Roadside assistance may seem like an unnecessary expense until a need arises to use it. There are a lot of reasons that a consumer should be covered by a roadside assistance plan. Here are the top 6 reasons that you want to make sure you are covered.
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Towing
It seems like the obvious reason to carry roadside assistance. A vehicle never chooses the most convenient time to refuse to move. When your vehicle is disabled, it may be in an area that makes repair unsafe. A tow may be the best way to get it to where to a repair facility. Finding a towing company in the evening, on a weekend, or a holiday can be expensive and if you are in an area you are not familiar with can be a daunting task. The roadside assistance companies properly vet their service providers and can get the car safely off the road and to a repair facility.
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Flat Tire
Changing a flat tire on today’s car isn’t particularly easy. Cars today often have wheel locks and the tools that are included with the car are often inferior. Edmunds points out that some newer cars don’t even come with a spare tire anymore. A flat tire will keep you sidelined until the tire is changed. Once roadside assistance arrives, they can get the damaged tire off, a spare tire put on the car, and make sure you are on your way.
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Dead Battery
Today’s cars have a lot of electronic devices; those electronics take a toll on the battery. When you turn the key and the car tries to start but just doesn’t roar to a start. It doesn’t even take someone leaving the lights on or a door open to leave you with a dead battery, it can simply be the drain of all of the extra accessories. People tend to be more cautious these days and there isn’t always someone around or willing to give you a jump; assuming there are even cables available. Roadside assistance will show up and get that battery jump started, so you can get back on the road.
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Running Out of Gas
Nobody plans to run out of gas, but nothing will leave you stranded faster that running out of gas. According to Easy Mobile Tire LLC, modern cars tell us when they are low on gas, but those little lights often give us a false sense of security. When you are on the go and jumping in and out of the car while running errands, remembering to get gas can slip through the cracks. Once you are on empty, the only way to get back on the road is to fill up that tank. Roadside assistance can bring you a few gallons of gas so you can avoid that dangerous walk to a gas station, that may be far away.
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Locksmith Services
Keys are a hassle they are easy to misplace and it can be easy to lock yourself out of your car. It can also be easy to lock the keys in your car – on your seat or worse yet in the trunk. According to consumer reports, there has been an 800 percent increase in people locking their keys in the car. No matter where they are misplaced, a locksmith is the only one who can get you back into the car. Paying out of pocket to have a locksmith come and let you into your vehicle can be pricy. It is also hard to find someone that you feel comfortable with essentially breaking into your car. Roadside assistance generally includes locksmith services to let you in when you are locked out.
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Peace of Mind
You protect yourself by buying auto insurance, health insurance and life insurance. You should always protect yourself from unexpected costs due to inevitable car problems. Roadside assistance is there to protect you when the unexpected happens to your car. The peace of mind provided by knowing that someone is just a phone call away, any time of the day is priceless. If something goes wrong when you are out on the road, you have a safety net to support you.
No matter how new or expensive your car is, you can’t predict a flat tire or a road hazard. If your car is disabled, you can’t drive it. A quick call can resolve an unexpected car problem, and get you back on the road quickly and easily.
