Emergency Road Service | Roadside Assistance

As a nomad and living on the road full-time. In addition to your emergency fund you should have a roadside assistance plan.

Emergency Road Service/Roadside Assistance, is a service that can help when you have car trouble on the side of the road, in a parking lot, at work or even at home. If you're stranded, a roadside assistance plan can help with services like, stuck vehicle, changing a flat tire, jump-starting a dead battery or towing your vehicle to a repair shop.

Getting Roadside Assistance is easy. Although, there are a few things to consider. You can get roadside assistance in three different ways.

• Add roadside coverage to your auto insurance policy.
• Purchase a roadside assistance membership.
• Or you can pay per use in your time of need each time you need road service.

Each option has different benefit limits, features, and prices

Getting the best roadside assistance plan is essential, when your on the road full-time. There is not much worse than being stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire, stuck, a steaming engine, dead battery or no fuel, and having no way of getting to your destination. This is why roadside assistance services are a great investment for full-timers and nomads that want to make sure that they’re protected and secure at all times.

Picking the best roadside assistance plan comes down what you need and your budget. Some are limited in what they offer but have a price you can live with, others require that you pay an annual membership but will throw in a number of special offers to enhance the deal, while some are reasonably priced with certain limitations. To find the right roadside assistance for your nomadic lifestyle, you need to make sure you read the fine print and match the package to your needs. A full-time traveler will need far more mileage and towing, while a minimal traveler will need an entirely different plan. 

Look for specific exclusions with each plan too, and make sure they offer 24/7 coverage along with easy-to-reach customer care, for when you actually need to get hold of them if your car breaks down. Some of the best auto insurance companies offer roadside assistance too, but few can match the offering of a specialist provider.

Most auto insurance company's offer emergency road service coverage. With emergency road service, they'll pay for the common, reasonable expenses you need to get your covered vehicle back in service. You should speak with your insurance agent and see what your options are. "I have the roadside assistance option added to my own auto insurance policy". It doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and the insurance company will reimburse you for any qualified claim.

Before you sign up for any of these programs, I recommend checking to see if you're already enrolled in a roadside assistance plan through another source. Many auto insurance companies offer their own roadside assistance programs for a small additional cost to your monthly premium. These add-ons include similar, if not identical, coverage to that offered by individual roadside services, including towing, tire changes, jumpstarts, gas or oil delivery, and locksmith services.

Here are my two picks for Emergency Road Service/Roadside Assistance.

AARP Roadside Assistance

AARP has some great prices and services for anyone 50 and over.

AARP is a membership only roadside assistance service provider, but their membership is even more restricted-over 50s only. While you can join as a younger member, they have an Associate membership package, you won’t get as many value-added benefits as these have been tailored to the older market. AARP is a good fit for the older market with reasonable pricing, nice value-added extras, an easy to use website and application system, and customizable packages. It’s a dependable choice with few limitations and not too many hidden costs.

AAA Roadside Assistance

AAA has always been known for its membership and the huge selection of member benefits. 

The list is endless with anything from a magazine to discounts to freebies that come part and parcel with the AAA. The roadside assistance packages are quite standard when it comes to what they offer and the limitations they introduce. The pricing is good, if not extremely cheap and you get the usual tire replacement, fuel fills and recovery features that come standard with most plans. You do get limited towing distances, which is not great, but you do get lots of other features so your choice will depend on what kind of car you drive, the distances you travel and the security you want.

Living on the road as a full-time nomad, and having the peace of mind of being covered by roadside assistance, and having the option of being reimbursed, for any qualified out of pocket expenses by your vehicle insurance company. These are options that you need to seriously explore and consider.

Just Go For It, A Life Of Travel Adventure Awaits!

~Chaz~