Pre-paid Enhanced Roadside Assistance

[roger]

Just to let you know this service is now available.

You can find out more and book online at http://www.EnhancedRoadsideAssistance.com

It doesn't matter which supplier you have used and whether you have booked a car yet or not. You can book this for any rental within the mainland USA (i.e. not Hawaii or Alaska).

[DLB-GOUROCK]

I’ve never took this option of Roadside assist as I always thought that it was unnecessary and just the agent pushing for some commission. I am sure that I will always be able to ensure that the extras that it covers don’t happen. But then I got to thinking about windshield damage and replacement, which is something that could happen at any time. So I could be tempted to take extra cover. This could be sizeable sum of money to pay out whilst on holiday.

However when reading the FAQs on the new plan you are offering you still need to layout for any expenses and claim them back at a later date.

I am assuming if you take this sort of cover direct with the rental company they will automatically carry out the repair on your behalf.

I wondered what your view would be on enhancing your policy to allow authorisation to be confirmed on a phone call and the repair would go ahead with no cost to the policyholder and all account would be settled direct between the company and the insurance company.

[roger]

Ideally we would prefer to pay this on behalf of the customer to avoid the refund issue but unfortunately that is not an option.

The way it works with our service is if you need to make use of the enhanced roadside assistance then it is still the same roadside assistance company that comes out that the rental company would use had you paid them for the service directly (at their much higher rate).

The charge to you (for new tire, window replacement, call-out fee etc) is made by the rental company (Dollar, Alamo) at the end of your rental and charged to the credit card you gave them when you collected the car. This is what we then refund to you. As we return the payment to you very quickly and assuming you used a credit card as security deposit you would actually have the refund before you have had to pay it from your card.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by DLB-GOUROCK
I’ve never took this option of Roadside assist as I always thought that it was unnecessary and just the agent pushing for some commission. I am sure that I will always be able to ensure that the extras that it covers don’t happen. But then I got to thinking about windshield damage and replacement, which is something that could happen at any time. So I could be tempted to take extra cover. This could be sizeable sum of money to pay out whilst on holiday.

However when reading the FAQs on the new plan you are offering you still need to layout for any expenses and claim them back at a later date.

I am assuming if you take this sort of cover direct with the rental company they will automatically carry out the repair on your behalf.

I wondered what your view would be on enhancing your policy to allow authorisation to be confirmed on a phone call and the repair would go ahead with no cost to the policyholder and all account would be settled direct between the company and the insurance company.

[/quote]

[DLB-GOUROCK]

Thanks for the clarification Roger.
Will now be able to make an informed choice.

[Tonish]

Question for you. We didn't take this and have a car out at the minute. Battery is completely dead this morning and we have called to get them out for a jump start, which is going to cost USD 49.00

Dilemma is, do we (once the car is running again) change the car (there are only 3000 miles on the clock and we like it), or keep it and hope it doesn't happen again. Alternatively, can we pay now for enhanced roadside for the rest of our rental period?

[roger]

Sorry to hear about that. If you decide to take it out you can do so on your existing rental.

[sunseeker]

Question for you. We didn't take this and have a car out at the minute. Battery is completely dead this morning and we have called to get them out for a jump start, which is going to cost USD 49.00

Dilemma is, do we (once the car is running again) change the car (there are only 3000 miles on the clock and we like it), or keep it and hope it doesn't happen again. Alternatively, can we pay now for enhanced roadside for the rest of our rental period?

Provided the battery died through no fault of your own I would be changing the car, the fact you really like it shouldn't come into the equation. I couldn't spend the rest of my holiday wondering if the car will start when I returned to it. It is more than likely that there is a fault with the car itself and that will be covered by the manufacturer, either way its the rental companies problem and not yours, wash your hands of it and get another.

Dave

[Jules]

Hi Roger,

We picked up our hire car from Dollar at the airport yesterday and everything seemed fine. We just got in it and the tyre pressure light came on, when Steve checked the tyres there is a nail in the rear passenger side tyre. We didn't take out the enhanced roadside assistance when we booked is it possible to take it out now? If we can what will it actually cover us for?

[florida4sun]

I don't know any insurance that will allow you to take cover after the fact but I will give Roger a nudge to confirm either way.

[roger]

I'm sorry to hear about that. I'm afraid it's not possible to take out the cover after you have collected your car. This would have covered you for the call-out for a puncture. The best thing is to contact Dollar's roadside assistance (details on the paperwork you had from Dollar), then you will pay either Dollar or the roadside company directly.

Hi Roger,

We picked up our hire car from Dollar at the airport yesterday and everything seemed fine. We just got in it and the tyre pressure light came on, when Steve checked the tyres there is a nail in the rear passenger side tyre. We didn't take out the enhanced roadside assistance when we booked is it possible to take it out now? If we can what will it actually cover us for?