Totally agree about double-checking coverage—had a similar issue myself crossing into Nevada. Turns out roadside assistance wasn't included there... go figure. Quick call fixed it, but still, better safe than sorry. Glad you found a decent insurer; makes all the difference on longer trips.
Had a similar surprise myself last year. Thought I had everything covered until I got stuck near Reno with a flat tire. Turns out my roadside assistance had some weird mileage limit—never even knew that was a thing. After that, I started making a habit of calling ahead before trips: step one, confirm coverage area; step two, ask about mileage restrictions; step three, clarify exactly what's included. Seems tedious, but honestly it saves headaches later... Glad you sorted yours out though.
Ran into something similar myself a couple years back driving through Oregon. Thought roadside assistance covered everything, but apparently towing from remote areas has some fine print I missed. Made me wonder—do they intentionally bury these details, or is it just oversight? Anyway, now I always double-check the specifics before renewing. Seems like you're on the right track with your checklist though... tedious but smart. Glad it worked out for you in the end.
Had a similar "aha" moment myself last summer. Took my Audi up to Tahoe thinking roadside assistance was bulletproof, right? Well, turns out luxury cars and dirt roads don't mix well—who knew? Got stuck on some random backroad, called for help, and learned the hard way that "off-pavement recovery" is a whole separate thing. Felt like I needed a law degree just to understand the exclusions. Definitely smart you're double-checking now...lesson learned here too. Glad your checklist paid off!
Had a similar experience myself a couple years back, but mine involved towing coverage. Thought I was golden with my policy—figured "towing included" meant exactly that. Well, turns out there's a big difference between "included" and "fully covered." My old Jeep broke down halfway up the Grapevine (of all places), and when I called for a tow, they cheerfully informed me they'd cover the first 15 miles. Problem was, the nearest shop was about 40 miles away. Ended up paying out-of-pocket for the extra mileage, which wasn't cheap.
Honestly, insurance fine print is like its own language sometimes. Even working in the industry doesn't always help—there's always some obscure clause or exclusion you never thought to check until you're stuck on the side of the road. I've learned to be skeptical whenever something sounds too good to be true...because it usually is.
Glad you found a company that's straightforward though. It's refreshing when you don't have to decode every sentence just to know what's covered. I'm still hunting around myself—haven't quite found that unicorn yet—but your post gives me hope that maybe they're out there after all.
