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Default Roadside assistance insurance

I've heard from several sources that auto insurance companies tend to
increase their charges if claims are made. As I see it, the most likely
claim would be a flat tire change if the policy covered such. Mine charges
$7 a year for this, towing, etc. Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy? I suspect an insurance rate increase is going to be much more than
the $55.

Or am I wrong and such a claim or claims will not cause an increase - nor
windshield cracks - only accidents, or whatever, caused by the policy
owner's driving errors?

TIA


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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 2014-12-22, KenK wrote:

Or am I wrong and such a claim or claims will not cause an
increase.....


Can't disprove it by me!

I've had auto insurance with the same company for 5 yrs. Same price
for 4 yrs. The only time I've made a claim is when the fuel pump
failed in my driveway. I called the insurance company to get my
"roadside assistance". The company support operator claimed my policy
didn't include roadside assist. I went in house, got full copy of
policy, and told operator on which page of my policy indicated I DO
have r/a. She said, "I don't have a copy of your policy", like that
was an excuse. Long story short, I paid to have my vehicle towed and
the insurance company re-imbursed me. Three months later, my new
policy came due. They upped the fee by $75 yr.

nb
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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 12:10 PM, KenK wrote:
I've heard from several sources that auto insurance companies tend to
increase their charges if claims are made. As I see it, the most likely
claim would be a flat tire change if the policy covered such. Mine charges
$7 a year for this, towing, etc. Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy? I suspect an insurance rate increase is going to be much more than
the $55.

Or am I wrong and such a claim or claims will not cause an increase - nor
windshield cracks - only accidents, or whatever, caused by the policy
owner's driving errors?


It takes 7 yr w/o a claim to break even on the additional 1 yr
cost--doesn't look like a good deal to me...

I've used the windshield coverage several times (once on each of several
vehicles, not multiple on one) and seen no indication of getting
"dinged" (so to speak) for it by Farm Bureau (not State Farm nor Farmers
or one of the multitude of others with "Farm" in their name). I'd make
no claim on a commercial carrier rather than a mutual company.

My best guess would be it'll be carrier-dependent and also frequency and
cost of any claims dependent rather than a generic rule, however. That
is, you get stranded somewhere in the middle of the AZ, UT, NV desert
country 250 mi from anywhere and it'll cost a whole lot more for 'em to
come and get you than if you're in the 'burbs somewhere 10 minutes from
a service center.

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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
I've heard from several sources that auto insurance companies tend to
increase their charges if claims are made. As I see it, the most likely
claim would be a flat tire change if the policy covered such. Mine charges
$7 a year for this, towing, etc. Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy? I suspect an insurance rate increase is going to be much more than
the $55.

Or am I wrong and such a claim or claims will not cause an increase - nor
windshield cracks - only accidents, or whatever, caused by the policy
owner's driving errors?

TIA



Not quite sure but believe insurance will increase if claims are above a
certain dollar value. Don't think a few dollars matters.
Wife has both AAA and on insurance. Car recently towed by AAA but $15
over their range limit and insurance company paid the $15.
AAA seems pricey and I don't get it myself.

Want to save money on insurance? Take a defensive driving course.
AARP's on line a couple of years ago cost about $15 but saves me about
$75 in insurance for three years.
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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On Mon, 22 Dec 2014 12:38:03 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/22/2014 12:10 PM, KenK wrote:
I've heard from several sources that auto insurance companies tend to
increase their charges if claims are made. As I see it, the most likely
claim would be a flat tire change if the policy covered such. Mine charges
$7 a year for this, towing, etc. Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy? I suspect an insurance rate increase is going to be much more than
the $55.

Or am I wrong and such a claim or claims will not cause an increase - nor
windshield cracks - only accidents, or whatever, caused by the policy
owner's driving errors?


It takes 7 yr w/o a claim to break even on the additional 1 yr
cost--doesn't look like a good deal to me...

I've used the windshield coverage several times (once on each of several
vehicles, not multiple on one) and seen no indication of getting
"dinged" (so to speak) for it by Farm Bureau (not State Farm nor Farmers
or one of the multitude of others with "Farm" in their name). I'd make


I never thought about it before wrt insurance but it's farmers who put
bread on our tables and support the backbone of America. It's no
surprise they sell good insurance.

OTOH, isn't the State Farm a place they put criminals and have them do
farming tasks during work hours? I'm not sure I want to criminals to
see my credit card number

no claim on a commercial carrier rather than a mutual company.

My best guess would be it'll be carrier-dependent and also frequency and
cost of any claims dependent rather than a generic rule, however. That
is, you get stranded somewhere in the middle of the AZ, UT, NV desert
country 250 mi from anywhere and it'll cost a whole lot more for 'em to
come and get you than if you're in the 'burbs somewhere 10 minutes from
a service center.




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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted

How many years have you been driving? How many times have you actually needed a tow truck?

FWIW, the best insurance is to hang up the cell phone and keep your eyes on the road.
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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 1:53 PM, micky wrote:

OTOH, isn't the State Farm a place they put criminals and have them do
farming tasks during work hours? I'm not sure I want to criminals to
see my credit card number


You're confusing an insurance company with a bunch of criminals. Oh,
wait, they are the same. Carry on.

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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 12:53 PM, Philbert wrote:
On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted

How many years have you been driving? How many times have you actually
needed a tow truck?

FWIW, the best insurance is to hang up the cell phone and keep your eyes
on the road.




Good thinking.


I've never had such insurance either.


In all the years I've been driving the only time I really would have
needed some help was when I got a flat tire. I was not totally healed
from knee surgery and I did not want to risk messing up my knee or
dealing with changing a tire on a busy street.


I just drove slowly to a car repair outfit that was walking distance
from my house. They said the tire was shot and put a new one on while I
went home to relax. The whole thing cost me $100.
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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 1:53 PM, Philbert wrote:
On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted

How many years have you been driving? How many times have you actually
needed a tow truck?


I've had two tows in 53 years. In addition, I had a flat tire in my
driveway at home. GM provided roadside assistance so they sent the
dealer to repair the tire and put it back on. I'm still way ahead.


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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 1:53 PM, micky wrote:
OTOH, isn't the State Farm a place they put criminals and have them do
farming tasks during work hours? I'm not sure I want to criminals to
see my credit card number


http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/06...at-center.html


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Default Roadside assistance insurance

my 2014 Toyota comes with 2 years of service of some sort

not sure what i will do after that

marc
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Default Roadside assistance insurance

On 12/22/2014 2:56 PM, wrote:
my 2014 Toyota comes with 2 years of service of some sort

not sure what i will do after that

marc


No worries! Keep driving it. It's a Toyota.
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Default Roadside assistance insurance

Philbert writes:
On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted


Good for you. No wife and no kids leaving the headlights on all night?

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Philbert wrote:

On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:


Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the auto
policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted

How many years have you been driving? How many times have you actually needed a tow truck?


I had AAA for many years and only used them once for a jump. Much
money wasted. In recent years I've joined a free Allstate service and
never had to use them. Much money saved.

https://goodhandsroadside.allstate.c...1.14192847 40

(I don't have Allstate auto insurance so no rate increase worry though
with a paid service you wouldn't think that would be a problem.)
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In article ,
Frank wrote:

On
Wife has both AAA and on insurance. Car recently towed by AAA but $15
over their range limit and insurance company paid the $15.
AAA seems pricey and I don't get it myself.


We get back a couple of times over the costs of a AAA membership with
things like their discount with my cell carrier and the savings at
Holiday Inns.
--
³Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive,
but what they conceal is vital.²
‹ Aaron Levenstein


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Philbert wrote in
eb.com:

On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the
auto policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted

How many years have you been driving? How many times have you actually
needed a tow truck?


Twice.

I'm more concerned about flat tire change, Much more likely. Over past
few years have had one twice. At 80 I don't want to attempt it unless
it's a dire emergency with no help possible.

FWIW, the best insurance is to hang up the cell phone and keep your
eyes on the road.




--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.






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Philbert wrote in
eb.com:

On 12/22/2014 1:10 PM, KenK wrote:
Should I buy AAA or AARP roadside
assistence insurance - ~$55 a year - and drop the coverage on the
auto policy?


I have been driving for 40 years and never once called a tow truck.

So $55 x 40 years = $2200 wasted

How many years have you been driving? How many times have you actually
needed a tow truck?

FWIW, the best insurance is to hang up the cell phone and keep your
eyes on the road.


I never turn on my cell phone while driving - only extremely rarely if
I'm parked off the road. Otherwise my cell is turned off.

--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.






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On 12/23/2014 8:29 AM, KenK wrote:
....

I'm more concerned about flat tire change, Much more likely. Over past
few years have had one twice. At 80 I don't want to attempt it unless
it's a dire emergency with no help possible.

....

Might consider going with one of the self-sealing or "run flat"
self-supporting tires, then. At least reasonable chance of being able
to get to service as long as don't hit something so large with the
self-sealing they can't seal. The run-flats have an internal mostly
mechanical supporting structure that lets you get 50-60 miles at least.

Put the self-sealing Uniroyals on the car for mother years ago -- we're
on rural dirt roads and flats are routine. She at least never got
stranded. I understand Uniroyal has quite making theirs but I believe
Continental and perhaps a few others still do...

--
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dpb wrote:

Might consider going with one of the self-sealing or "run flat"
self-supporting tires, then.


Several years back I bought a new Honda that came with run-flat tires.
It seemed a good selling point at the time but I found that it took
special equipment and training to change the tire and the vast
majority of tire shops couldn't do it. In my area the only place that
could change them was the Honda dealerships. If on a trip and you had
a flat (an air-out), and no authorized tire shop within the run flat
driving range, you drove to a tire shop and they removed the whole
tire/wheel assembly and a new tire/wheel was FedExed in by the next
day (hopefully). In the meantime you had to get a motel for the night.
Honest, that was Honda's solution. When I found out those details I
got the dealership to change our my run-flats for regular tires though
I had to sign my life away to do it. Something about the suspension
being designed for the run-flats. I kept the car for 3 years and never
had a flat so perhaps I wasted my time with that move. Hopefully
things are better with run-flats now.
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dpb wrote in :

On 12/23/2014 8:29 AM, KenK wrote:
...

I'm more concerned about flat tire change, Much more likely. Over past
few years have had one twice. At 80 I don't want to attempt it unless
it's a dire emergency with no help possible.

...

Might consider going with one of the self-sealing or "run flat"
self-supporting tires, then. At least reasonable chance of being able
to get to service as long as don't hit something so large with the
self-sealing they can't seal. The run-flats have an internal mostly
mechanical supporting structure that lets you get 50-60 miles at least.

Put the self-sealing Uniroyals on the car for mother years ago -- we're
on rural dirt roads and flats are routine. She at least never got
stranded. I understand Uniroyal has quite making theirs but I believe
Continental and perhaps a few others still do...

--


Thank you! I'll look into that. I didn't know they were still being made;
hadn't heard them mentioned for decades. I suspect they're very
expensive. Wonder how long thay last - like regular tires?



--
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when something closes the door from the inside.








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On Mon, 22 Dec 2014 14:52:53 -0500, Paul wrote:

On 12/22/2014 1:53 PM, micky wrote:
OTOH, isn't the State Farm a place they put criminals and have them do
farming tasks during work hours? I'm not sure I want to criminals to
see my credit card number


http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/06...at-center.html


"At the end of her shift Goodwin, 38, will head back to her cell block
at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Perryville, 25 miles west of
Phoenix. She’s almost done serving her five-year sentence for fraud."

But now she'll be better at it than ever.

The "IRS" has called me four times in the last 8 days telling me I'd
better not ignore the call and to call them back. Same recording every
time, but friends have gotten a different voice.

I knew it was a fraud but I googled the phone number she left anyhow.
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On Wed, 24 Dec 2014 00:14:12 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Dec 2014 14:52:53 -0500, Paul wrote:

On 12/22/2014 1:53 PM, micky wrote:
OTOH, isn't the State Farm a place they put criminals and have them do
farming tasks during work hours? I'm not sure I want to criminals to
see my credit card number


http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/06...at-center.html


"At the end of her shift Goodwin, 38, will head back to her cell block
at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Perryville, 25 miles west of
Phoenix. She’s almost done serving her five-year sentence for fraud."

But now she'll be better at it than ever.


I was a little flip here, probably because the "IRS" fraudster have been
annoying me.

The first one sounded actually repentant, at least for what she did to
herself, and if she stays away from drugs, she might do well. There are
other good anecdotes too. I'd rate it based on percentages, which he
says are good too. Might be. I don't know anyone from Arizona, except
my brother's step-daughter, and she's never been in prison, so I'll
never know for sure. I wish them well.

The "IRS" has called me four times in the last 8 days telling me I'd
better not ignore the call and to call them back. Same recording every
time, but friends have gotten a different voice.

I knew it was a fraud but I googled the phone number she left anyhow.


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I have had AAA for 40 years. I am OLD Got it when I got my drivers license.

Its been a good deal I have the AAA plus, and have been towed 100 miles on more than one occasion Keys broke off in locks, all sorts of bad days

I service machines for a living, am on the road constantly and for a time was driving near 50,000 miles a year. Made decent money till the price of gasolie went so high. I have never bought a brand new vehicle. Just didnt care. driving around 30 thousand a year these days and making near nothing. our govenor corbetter just lost his run for re election He had balanced the state budget on the back of education and got what he deserved

If someone buys a brand new vehicle every 2 or 3 years, and drives under the national average of 15,000 miles a year, rarely will you need a tow

Your still paying for the tow, in the cost of the new vehicle

I prefer to have 2 vehicles, one as a back up and for heavy hauling.
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On 12/24/2014 7:20 AM, bob haller wrote:
I service machines for a living, am on the road constantly and for a
time was driving near 50,000 miles a year. Made decent money till the
price of gasolie went so high. I have never bought a brand new vehicle.
Just didnt care. driving around 30 thousand a year these days and making
near nothing. our govenor corbetter just lost his run for re election
He had balanced the state budget on the back of education and got what
he deserved

If someone buys a brand new vehicle every 2 or 3 years, and drives under the national average of 15,000 miles a year, rarely will you need a tow

Your still paying for the tow, in the cost of the new vehicle


Chances are, you also have "free" roadside assistance as a part of the
deal. I think i have five years.

I used it for the first time last night by calling the 800 number on the
window decal. Had a flat tire in the dark and drizzle. The voice on the
other end asked me a couple of questions and I gave her some of the
numbers on the VIN. She also used my cell phone to pinpoint my location.

Took about 45 minutes for help to arrive. He quickly change the tire and
got me on my way. No cost, but I did tip him. If it was a sunny April
day I may have changed it myself, but on rainy December night, I'd
rather wait for help.

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bob haller wrote:

If someone buys a brand new vehicle every 2 or 3 years,
and drives under the national average of 15,000 miles
a year, rarely will you need a tow


New car owners likely still need roadside assistance coverage since
even new vehicles get flats, lockouts, gas-outs, dead batteries, etc.

Your still paying for the tow, in the cost of the new vehicle


If one still needs to have roadside assistance with a new car then
he's saved nothing in that regard by buying a new car. Course some new
cars come with a few years of roadside assistance (Buick) and some
don't (Honda).
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