What is the difference between Roadside Assistance Coverage and Mechanical Breakdown Protection?  Many drivers, whether those with a car, truck, or motor home, are not familiar with the differences between these two options for specialized coverage.  Even savvy drivers may not realize that one includes the other.  

What Is Roadside Assistance Coverage?

Roadside Assistance Coverage is the policy that allows you peace of mind when you and your family travel.  Roadside emergencies can happen anywhere and to anyone and Roadside Assistance Coverage allows you to depart on your vacation knowing that if emergencies come up, you are covered.  Policies with a good amount of coverage will include 24 hour emergency road service.  Minor mechanical work, towing, tire changes, jump starts, and fuel delivery should all be available to you in your time of need.  Households with multiple family members who drive should look into covering all members on their policy.

Coverage is also available for drivers with motorcycles, buses, motor homes, trucks, or RVs.  Additional information about Roadside Assistance for RVers is available on the PoliSeek website.  

What Is Mechanical Breakdown Protection?

Mechanical Breakdown Protection is coverage, available in four different levels, which may offer an extra level of protection over your vehicle’s warranty.  The four levels of coverage are Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze ranging from the most inclusive to the least.  Read more on our recent blog post: Mechanical Breakdown Protection. 

Do I Need To Carry Both On My Vehicle?

Carrying Roadside Assistance Coverage is not only a smart move, but relatively easy and affordable as well.  Knowing that 24-hour Roadside Assistance is included in Mechanical Breakdown Protection may be an added incentive to upgrade to one of the four Mechanical Breakdown Protection policies.  Breakdowns and accidents come without warning and it almost goes without saying that you would be more at ease knowing you have some level of coverage.  If you are looking for the most coverage, look into the Platinum level of Mechanical Breakdown Protection.

PoliSeek has details on the four levels of Mechanical Breakdown Protection coverage and can help you find the right policy for you.  Policies with coverage of roadside assistance are also available.  No matter whether you have an old or new car, or a larger vehicle, PoliSeek would like to help you benefit from being protected and covered in the future.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

When shopping for auto insurance or looking to reduce your payment on your current insurance policy, there are many things you can do.  Below are a few tips that can help you to save some money.

 •             Raise your deductible – If you carry a low deductible such as $250-500, raising it to $1000 can save you on your yearly premium.  Having a higher deductible means you may have more out of pocket expenses if you have an accident. 

•             Buy the right car – When shopping for a new car, doing your research and opting for a less expensive or less powerful model can save you money.  Even buying the less sporty model can be less expensive.  When buying a car, ask yourself if the 15 extra horsepower is really worth the insurance premium increase.

•             Research before you move – If you are moving and have a choice of the area you live in, do some research ahead of time.  State and city lines can be the difference between affordable and high rates.  Cities tend to be more costly than rural areas because more traffic and people, means there is more of a chance of being in an accident.

•             Ask about discounts – When purchasing new insurance or speaking with your current provider, ask an agent if there are any discounts that you are eligible for.  If you are a teacher, belong to a certain group or are a “safe” driver, you could qualify for additional discounts.

The above are just a few ways to save on auto insurance.  For other ways to reduce your costs, please contact a PoliSeek licensed representative at 866-540-7335 or www.poliseek.com.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

Usage based car insurance also known as “pay as you drive” insurance, is different than a traditional policy in that you only pay for insurance based on the mileage you drive in a given year. A traditional policy considers your safety record (tickets/accidents) and then calculates your average driving distance to produce a price that you will have to pay on a semiannual basis. A drawback with traditional insurance is that based on the same driving record, a person who drives 5000 miles a year could, due to old information or an inaccurate mileage projection pay just as much as a person who drives 50,000 miles a year.

Pay as you drive insurance can help the person who drives a low number of miles in a year save a lot of money. All things being equal, the majority of state households could save a few hundred dollars per vehicle per year on a pay as you drive insurance plan (according to a report by the Brookings Institution).

How is my mileage determined?

To determine your rates insurance companies must take a reading of your odometer. They are currently using 3 different ways to calculate your mileage:

• Electronic monitoring of mileage

• Submission of maintenance records or

• Regular odometer checks by insurance company representatives

Is it right for you?

This type of insurance is best suited for low mileage drivers who accurately report the number of miles they drive to insurance companies. If you underestimate the number of miles you drive each year, you could pay higher rates compared to a traditional policy.

Other added benefits

Some environmental agencies are supporting the pay as you drive insurance policies because it is helping people to reduce how much they drive which in turn can help the environment. They are also predicting that it can reduce traffic congestion by 10-12%.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.