

  this is a way that you can use the start the battery unless the manufacturer has advised otherwise. In that, you will find that most of the electric cars may operate differently from most of the cars we have today. Also, there are fewer professionals suitable for offering this service.

On the other hand, you will find that hybrid vehicles use the battery power to sustain the electric motor which turns over the gasoline engine. This being the case, hybrid vehicles may unlikely need a jump start.

• Fuel delivery services;

  this is a service that the roadside assistance company provides to the drivers who run out of gasoline. In this case, they send a professional to your location who comes with enough fuel that will sustain your vehicle until you get to your nearest gas station.

• Locksmith and Lockout Service;

  this is a service that will help when the car locks out the driver from entering their own vehicle. However, there is a difference between the Locksmith and the Lockout service. In that, when a professional helps the driver to open their vehicle, that falls under the lockout category.

On the other hand, when the roadside professional cannot gain access to the driver’s vehicle then the locksmith is involved. When you involve a locksmith, the roadside assistance company covers the charges incurred either fully or partially.

• Winching or Extrication service;

  this is a process of moving a vehicle when it is constrained or stuck. It may take more than one roadside professional to dislodge a stuck vehicle.

Roadside Assistance Offer By Insurance Company

• Allstate Roadside Assistance

Allstate happens to be one of the most common roadside assistance services especially in Canada. Most people love the fact that this company offers a nationwide towing network, top notch customer support and high end technology too.

I won’t lie to you that the Allstate roadside services are cheap. Actually, they offer the most expensive plans in Canada. However, Allstate roadside assistance is a reputable service that most people easily trust. They offer their customers with customized service solutions that fit their needs perfectly.

Allstate Roadside Solution offers two service options that will work best for you.

• The Roadside Advantage; you get 24/7 assistance, trip interruption coverage, travel savings and a lot more for $7 or less.
• The Platinum Elite; you get to enjoy all the benefits of the roadside advantage as well as coverage for your RV, motorcycle, as well as a personal concierge for $12 or less.

Towing Network

Allstate roadside assistance offers towing, lockout assistance and fuel delivery among other services. Actually, they offer at least 40 miles of towing which is such an incredible perk for all the plans they offer.

They have a large towing network that covers the whole of North America. In that case, no matter where you are driving in US or Canada, you always know that the Allstate team got you.

Customer Service

With the Allstate, you are assured of getting round the clock emergency assistance. This is despite your location in Canada or USA. They offer comprehensive roadside assistance that is ideal for various customer needs. The customer support representatives are highly knowledgeable, professional and courteous.

That means that the Allstate hiring and training protocols are up to standard. Most people have actually vetted the Allstate roadside solutions to have the best customer support team in the industry.

• Geico Roadside Assistance

Now that you know about roadside assistance, here an application that will help you get started. Sometimes you might find yourself stranded in a dark interstate that doesn’t have any signal. With the Geico roadside application, you will be able to send your location to a dispatcher for assistance.

What’s more, you can actually estimate the time the help with arrive. Geico is considered the second largest insurance company which is basically due to its low rates. The Geico Mobile instantly will connect you back to the road or with a place where you will be able to get repairs.

The Geico Roadside assistance also offers customization so you can select the type of help you want. Whether you need a tow or someone to replace your tire when you have a flat tire, the Geico Mobile assistance will help you out.

We all know that you are likely to run out of gas at the weirdest places. That said, the Geico mobile application can easily request for gas from the nearest station. Additionally, the app gives you the chance to choose premium, regular or diesel.

On top of the typical car insurance coverage, the Geico application offers:

• Auto Repairs Xpress:

  which is a package that makes your life easier when your car has a claim and it’s at the shop. With the Geico application, you will be able to pay for the repairs at the shop. What’s more, you will also have the opportunity to rent a car while your car is still undergoing repairs.

• Breakdown Coverage:

  This package caters for all mechanical parts of your new car for up to about 15 months. Also the car should have less than 15000 miles. However, this doesn’t include issues of wear and tear. This package is renewable for up to 7 Years but it doesn’t pay for some of the regular maintenance for instance tune-ups.

• Emergency assistance:

  With the price of about $14 per year, Gieco gives you a virtual assistant where you will get help for a dead battery, gas, you locked yourself out of your car or even a tow.

• Ridesharing Insurance:

    If you are a driver in a rideshare company such as Uber, this policy allows you to have at least one policy. This policy will be able to cover for both your personal and ridesharing use.

At the official Geico website, there are different insurance packages that you can use. Additionally, the website has a feature that will help you find your nearest and cheapest gas station.

The app also features an application that offers the full-service. You will have the chance to keep track of your billing details and policies. On top of that, you will also have access to your digital auto insurance identification. The best part is that the application also offers a way to pay bills and submit claims.

The app provides a means with which you can use to chat directly with the agent or any roadside assistant. That’s not all! The Geico mobile application gives you access to a voice assistant Kate, a feature that’s compatible with iOS and any android users, who can answer your insurance questions. Kate can also provide you with specific policy information.

• Progressive Roadside Assistance

This is also another roadside assistance that can improve your driving experience. The progressive roadside assistance features a toll-free number and a dispatch assistant ready to serve you.

The progressive roadside assistance will offer a 24/7 coverage on car breakdowns, locking yourself out of the car, running out of gas or any other fluids, and when your vehicle is stuck in mud or snow. All you need is to call the toll-free number and customer service personnel will come to help.

With the rental reimbursement feature, as a customer of progressive roadside assistant, you will be able e to use this car until you get your own personal ride fixed. The coverage also lasts a maximum of 30 months. Rental reimbursement is also limited to weight of the vehicle.

Also, you will have access to free-towing only if the situation calls for it. In most cases, the progressive roadside assistant has an existing policy for less than $3 a month for personal vehicles. In addition, it will cost less than $1 for motorcycles.

This makes it quite affordable when compared to towing without a prearrangement that might cost close to $200. However, it might also be difficult to put a price tag on what local mechanics charge.

• State Farm Roadside Assistance

The State Farm roadside assistance (ERS) is another roadside assistance service that covers getting locked out of your car, running out of gas and tire changes. This service will also provide assistance to those who don’t have roadside assistance coverage. But they will have to negotiate a competitive rate especially for its policy holders.

The services state farm roadside assistance offers include; towing to the nearest repair location especially where the vehicle is not in a drivable condition. On the other hand, they can also tow your vehicle to the nearest public road in case the vehicle is stuck. The good thing is that the company has a 24/7 customer support that will never hesitate to cater for your needs.

The State Farm Roadside assistance goes for an annual fee of $4.6. This is a pretty considerable rate when you compare to the other service providers. This cost covers for the first hour of any labour done. However, after the first hour, you may have to pay for the extra costs from your pocket.

In Summary…

All the above roadside assistance will definitely improve your driving experience. But you will need to choose one that works best for you.  The Geico roadside assistance has an application, website and a voice assistant at your disposal.

On the other hand, when you take a look at Progressive roadside assistant, it only has a toll-free number but is still effective. However, it might not be as effective as Geico roadside assistance especially in this internet era. Regardless, both innovations are at the top of the game.