The Insider Tip That Car Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know
Don’t let the convenience of purchasing roadside assistance coverage through your car insurance company fool you – you could be putting yourself at risk for increased premiums if you ever have to use your roadside assistance plan.
It doesn’t matter what you call in to use your roadside assistance plan for – whether you simply locked your keys in your car, left the light on all night and needed a jump-start, ended up with a flat or blown tire and need a tow, or need your car winched out of a muddy spot – if your roadside assistance plan was purchased through your car insurance provider, your roadside service calls will likely be reported to a centralized data aggregation company.
What does that mean? It means those calls could be used against you in the future in order to charge you higher premiums or as claims against your insurability. Not only will your current insurance provider know about them, but so will potentially any insurance company (or other company that requires risk assessment) you apply with in the future.
The reality of the technological age we live in is that big companies try and track everything they can, and our personal data is gold to them. Some companies may say they use our data to provide us with a better customer experience, or to improve their product or service, but at the end of the day, they ultimately want to track our data for one reason: to make more money.
So, if you have even one or two roadside service claims in a year, it’s possible they could add up to higher fees and premiums for you in the future. Three or more? The possibility becomes much more likely. To an insurance company, multiple claims in a short period could indicate a vehicle or driver with higher financial risk.
No one wants to have to call for roadside service (who was ever glad they got a flat tire?) but you buy coverage so you can use it when you need it, however often you need it, without worrying about it effecting your finances negatively. After all, isn’t the whole point to be covered in the event you do need help and save you money in the long-run?
Another trending issue that might make you think twice before buying your roadside policy through your insurance company, is the recent surge in UBI (usage based insurance) since 2010. The draw of UBI is that consumers may be able to save some money – 10%-15% over their current premiums – and feel they are getting a fairer value, by having their premiums be determined by their real-world usage and driving information. According to a report by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, they seem to expect the upward trend towards usage based insurance to continue in the coming years. But if every roadside service call becomes part of your “usage”, that might not be so much of a benefit.
This trend in user based insurance is another good reason to keep your roadside assistance claims off the books. Having your roadside assistance service calls be reported through your insurance company today, could cost you in the future as the insurance market continues to change.
So how can you make sure you and your loved ones are covered in the event of a flat tire, dead battery, or other roadside breakdown? It’s simple: keep your roadside service separate from your car insurance company.
Since 1950, Best Roadside Service and its service providers have been helping motorists across the United States and Canada with emergency roadside issues like vehicle breakdowns, dead batteries, flat tires, lost keys and running out of fuel.
For as little as $65 a year, you can have your vehicle covered for all minor and major roadside emergencies, no matter who is driving it. You can have the peace of mind knowing you are covered in any roadside emergency and that your service calls will not be tracked by your car insurance company. So, next time your plan comes up for renewal, say you’re going with Best Roadside Service and say no to the insurance company’s roadside plan.