One of the best extras to add to your auto insurance policy is roadside assistance coverage. Roadside assistance coverage usually only increases your premium by a few dollars per month, making it one of the most affordable and valuable auto insurance add-ons.

2-Incidents Per Coverage Period

Most roadside assistance programs offered through insurance companies provide you with assistance for at least two incidents per six-month premium period. If you end up needing assistance a third time over a sixmonth period, they are not going to leave you stranded on the side of the road. You'll just have to pay an extra fee for that third incident.

Types of Situations Covered

Roadside assistance programs carry a wide variety of different mechanical situations that you could find yourself in.

To start with, they can help you get into your car if you lock the keys inside. If you leave your lights on and drain your battery, they can come and jump start your vehicle.

If your vehicle breaks down, the first hour of mechanical assistance is usually covered under roadside assistance programs. If battery, oil, gas, or even a spare tire need to be delivered to your vehicle, your roadside assistance program can arrange for the purchase, delivery, and installation of these items.



If your car is not drivable, your roadside assistance program will cover the cost of towing your vehicle to the nearest repair shop.

No matter what happens on the road, you can get assistance with 24-hour roadside coverage from your insurance company. 

2. Rental Car Coverage

Another extra that only increases your premium a small amount every month is rental reimbursement coverage or rental car coverage.

You never know when you are going to get into an accident. That is not something that you can control.

If you get into an accident, and your vehicle is damaged, you are left without a vehicle and have to shoulder the responsibility of not only paying your deductible to get your vehicle fixed but the cost of renting a vehicle as well while your vehicle gets fixed. Renting a vehicle can be expensive, and can add up very quickly.

With rental insurance coverage, when you are involved in an accident, your insurance company will cover the cost of your rental. Rental insurance coverage will usually pay a set amount per day for a rental car for you to drive while your vehicle is getting fixed for a set amount of days.

For example, you may be covered for 30 dollars a day up to 30 days. If you want a vehicle that exceeds the per-day amount that your insurance company will cover, you have to pay the portion of the rental fee that exceeds your per-day limit.

If the repair shop has not finished with your car within 30 days, you can work with your insurance company to see if they will extend the rental reimbursement coverage. If your vehicle is still being repaired, and the process is taking longer through no fault of your own, they will generally extend the rental car coverage.

If you just want to keep the rental car for a longer length of time, you'll have to pay the cost of the rental after the thirty days of coverage.

When you renew your auto insurance policy, talk to your insurance agent at American Quality Assurance Group about adding on roadside assistance and rental reimbursement coverage to your policy.

These add-ons will not greatly increase the overall price of your premium but will provide you with extraassistance should you find yourself in an emergency situation and in need of roadside assistance or a rental vehicle.