If you drive a vehicle long enough, you will inevitably break down sooner or later. When this happens, you don't want to be stuck without a dependable roadside assistance service. What comes to mind when you think of roadside assistance companies? Chances are that well known and established services such as the ones offered by AARP or AAA Auto Insurance come to mind. Your cell phone company probably would not be your first choice of a roadside assistance provider.
It seems these days that cell phone companies are adding more gadgets and available services with each passing day to try and draw in more customers. One such service you may not have heard of is Roadside Assistance by Verizon Wireless. Let's take a look and determine if this service is really worth the money.
For $3 extra per month, you can add roadside assistance to your Verizon Wireless plan. The service covers drivers in Canada or the United States. Here are some of the features of the plan:
- Towing: No charge for first 10 miles
- Tire Change: Tire removal and replacement with your spare tire
- Locked Car: Pays up to $50 to help you get back into a locked car
- Fuel Service: Up to 3 free gallons of gas for stranded drivers
- Dead Battery: Free battery boost to jumpstart your car
- Stuck Vehicle: Pays extrication services up to $100
Sure, this sounds great but pay close attention and read between the lines to see what you are really getting:
- Towing is free for the first 10 miles only
- If your spare is flat or otherwise damaged, this cost is not covered
- You must have your cell phone with you to qualify for assistance
- The service is limited to four roadside assistance calls per year
I give Verizon's Roadside Assistance Service an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars. The services offered are decent for the price charged, but there are also a lot of restrictions. For only a few dollars more per month, you can get better service with fewer restrictions from companies who specialize in roadside assistance services.