Roadside Assistance – It Is Necessary?

By: Marie Isabel Espino

Roadside assistance is necessary. We all have to be prepared for the “what ifs’? It’s Murphy’s Law – “if anything can go wrong, then it will”. Life is full of imperfections and unforeseeable events. You and I do not have control over everything. One has to acknowledge that bad things happen to people for no particular reason at all. If you think about whether or not you really need roadside assistance coverage it’s like asking whether or not you will ever need to go to the dentist for a tooth cavity. You may do everything in you ability and all preventive measures so that you won’t need dental work in the future but can you have total control and be really sure that you won’t need it? Or that you’ll never get a cold or fall down and need to go the emergency room. So should something ever happen we need to be prepared. Roadside assistance is the most secure and effective way of protecting you and your family from the “what ifs” of being on the road. The possibilities are endless… Engine breakdown, running out of gas, the key breaking in door lock, keys left in the ignition. These are just a few.

I can remember plenty of times that I have left my keys in the car or leaving the keys in the car after running inside the house because I forgot something and coming back to the car and finding myself locked out because the automatic door locks of the car alarm locked the car doors on me. Not to mention my share of flat tires. I remember having a flat tires three times in one week due to some construction being done on the next door neighbor’s house. And how many times have I left the lights on in the car or my teenager wanting to wait in the car to hear the car stereo and come out to find the battery dead? I know that if it has happened to me then you would be lying to yourself to say that it won’t happen to you.  

Roadside assistance coverage is more than just covering your vehicle if it breaks down, it is something that hopefully you won’t ever need but could possibly save your life if ever you are stranded in the middle of no where and far away from home. Could you imagine if your vehicle were to break down or have a flat tire in the middle of a hot summer day and over 100 degrees outside with no one for miles? And it doesn’t have to be just away from home. Things can happen in your driveway.

The majorities of roadside assistance companies offer the same overall areas coverage but keep in mind that each company is different which are:

Ø      Towing – If ever your vehicle requires a little more than on the spot service. Usually you can use your coverage to tow your vehicle where needed.

Ø      Flat Tires – Most roadside assistance companies go out and help put on the spare tire.

Ø      Gas – If you run out of gas or your car overheats, most will deliver what is needed to you. (Of course the price of the gas or fluid is charged to you)

Ø      Keys in the Car – If you lose your keys left them in the car, or if they are stolen, someone will be sent out to you but you do have to pay the cost of the keys.

Ø      Battery Dead – If what ever reason, your battery is dead, they will go out and help jump start your car.

These are some of the basic items that are covered by a roadside assistance provider. The goal of most roadside assistance providers is to get you help and on your way. Depending on the provider you choose, it’s just a matter of signing the bill and you are on your way with no costs to you.

I highly recommend that you check into each individual roadside assistance company and make the best choice for you and your family. So if it's bound to happen, we need to avoid that it won’t happen to you. So before your car decides that all of a sudden it wants to take a timeout on the side of the road, you really need to purchase a good roadside assistance policy. A roadside assistance policy will let you drive with peace of mind.  

I hope that you enjoyed this post about roadside assistance.