Roadside assistance and rental reimbursement

Roadside assistance

Usually covers the short list of things that strand a car.

• Towing, up to a set distance or a set amount
• Jump start
• Flat tire change
• Lockout service
• Fuel delivery when you run out
• Winching, at some carriers

It is priced per vehicle and it is normally small. It is often cheaper than a standalone motoring membership and it is already attached to a policy you have.

Rental reimbursement

Pays for a rental car while yours is being repaired after a covered claim. It is written as a daily amount with a maximum number of days.

The two numbers matter separately. A generous daily allowance with a short cap runs out during a long repair; a long cap at a small daily allowance does not cover the class of car you actually need.

The part people get wrong

Rental reimbursement only applies after a covered claim. It is not a rental car for a breakdown, for maintenance, or for a holiday.

Roadside assistance is the coverage that responds to a breakdown, and it tows the car — it does not put you in another one.

When they are worth carrying

• If you have one car and no way to work without it, rental reimbursement is the small line that matters most on this page.
• If you have a second car or somebody to drive you, it matters much less.
• If the car is older, or the commute is long, roadside earns its keep on the first tow.
• If you already pay for a motoring club, compare the two before carrying both.

One thing to know before you claim

Some carriers treat frequent roadside calls as claims activity even though no damage was paid. It is unusual, it varies by company, and it is worth asking your agent how yours handles it before you use it for the fourth time in a year.