May 18, 2023

Imagine you're driving down a highway that stretches on endlessly. Suddenly, your car starts sputtering, and before you know it, it comes to a complete stop. You try to start it again, but it doesn’t work. You even try a few basic repair procedures to make it run.

Getting stranded on the road because of a car issue can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. Whether you're on a road trip or just running errands, a car breakdown or tire puncture can leave you stuck and helpless.

This is where roadside assistance comes into play. This useful add-on to your car insurance policy is like a superhero flying in to save the day. Whether you have a flat tire or a battery issue, a quick call to your roadside assistance provider will resolve your problem immediately.

Let’s understand more about Roadside Assistance and how to avail of such coverage - in the article below. Let’s get started!

What is Roadside Assistance?

A roadside assistance cover is a valuable service offered by insurance companies to provide support in case of a vehicular breakdown or emergency while you are on the road. If your car experiences issues such as a flat tire, an empty fuel tank, a mechanical breakdown, etc. this cover offers on-road assistance to help you get back on track. You can be assured that help is just a phone call away.

This coverage is often included as a built-in option with most car insurance policies, but there may be some insurance companies that require you to pay an additional premium to avail of this assistance.

For example, Samantha was driving home from work when she noticed that her car was making strange noises. The car started slowing down and Samantha managed to pull over to the side of the road. Feeling frustrated and helpless, Samantha realised she had signed up for roadside assistance with her insurance company. She immediately rang the toll-free number and informed them about her problem. After verifying Samantha's location and vehicle details, a representative assured her that help was on the way. A skilled technician reached the spot and diagnosed the problem. Samantha was back on the road in no time.

How to Add Roadside Assistance to Your Policy?

We talked about how roadside assistance is included as a standard in-built cover by some insurance companies. However, there are some providers that do not offer roadside assistance as part of their standard coverage. If you choose one of these insurers, you will need to pay an additional premium to add roadside assistance to your policy.

What is Covered Under Roadside Assistance?

A few of the services that are available under roadside assistance are -

1️⃣Mechanical Breakdown

When your car experiences a malfunction or failure that prevents it from further driving.

For example,

Jenny was on her way to an important meeting when her car suddenly started making a loud clunking noise. The car eventually came to a stop, and she realised that she was stranded in the middle of nowhere. She immediately called roadside assistance, and they sent a technician to her location. The technician quickly diagnosed the problem - a faulty transmission and replaced it. Within a few hours, Jenny’s car was up and running again, and she was able to make it to her meeting on time.

2️⃣Towing Services

Assistance in moving a vehicle to the nearest repair facility or location of your choice.

3️⃣Flat Tires

Service to replace or repair a tire that has been punctured.

4️⃣Fuel Arrangements

Assistance in getting fuel for your vehicle, such as arranging transportation to a fuel station.

For example,Mike was driving to a job interview when he realised he was low on petrol. He thought he could make it to the next fuel station, but his car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. Mike called his roadside assistance provider for help. A technician arrived with fuel and filled up his tank.

5️⃣Medical Coordination

Assistance with medical emergencies or coordinating medical care for those injured in a vehicle.

6️⃣Locked Car Assistance

Assistance when keys are locked inside the car or the vehicle cannot be opened due to a malfunction.

For example, Sophie was on her way to a friend's birthday party when she realised that she had locked her keys in her car. She immediately called her roadside assistance provider for help. A technician arrived at Sophie's location with the necessary tools to unlock her car. The technician was able to quickly and safely unlock the car door, and Sophie was able to retrieve her keys and continue on her way to the party.

7️⃣Car Registration Renewal Services

Assistance in renewing vehicle registration.

8️⃣Airport Services

Assistance in getting to or from an airport, such as shuttle services or rental car arrangements.

Note: This is an indicative list. The services provided under roadside assistance may vary across insurers.

How To Avail Of Roadside Assistance?

It is rather an easy process to get roadside assistance coverage, here are the steps you need to follow –

1️⃣If your vehicle breaks down or runs out of fuel while you're on the road, you can call your insurance company for help.

2️⃣Provide your insurer with your exact location and all the details about what happened.

3️⃣Once the insurance company has all the necessary information, they will send a mechanic or technician to your location.

4️⃣If the mechanic/technician can repair your vehicle on the spot, they will do so and get you back on the road.

5️⃣If the mechanic/technician cannot repair your vehicle, they will move it to a nearby garage.

6️⃣If you have run out of fuel, the mechanic/technician will assist you in getting it. However, please note that fuel charges are usually not covered by your insurer and will have to be paid by you.

Different insurance companies may have different terms and conditions regarding roadside assistance, so it is essential to check the same with your insurer beforehand.

To conclude,

We have now come to the end of this article and hope it has brought the importance of roadside assistance. Unexpected breakdowns or accidents can happen at any time, and roadside assistance can provide timely assistance in these situations. Hence, we recommend that you add this cover to your insurance to ensure you're always protected when something unexpected happens.