Roadside Assistance | Video

Julie Leonardi | 12/28/2012
Driving in winter weather can be dangerous, so it`s good to know your car insurance company is there to help in an emergency, right? If you have a car insurance policy that includes road-side assistance, getting help may not be as easy as you think. Your company might have contracts with only a couple towing companies in your area, which means longer waiting times, or no help at all.

If you need something as simple as a jump-start, you go to the bottom of the towing company`s priority list. How much your insurance pays out for the service could also affect your waiting time.

Kim Albert, an agent for Allstate insurance, said it’s unacceptable for a company to not provide you with the service you pay for. “It doesn`t matter who you`re with, whatever company it is that you pay for a service and they need to provide that service. People have to get taken care of, especially where you have extreme weather conditions like North Dakota does.”

Albert encourages people to do their homework and contact their insurance agent to get exact details on a policy. There may be things listed in small print that they could be unaware of.

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