Getting stuck on the road at an untimely hour is the worst fear of most
car owners. It becomes a nightmare if the breakdown occurs in an
unfamiliar territory. Be it a flat tyre, dead battery, a minor
mechanical or electrical fault, running out of fuel, or an accident...
anything can happen to your car and upset your schedule. Roadside
assistance can come to your rescue in such instances. Many car
manufacturers bundle roadside assistance with a new car. Some motor insurance
companies bundle it with a motor insurance policy, while companies like
Cross Roads India Assistance, Carnation Auto India specialise in
roadside assistance and offer it as a standalone product. "Roadside
assistance is like an insurance against unexpected breakdowns, which can
happen to any car anytime, irrespective of the age or condition of the
car," says Harish Lakkher, CEO, Cross Roads India Assistance.
Roadside assistance promises you assistance within half an hour of
making a call if you car has broken down. It takes care of your
punctured tyre, a jumpstart is provided if the battery is down, among
other things. While these services are free and part of the package, if
you have run out of fuel, you will have to bear the actual fuel cost. In
case your vehicle needs to be towed, it is towed to the nearest
workshop of your choice, and you would have to foot the charges. "We
also provide a taxi assistance and hotel accommodation if the need be.
The idea is to handle a breakdown situation in a humanitarian way and
give comfort to the customer," says Vijay Kumar,
chief technical officer, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance. "By paying a
small amount, you get peace of mind and you are sure of some help coming
your way quickly. It helps especially in monsoons when you could get
stuck in waterlogged areas," says Roshun Povaiah, automobile expert at
Cartoq, an automobile website. His advice is to buy roadside assistance
along with the car and keep renewing it every year. "Buy roadside
assistance from someone who has a strong infrastructure and good past
track record of delivery. Ensure that the service is not outsourced
through third parties," says Povaiah.
Is it worth it?
The price for roadside assistance would depend on the age of the car
and the number of services expected. For example, Honda's roadside
assistance costs 1,750 in the first year, and increases to 4,600 in the
fourth year. Then there are packages, which charge you based on the
number of services you wish to enroll for. For example, Cross Roads
India Assistance offers a City Pack, where roadside assistance will be
offered within one city only and would cost 999. However if you are a
frequent traveller and wish to get assistance within 23 cities, you
would have to opt for a higher package which will cost you 1,599.
Roadside assistance is not hugely popular in India mainly because it is
not available to older cars. Ideally, this cover is a must after the
car is used for more than five years. However, most service providers
don't offer this service for cars which are more than seven years old.
As a car ages, there are higher chances of mechanical problems. However,
there are a very few providers who would offer roadside assistance once
the car is more than five years old, and even if they offer, the annual
fees would be very high," says Banwari Lal Sharma, AVP (Marketing),
Carwale, an automobile portal. Also, there are limitations to services
under roadside assistance.
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