Website design By BotEap.comSome form of emergency roadside service has been around since the first car rolled off the lot over a hundred years ago. Today, consumers have too many options when it comes to figuring out how to handle emergencies while traveling.

Website design By BotEap.comMany car manufacturers now offer free roadside assistance with the purchase of your new car. This may seem a bit redundant to many car owners, since if the car breaks down under warranty, the dealer usually has to come and have it towed away to fix it. However, breaking down completely is usually the least of your problems and the lowest occurrence of complaints down the road when you call for help.

Website design By BotEap.comMost emergency roadside services cover everything from running out of gas to fixing a flat tire. There are many optional services available when you choose your plan and service provider, and of course, the more options you choose, the more expensive your plan will be. However, some of the options are almost a must if you want to get your money’s worth from the annual membership. Options like free battery charging and free fluid refills when your car is serviced for other reasons are certainly worth the few extra dollars you’d pay.

Website design By BotEap.comAnother worthwhile option that should be seriously considered is being able to have two trucks take your car to the destination of your choice (usually within 50 miles). Without this, if something happens to your car while you’re traveling, you don’t need to be forced to take your car to a garage you’re not familiar with.

Website design By BotEap.comAlso make sure that you are what is covered, not just the car! This may sound strange, but your real goal is to make sure you’re safe on the road and can get help when you need it. In other words, if you need to borrow your mother’s car and it breaks down, make sure the service provider still helps you.

Website design By BotEap.comAnd, if your mom needs to borrow her car, she’ll be able to ask for help, too. It works both ways.

Website design By BotEap.comAs you research different plans, make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting for the money you pay. Are you limited in the number of visits or service calls? Some plans don’t make it super obvious, but if you read the fine print, you’ll only get three or four opportunities to make service calls. Also find out if your car can be repaired at home. Not all problems happen while you’re driving, but some plans just don’t cover house calls no matter what.

Website design By BotEap.comPrices vary a lot. However, don’t make your decision based simply on cost. Decide what you need and go from there. Plan to spend around $120 a year for decent coverage. And don’t make the mistake of assuming a new car won’t have any problems. Even new tires can blow out and transmissions can fail.