Totally agree on calling ahead—saved me more than once. A quick heads-up though:
- Even when roadside assistance is included, some companies cap the number of tows or limit mileage (learned that the hard way in Arizona).
- Double-check if tire changes or jump-starts count toward your yearly limit.
- Also, does anyone know if these roadside add-ons usually cover lockouts? Locked myself out near Big Sur last summer...not fun.
Good points, especially about mileage limits—I hadn't even thought of that. I'm actually shopping around for my first insurance policy right now and the roadside assistance add-on seems a bit confusing. Like, do they usually cover running out of gas? Or is that considered your own fault and excluded? Also wondering if there's typically a waiting period before you can actually use roadside services after signing up...wouldn't wanna find out the hard way.
Running out of gas is usually covered from what I've seen, but it can depend on the specific policy. I remember a few years back, I was driving home late at night and totally spaced on filling up earlier. Ended up stranded on the side of the freeway—pretty embarrassing, honestly. Luckily, my roadside assistance covered it, but they only brought enough gas to get me to the nearest station (like a gallon or two). Definitely check the fine print though; some policies might limit how often you can use certain services per year.
As for waiting periods, yeah, that's a thing sometimes. I've seen policies where you can't use roadside assistance for the first 24-48 hours after signing up. It's basically to prevent people from signing up right after something happens. I'd double-check with your provider just to be safe—you don't wanna find yourself stuck somewhere thinking you're covered when you're not...
Good point about reading the fine print, it's easy to overlook details like that. I had a similar experience once—ran out of gas just a few miles from my house because I was convinced the gauge was wrong (spoiler: it wasn't). Thankfully, roadside assistance did show up pretty quick, but it was the same deal—just enough gas to get me to the nearest station.
One thing I'd add is double-checking if your policy covers tire changes or jump-starts too. I've had friends caught off-guard assuming those were standard and finding out the hard way they weren't covered. And yeah, waiting periods are definitely something to keep an eye on. A buddy of mine signed up right after his battery died, thinking he'd be clever... but nope, had to pay out of pocket because of that initial waiting period.
Anyway, glad you found an insurance company that's not driving you crazy. It's always a relief when you finally settle into something reliable and straightforward after dealing with complicated policies for years.
Good reminder about jump-starts and tire changes—people often assume that's standard, but it varies a lot. Also, some insurers offer add-ons for lockouts or towing beyond basic roadside... worth checking if you're prone to mishaps (like me). Glad you're sorted now, though.
