It used to be that if you weren’t a member of the Automobile Association (AA), roadside assistance consisted of your mate, the one with the battered bakkie, coming to tow you out of trouble. Of course, if you weren’t a member of the AA and you didn’t have a mate with a bakkie things were more difficult and inevitably meant a long walk to a garage to beg help from a petrol-pump attendant whose mechanical know-how was probably on a par with your own — providing your know-how is zero, of course.
These days, however, there is plenty of help at hand for the mechanically challenged. Swiftcare, SOS, AA, BMW-on-Call, Delta Assist, Santam Assist, McCarthy Assist, Mazda Assist, Ford Protect and Europe Assist, to name a few. And odds are — if you have a petrocard, have bought a car or have car or house insurance — that you are signed up with more than one roadside assistance company.
For an annual or monthly fee, or as part of a warranty or insurance, these service providers will give you a hand by diagnosing the problem and patching things up well enough for you to hobble home. Most provide towing services, flat-tyre change, key lockout services, jump starts and battery replacement. They may include medical rescue services, hotel accommodation and car rental.
But, of course, terms and conditions apply and it shouldn’t really come as a surprise if you end up having to foot the bill for “those little extras”.
If, for example, your car needs to be towed further than the distance specified as a maximum by your roadside assistance company, it will cost you. So if you break down in Fouriesburg and have to have your car towed more than 100km to the nearest mechanic, you will have to pay in the extra.
The same applies to locksmiths. Most assistance companies will pay for the call out and first hour of labour, but you have to pay for the new keys and additional labour.
It is also a common clause that roadside assistance companies do not cover the cost of towing if your car won’t start because it has been broken into.
As anyone who has been saved from a roadside predicament will vouch, roadside assistance is well-worth the money but if you decide not to sign up assist24.co.za is a handy resource. The website contains a database of approved service providers, such as auto electricians, locksmiths, towing companies, mechanical repair services and workshops. There is also a call centre where an operator can give you the contact numbers for service providers that are accredited by your insurance company.
What’s on offer
AA: Emergency fuel, flat tyre, key lockout service (limit R200), flat battery, towing to the nearest approved repairer (limit R500). Standard membership costs R490 a year. AA Plus costs R825 a year. This includes car hire, accommodation and extended towing in the event that you break down more than 100km from your home.
Europe Assist: Emergency fuel, flat tyre, key lockout service, flat battery, towing. Basic cover costs R24 a month. Comprehensive cover costs R29 a month. This includes free assistance up to 400km from a service provider. For more information Tel: (011) 359 5000.
For more information: Tel: 082 16 111.
International SOS: Flat tyre, battery, key lockout service, emergency fuel, towing to the nearest approved repairer (up to 100km).
For information on the different policies:
Tel: (011) 541 1000 or 086 00 60 000