roadside assistance news

When the light nights start to come and everyone seems to think it is time to visit those DIY stores, it is also the time when the caravans, tents and summer events start to happen, yes we are talking about May and the fact there are 2 bank holidays at either end of the month.

Whilst all this motoring is going on the breakdown cover organisations know that things will get busier and may also be involved in certain shows and events up and down the country. Extra patrols are often put in place and as many enjoy their leisure time, patrolmen know that the call outs for roadside assistance will be greater from owners losing their keys, to those who think the car that gets the kids to school every day without fault, can now tow a caravan for hundreds of miles without fault.

There was a it of a story for the first bank holiday, where the AA patrolmen had arranged a strike, but then called it off at the 11th hour, certainly a relief to the AA members who had been warned that only a skeleton service would have been offered.

The intense marketing on the websites is still present and shows no signs of weakening as every pound counts and economy of scales certainly is part of the roadside assistance profitability of these insurance companies. The election has dominated these few days, so as the half term break nears, the rotas and preparation is occurring to ensure, that if you breakdown these emergency services will be there to help you on your way.

In other countries across the globe, roadside assistance tends to be the main term used to explain emergency roadside services. Here in the UK it could be described as the entry level to breakdown cover, or the most basic service available and also the cheapest. In past years, the cost to the consumer of roadside assistance would go up and down depending on what offers were on and if quantity of policies wee needed over bottom line.

Now though, the prices of roadside assistance seems to have remained reasonably consistent over the last 12 months with all the 3 main providers offering similar pricing.

Lets start with the AA, who’s current introductory online roadside assistance price starts from £28. The AA used to be the more expensive provider of breakdown cover, claiming they had more dedicated patrolmen and were the largest supplier. But now their pricing is pretty much in line with the RAC.

Then there is the RAC who’s online roadside assistance policies also start from £28 and was seen as the second largest provider of breakdown cover , but recent TV adverts state they fix more cars by the roadside than anyone else, so the consumer is now a bit unsure of who is the biggest now.

Green Flag offer roadside assistance from £20, which is probably the cheapest of all polices anywhere, but this is strongly based on the car you drive and the miles you drive a year. The application form is more detailed than the other 2 application forms, so not everyone gets the £20 price.

There is clearly a fighting war over roadside assistance pricing, where they know this level of the market is more price sensitive than say recovery, home start or the more substantial breakdown polices out there. There seems to be a “low pricing everyday” culture rather than the season special offers that used be applied. We also can’t forget that some insurance companies like Churchill offer free Green Flag Roadside Assistance with their car insurance polices, so putting pressure on providers to keep this level of cover as cheap as possible.

Next year’s premiums are also in the game here as a large proportion of policy holders will just renew automatically with no guarantee that the online prices you see as now as new customer will be presented within your renewal letter. So these prices could be a lost leader, for the first 12 months anyway.

Prices may have changed since time of writing, please check websites direct.

We thought we would add some mechanical information that may keep the breakodwn recovery van away, although we wouldn’t advise you to cancel your roadside assistance policy just yet. This video is from The AA and is about checking your coolant, to ensure you vehicle  does not get a cracked cylinder head during winter adn remains cool throughout summer. The presenter is Nick Evers a genuine AA patrolman.

Many of the breakdown cover organisations have names for the specific cover and for the AA it is just a simple “Roadside”. This is the basic roadside assistance option offered for the AA and is currently at a price from £28 per year.  For this price it is the vehicle that is covered not you as a person, so it does not matter who borrows the car, whoever is driving will be able to call the AA if they should breakdown and get a patrol man out to sort the issue.

There is a separate button to see if you car is under 10 years old, suggesting it may be more to cover an older car (even with a warning that misrepresenting the age of the car may invalid the policy), but today that button did not work so we have to assume it is the same price. The AA uses its own trained patrolmen rather than third party garages and claims to be the largest breakdown cover organisation offering dedicated patrols for roadside assistance in the UK.

There are some winter offers also available at the moment, where you can combine Roadside Assistance with other services, such as Relay, Home Rescue and Repair Package.

Please note, clearly these offers are only valid at the time of writing.

We write this at a time where in real terms roadside assistance has got to be the cheapest and best value it has ever been. Lets look at some prices in the beginning of Dec 09. Green Flag have the cheapest option offering roadside assistance from £20, although this does depend on car types, age and mileage covered in the year. Then both the RAC and the AA have the same price point of £28 for their basic roadside type policy.

But the real price is measured at the time you breakdown with or without a roadside assistance policy in place. Without it, the vehicle owner faces an expensive call out charge, depending on where and when the breakdown occured. With it, there is still the risk that it offerd sufficient cover for the type of breakdown suffered. For most rodaside assistance will be ebough as mosts providers claim more than 80% of repairs are fixed at the roadside, but for the remainder breakdown, where a recovery service is needed, there still may be money to be spent.

The final option would apply to most people, as most call outs are for small faults, such as a flat tyre, flat battery or the car will not start. Roadside Assistance will in mosts cases fit the bill and probably be one of the best service you have ever bought for the money.

Having a roadside assistance plan is very vital for every car owner as it is the most secure backup for you and your family in case the vehicle breaks down while driving. There are a wide range of breakdown cover services available in today’s market and with a little bit of research you can avail some great benefits by getting yourself the perfect plan to suit your travel needs.

The term roadside assistance refers to the set of services provided by automobile clubs such as the RAC and the AA in the situation of an emergency car breaks down on the road. In order to make sure that you get the best breakdown coverage deal available in the market, getting to know the following benefits that can be availed through roadside assistance will be very helpful:

1.    Towing assistance – One of the most important advantages of getting a roadside assistance plan is that you can get your car towed to your chosen destination promptly in case the vehicle cannot be repaired on the spot. As this service is included in the plan you can save up on any additional towing charges.
2.    Refuelling services – In case your vehicle has run out of gas and you are stranded, roadside assistance can come to your aid by sending in a person to refuel your car and reach you to the nearest gas station safely.
3.    Fixing flat tires – A flat tire can get you stuck in a tricky spot and getting a breakdown coverage policy can be very useful in such a situation as their services ensure that your tires will be replaced on the spot and swiftly.
4.    Lost key replacement – One of the other benefits of opting for breakdown cover is that there is immediate lockout assistance for you in case you have misplaced your car keys or left them inside the vehicle and locked yourself out.
5.    Battery support – If you vehicle has broken down due to a dead car battery, having a roadside assistance  at this point can be very helpful as they will send someone over to charge or replace the battery and reach you to a safe location.
6.    Maps and directions – Support services included in various coverage plans also include, round the clock assistance to guide you on the road in case you have lost your way or are travelling to an unfamiliar destination.
7.    Alternative transportation – Certain roadside assistance plans also include add on services such as providing alternative transportation facilities apart from standard repairs.

So go ahead and equip yourself with the most suitable roadside assistance plan for a safe and trouble free driving experience for you and your family.
Summary – Roadside assistance refers to on the spot repair services provided by automobile in the case of a sudden vehicle breakdown while driving. Various benefits of opting for breakdown coverage include services such as towing, refuelling, restoring flat tires, lockout assistance, providing battery support as well as maps and direction and alternative transportation facilities to reach you to your destination during emergency situations.

Written by guest blogger Atul

Purchasing the right roadside assistance plan for your vehicle, can go a long way in saving you from the unnecessary expenditure and hassles involved during an emergency breakdown. With a large range of options available in today’s market you need to understand your needs as well as the various benefits of the services being offered in order to zero in on the most suitable breakdown cover for your car.
Roadside assistance basically includes services such as replacing a lost key, towing, fixing a flat tire, or providing alternate transportation for your vehicle in case it breaks down while on the road. The following guidelines will help you in choosing the right roadside assistance plan effectively:
•    Research the breakdown coverage market – As roadside assistance plans vary from a standard coverage such as towing, refuelling or replacing a flat tire to additional services like  alternative transportation facilities, start by familiarising yourself with various kinds of services available in the market.
•    Consider your travel needs– Keeping your lifestyle and travel needs in mind such as opting for a plan which covers more than one driver would be a good idea in case there are multiple drivers in your family
•    Select a list of nationalised services – Considering the services of well established auto clubs such as the RAC, AA or the Green Flag is a much wiser option than using the services of a local garage dealer.
•    Avoid unnecessary expenses – While looking at various coverage deals ensure that you are not paying for additional services that you don’t require and opting for a standard breakdown coverage plan is the wisest option in this case.
•    Lookout for customised plans – Apart from considering a standard coverage you can search the internet for roadside assistance plans available in the market that give you the option of customising the services to suit your personal needs.
•    Compare the best bargain deals – There are various annual membership roadside assistance plans that can be found online at some good discount deals and comparing their various features can be very helpful in narrowing down on the best suitable bargain deals.
•    Zero in on the most suitable coverage – Once you have compared the prices as well as the services of various roadside assistance plans choose the one that offers the best rates while suiting your needs travel perfectly.

With their prompt services and a wide range of customized coverage options, opting for a suitable roadside assistance plan through a well established auto club is one of the wisest decisions you can make to ensure a safe journey for yourself and your family.
Summary – Roadside assistance includes repair and support services offered by various auto clubs in case of emergency situations involving the breakdown of your vehicle while driving. Important guidelines for choosing the right coverage plan include researching the market, considering your travel needs, selecting a list of nationalized services, avoiding unnecessary expenses, looking out for customized plans, comparing the best bargain deals and finally zeroing in on the most suitable coverage plan.

The term roadside assistance tends to be used worldwide, unlike the term breakdown cover which tends to be a Britsh term, so here we have an example of company offering a similar service in Pakistan to what we would recive here. the comapny is called Evac and although not up to the size of say the AA or RAC, they are getting that way, as the main player in the Pakistan area, that normally would tend to get local help to get their vehicles upon their way. This Pakistan company sounds very American within their videos, have a watch, offering 24 hour support no matter where a vehicle breaksdown.

OK this is not a real roadside assistance company, but we thought we would get the blog started off with some great animation representing VVV roadside assistance and a client that has not paid his bill. Very clever story and can’t help feeling sad for the character but you kinda got to laugh at everything else. probably not the content we will have mainly on the site, as we aim to report on real roadside issues, but it is the first post.

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