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Archive for the ‘roadside assistance’ tag

Involved in a Car Collision? This is What You Have to Do

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If you drive frequently, then you know that accidents are a common occurrence on the highways, within the city, when travelling and during the course of your daily commuting. Accidents are a dime a dozen and can be fatal, mild or severe. Whatever the case, if you get involved in a collision, here’s what you should do:

1. Check the State of People Involved

The very first thing to do is check if no one is hurt. This will determine what your next step will be. If someone is hurt, call the police immediately. It is a crime to hit and run or leave someone injured in an accident to his fate. If the accident is fatal and you can move, try what you can to keep anyone alive. In cases of fire, see if you can extricate any of the individuals. If you can, bring them out gently and move them far away from the inferno. Then check to see if they are alive. Lay them down in a position where they are facing upwards and see if they can talk. If they can, ask them simple questions to see if they can still recall things. If the police hasn’t arrived by this time, try to keep them alive. If anyone is bleeding try to tie a tourniquet around the bleeding part. If it is in the limbs, try tying it at the upper part so that the individual will not lose too much blood.

2. File an accident report within 10 days.

This will ensure that you do not get your license suspended. For accidents whose damage assessment is less than a thousand dollars, you should exchange details such as driver’s license numbers, phone numbers et.c. In cases where a domestic animal is hit, you should do all in your best to contact the owner.

3. Contact your car insurance company

There is a reason it is generally advised that all car owners obtain some form of auto insurance and it is that in cases of theft and collision, the insurance company can pay after you make your claims. If the claims are justifiable and proved true, then you will get your benefits. While the insurance may not be able to pay you everything, they can reimburse you to the tune of eight, sometimes ninety percent. That’s at least better than having to scrape up the money for a new car if the car is totalled or pay for the repairs of a slightly damaged car. Therefore, as soon as you can, get in touch with your insurance company and file a claim. This should be attended to before long.

4. What’s Your Status?

This simply means “who was responsible for the collision?”. What were you doing before the accident? If you were drinking and driving or making out, then it might interests you to know that no insurance company is going to be responsible for your excesses. So, be careful particularly when you are filing your claims.

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August 13th, 2009 at 9:08 pm

Acquiring Insurance Through Your Auto Club Membership

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If you own a membership to an auto club, you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing help is there if you ever break down on the side of the road. However, you may not realize that you can also get a variety of insurance products through the club, often at a discounted price. This is just one of the many advantages to having an auto club membership, so before you purchase your next insurance product, find out what the options are through the club.

Auto Club Membership Is Not Insurance

First, remember that your auto club is not the same as car insurance. The auto club will provide emergency roadside assistance and a variety of other helpful tools to you as a driver, but it is not insurance. You need to purchase automotive insurance outside of your auto club membership in order to drive legally.

Auto Club Members Can Get Discounts on Insurance Products

While membership to your auto club does not equal car insurance, you can use your membership to get car insurance, sometimes at a deeply discounted rate. Because the auto clubs have so many members, they are able to partner with insurance providers to get excellent rates for their members. Personal insurance through the auto club is an additional expense on top of membership, but many members are able to enjoy the discounted insurance premiums.

Types of Insurance Available

The types of insurance that you can purchase through your auto club will vary from state to state and club to club. Most auto clubs offer auto insurance, since it is almost a given that their members will need this coverage. Some offer homeowner’s insurance as well. The homeowner’s coverage is typically underwritten by an organization other than the auto club, but is offered at exclusive club member only prices. Life insurance is another insurance product almost all auto clubs can offer.

A few select clubs offer short-term medical insurance and health insurance for students. These are not intended to replace traditional health insurance coverage, but are rather designed for those individuals who cannot get traditional coverage because they are unemployed, not offered benefits, or pursuing a degree.

Getting Insurance

Getting insurance through your auto club involves the same steps you would use when getting insurance any other way. You will start by contacting your auto club for an insurance quote. You will then compare the quoted price to other insurance products you have inquired about through traditional avenues. You will choose the policy that has the most affordable premium combined with the best coverage and apply for it.

While you will likely find that your auto club has the best rates, this is not a given. Take the time to shop around, because there may be a more affordable policy out there. However, always compare the price and the coverage, because some of the cheapest options have the worst coverage. You want to have insurance that covers you sufficiently, even if you have to pay a little more for it. When getting quotes on your insurance policies, always ask about the coverage as well as the price so that you can compare like products.

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May 27th, 2009 at 2:51 am

Roadside Assistance: Why it is Necessary in Winter Time

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There is nothing more frightening while driving far from home than your car breaking down and you having no one to come help you. What?s worse is if it is winter time and it is freezing cold outside. That puts you in a situation in which you have to use 411 on your wireless phone to try to find a towing service or someone who can give you a hand. That can take a long time to do, which means you?re going to sit there and become colder and colder. This is also very dangerous because you never know what may occur while you and/or your family are stranded in an unknown place.

That is why it is important to have roadside assistance. It is something that is extremely necessary to have, especially in the winter time. This isn?t saying that getting stranded is not dangerous any other time of the year, but more deaths occur as a result of freezing to death. This make the winter the time of year that is the most deadly for motorists who find themselves broken down on the road.

Features of roadside assistance

There are several features of roadside assistance that one may find is offered to them. First of all, there is towing service. You might be thinking, ?Well, this is something that I can get anyway. I can call 411 and get the number of towing services that may help me.? First of all, 411 on your mobile phone costs you money every single time you use it. Then you have to take into consideration the cost of the towing service. This can be very expensive. However, what you pay each month for your roadside assistance or even what you pay for a year will more than pay for your towing service. You?re going to be able to save money.

Other features that you may find as a part of your auto club membership include locksmith service, tire assistance, battery jumping, and gas. The locksmith service is something else that can be quite expensive. You’re looking at anywhere between $30 and $40 just to have someone unlock your car. Again, this makes your roadside assistance more than worth it. Have a blown tire? Call your roadside assistance company and someone will come out to you and put your spare on for you.

The gas and battery service means that someone will come to you and jump your battery or bring you enough gas to get to a gas station. You do not have to be stranded and scared. Most of all, you don?t have to be stranded, scared, and cold.

Always stay safe

By getting roadside assistance, you are allowing yourself to travel in confidence. You should only have to worry about where you?re going. You shouldn?t have to worry about being on the road and becoming stranded in subzero temperatures. Most of all, you should not be allowed to be in danger. By having roadside assistance, you are taking measures to keep yourself safe while on the road.

So when shopping for roadside assistance, make sure you choose a service that gives you everything that you need. See what your options are because you don?t want to have to settle with something that has a lot of features you don?t need. You also don?t want to settle for a service that does not have the things that you do need. Furthermore, compare prices. Once you do all of this, you?ll find that you?ll have the perfect service that fits you. Basically, it should fit you like the finest glove money can buy.

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December 5th, 2008 at 4:14 pm