"reasonable distance," whatever that means.
Yeah, that's the thing—insurance companies love vague wording like that. But honestly, I've found that even if you push for clearer terms upfront, most insurers tend to stick pretty closely to their standard language. Instead, I've had better luck just getting a separate roadside assistance membership. Costs a bit extra, but at least you know exactly what you're getting and don't have to play guessing games when you're stuck somewhere...
Yeah, separate roadside assistance can be handy, but honestly I've never had issues with the vague wording. Had a breakdown once about 40 miles out, and insurance covered it no questions asked. Maybe I've just been lucky though...
- Glad it worked out for you, but I'd still be cautious with vague wording.
- Had a breakdown once about 60 miles from nowhere, and insurance said "nearest qualified shop" meant a tiny garage with zero vintage experience...
- Learned my lesson—now I double-check specifics beforehand.
That's a good point about vague wording—it's definitely something to watch out for. Insurance policies can be tricky, especially with vintage vehicles. I've seen cases where "qualified" gets interpreted pretty loosely, and it can lead to some frustrating situations like yours. One thing I'd suggest is looking into policies that offer agreed-value coverage and explicitly allow you to choose your own repair facility. It might cost a bit more upfront, but it saves headaches down the road (literally).
Out of curiosity, have you checked if your current insurer offers endorsements or riders specifically tailored to vintage or classic cars? Sometimes these add-ons clarify exactly what qualifies as an acceptable repair shop or even cover specialized towing services. Might be worth asking about next time you renew or update your policy...
