When you drive a car, you need to be prepared for various emergencies. While a flat tyre used to be one of the most common problems faced by car owners, manufacturers started offering space for a spare tyre in the boot of cars. However, a fat tyre isn’t the only issue you can face. The car’s battery can suddenly stop working, or your car can face a mechanical failure or any other problem leaving you stranded in the middle of the road. This can be difficult to manage, especially if your car breaks down at a place with no help nearby.
While a regular car insurance plan does not cover such incidents, you can buy a Roadside Assistance Protection add-on cover with comprehensive insurance for cars to get emergency assistance if you get stuck in the middle of the road. When you buy car insurance, make sure that you look for roadside assistance insurance as an add-on cover and compare car insurance providers to find the best deal. This article will discuss car insurance with roadside assistance and how you can benefit from this add-on cover.
What Is A Roadside Assistance Add-on In Car Insurance?
When you drive a car, many things can go wrong. You can run out of fuel, have a flat tyre without a working spare, face battery issues, or various other problems. You might not be equipped or skilled to handle all such exigencies yourself and need assistance. However, getting assistance can be difficult if you are in a remote place with no garages or mechanics nearby. This is where car roadside assistance insurance comes in handy.
Here are some common inclusions of a roadside assistance add-on cover:
● Flat Tyre Assistance
Not everyone can change a car’s tyre. It is a physically challenging process, and one might not be able to change the tyre every time. Also, there can be a scenario where the spare tyre is not in a usable condition either. Getting back on four wheels can be an issue if you are stranded at a place with no mechanic nearby. With this cover, the insurer sends a mechanic to your location to help you with the flat tyre.
● Refuelling Assistance
Sometimes, your trip can take an unexpected detour, resulting in a longer route. This can create a possibility of running out of fuel in the middle of the road. If no petrol pump or assistance is nearby, then refuelling your car can be a problem. With this add-on, the insurer gets a limited amount of fuel delivered to your location to get you back on the road and to the nearest petrol pump.
● Towing Service
What do you do if your car breaks down in the middle of the road and you are clueless about why? The next step is to get it towed to a repair centre. With a roadside assistance add-on, the insurer helps get your vehicle towed to the nearest network garage.
● Minor Repairs
Sometimes, a car can stop running due to a loose wire or connection. The mechanic sent by the insurer under the roadside assistance cover checks for the problem and repairs any such minor issue free of cost.
● Delivery of spare keys
There can be situations where you lose the keys to your car. In such cases, if you have a roadside assistance cover, the insurer arranges for the spare key to be picked up from the person who has it and delivered to your location.
● Battery Issue Assistance
Car batteries need to be jump-started sometimes. This service is also offered under the roadside assistance cover.
How Can You Use the Roadside Assistance Benefit?
Here are some important things that you need to know about the roadside assistance add-on cover:
- You can purchase this cover only with a comprehensive car insurance policy
- The cover includes emergency assistance only. The costs of repair will have to be borne by you.
- Since you will pay for the repairs, availing of the benefits under this cover will not impact your No Claim Bonus as it will not be considered a claim.
Suppose you have purchased a comprehensive policy with roadside assistance and are faced with an emergency situation. In that case, you need to call the insurance provider and give details of the problem. The insurer will ensure that adequate assistance is sent your way in no time.
Summing Up
A Roadside Assistance cover is especially beneficial to car owners who tend to travel longer distances and take highways or routes that do not have a lot of garages around. While this cover can benefit all car owners, you need to assess your use of the vehicle before making the decision since it will increase the premium of your policy.