Broke down on the road, what's your insurance experience?

[Bowti]

Just wondering what your experience has been. I have a RV rider on my policy, but they just say save your receipts and turn them in for reimbursement. I am curious as to how you even know who to call when you are broke down in the middle of no where. It can be even worse if no cell phone service and its after closing time. Not looking for horror stores, just how did you get taken care of. I know many have AAA or Good Sam, is that the best way to go?

[olfarmer]

We have Good Sam ERS. Motor home broke down at the Badlands, S.D. They towed us 75 miles to Rapid City to a big RV dealer (no charge). They checked it out and replaced a fuse, test drove it charged us $100 and sent us on our way. Two days later in Montana the same thing happened. I called and they said they would send a tow but we would have to pay as it was a pre-existing condition. I complained because they had towed us to a place that did not fix the problem and they said I could appeal but I would have to pay at the time. I appealed when we got home and they paid 100% in full. I am very satisfied! The second time was a Sunday evening and they towed us to a campground and then towed us to a Chevy dealer the next morning.

[Grit_dog]

covered wagon wrote:
My insurance couldn't help me when I was stranded 1:30 am along I-5. Because I only had cash they admitted they couldn't get their cut shared with the towing company because I had no credit cards. They were good enough to give me 3 local towing company phone numbers. I got a deal for that cash and the guy came in 10 mins. He was after mine in a jiffy.

Lol. Was this in the 1970s, or you just don’t carry credit cards ?

[JoeH]

Walaby wrote:
I use Coach Net. Had one instance. Broke down middle of nowhere. They took care of everything.

If i used my regular insurance, I believe I would have to find tow truck company, call, and then get reimbursed.

Ajriding, I don't think having a claim for towing would impact your insurance rates. At least not with any insurance company I've ever had. Neither does having a claim for cracked windshield.

Mike

A couple weeks ago we had a water pump failure on US 1 going into the Keys. A very busy, narrow road. I was only able to get over about 5 feet from the traffic lane. I have been a Coach Net member for 25 years and now was the time to call them. Long story short, it took 29 hours for them to get me towed out. The first truck they sent looked at our class A and said he wasn't able to tow it. The second truck that came , said the same thing. Finally after 29 hours, they sent a 3rd truck that was able to get us off the side of the road. Oh yeah, don't believe their 24x7 claim. I originally called in at 2:30 p.m. and after teh second tow truck left without being able to help, the coach net rep said they would wait until the next morning ( 08:00) before resuming a search for a service provider. Now, we were just outside of Miami, so it's not like we were in the boondocks.
Very disappointed in coach net.

[covered_wagon]

My insurance couldn't help me when I was stranded 1:30 am along I-5. Because I only had cash they admitted they couldn't get their cut shared with the towing company because I had no credit cards. They were good enough to give me 3 local towing company phone numbers. I got a deal for that cash and the guy came in 10 mins. He was after mine in a jiffy.

[garyp4951]

We had Good Sam ERS, and broke down in Tupelo MS in 2017, It took 2 hours in 100 degree heat on the side of the interstate for them to get someone there.

Happy ending, after being towed to a rv park and truck to a dealer, we toured Elvis's birth house, and wife said we are getting a new truck.

[mgirardo]

We had a positive experience with AAA Plus with RV. We've had AAA for 25+ years and the RV add-on for about 10 years. We got rid of the RV add-on when we started camping seasonally and the TT stayed at the campground. There were a couple times where we had to wait up to a few hours, only once more than 2 hours. That one long wait time was because the only driver AAA could find that could handle a family of 4 (with a booster seat and a car seat) was at the Jersey Shore and we were outside Philadelphia, after coming down the Commodore Barry Bridge. After calling AAA we contacted Coachnet as it came free for 1 year with the HTT we just recently bought and they found the same exact guy, but Coachnet would only take us to the nearest Chevy dealer. AAA took us the 80 miles or so to Hershey's High Meadow Campground, which was our destination, then he took the van to the Chevy Dealer in town. Only cost us $20 for a tip to the driver.

On the East Coast, AAA is pretty good. We've broken down outside of our AAA Region and did not have trouble getting towed. With AAA Plus or better, the tow truck driver will go off-road if he is comfortable doing so. Outside of the East Coast, I have no experience with AAA.

-Michael

[time2roll]

Twice in 20+ years I have needed assistance. Called a local and paid cash. That is the end of it.

[IDman]

Woke up on a Sunday morning near Rawlins, Wyo. with a flat tire on my pickup. Called Coachnet, nice lady took info, called me back in 10 minutes and told me who was coming to fix me up. He didn't even have me unhitch the TT and asked if I wanted the spare put on or if I wanted him to FIX the flat.

He fixed it and he was gone in under an hour. Coachnet called the right guy!

[toedtoes]

They will all tow you anywhere if you are willing to pay the difference.

[Walaby]

toedtoes wrote:
Honestly, they all have their pros and cons.
1. Good Sam and Coachnet will FIRST find a shop willing and able to take your rig. THEN, only after they confirm that, will they then locate a tow truck to get you there. This can cause delays.

My breakdown was at night, in the rain. Coachnet towed me home. That said, I was probably 70 miles from home, and they said the nearest repair shop was in my town, so I had them take me home vice the shop. They did tell me that they would have to charge me if there was a difference. They did use the nearest shop policy, but the dealership was already closed, so there was no way for them to get a confirmation that they would accept my truck. I was out in the middle of absolute nowhere, and fortunately did still have cell service.

I got the impression they would have towed me anywhere I wanted to go, as long as I was willing to pay the difference. Good thing there wasn't a shop closer.

Mike

[Matt_Colie]

Bowti,

Fyrflie was actually optimistic. Yes, the answers will be all over the map. This is because who ever your carrier is, they don't have anything that they own. They may not even have knowledgeable connections in the state or province you happen to be in at the time. The actual carrier of the plan almost does not matter. Some are better than others, we have been with AAA for years and not always used their service, but we did save the receipts.

We have only required road service a very few times (for 17 years on a now 49yo coach), and none have been really bad as far as the service. by the picture in your profile, you have a 4dr, SRW PU and a 3X' 5er. If you do break down on the road, the important part is getting you and the rig to safety. Be very ready to explain in detail to the clerk level person at the other end of the phone what you need. If all you need is a tire service for either, that is not a tough one, but be sure you can tell them what things weigh and how much room there is (like under the axle of the 5er with a flat). Know what you will need.

Many years ago we cracked a wheel (old wheel with a radial tire) in Ohio. Even though I explained to the AAA person that we needed a 3 ton floor jack (like the one in my barn) to lift the front so the wheel could be changed for the spare, what finally arrived was not capable. I know my gear and was able to lift things at the expense of the broken wheel....

If you take a hit that stops the TV, a heavy duty wheel lift can probably do you. If you take a hit that is to the running gear of the 5er, I don't have any idea how you could manage that. I hope someone with experience can help you there.

The real answer here is two fold:
1- Be sure you know what you will need. The person on the other end may have no clue, but said can go to their sources and ask specifics for you. If what shows up is not capable, be ready to call them back.
2- No matter what you have been told by anybody, get itemized receipts for everything. Even if it is written in crayon on the back side of a gas slip, that may have to do.

Be very ready to be firm but not unpleasant to the poor person on the other end of the phone. If you can, write out what will be needed so your wife can hang on the phone while you deal with the emergency.

Remember, collisions with stopped vehicles are not all that uncommon. (Jokes about the boxer got that way by chasing parked cars are not that far off.) So, if you are on the edge of any fast road, get people and pets out of the line of fire first and keep them away. Set flares and light as you can and don't feel foolish.

Remember to be safe first.

Matt

[SDcampowneroper]

We have never bought any extended service plan or warranty. We bring tools, such as wrenches, our common sense and awareness.
Broke down 3 times, 1st. in '74, on us 281 at 2AM so. of O'neill Ne. Capacitor went ( remember them, the thing by the breaker points? ) went. A good samaritan drove me into St. Marys, woke the gas station owner for the parts then drove me back to my car and helped get it going. I made it to Dodge City from Manitoba on time for the wedding. cost $20 for parts and atip to the good samaritan. ( 1974 $ )
2 nd time an oil line from the block to the turbo on my 93 chevy 6.5 diesel truck blew out at 11pm feb. 97 30km east of Kenora, On. First passer by sent a tow truck. All fixed the next day, for a couple hundred bucks. ( $240 cdn 1997 $)

3 rd time , 9AM. in jan. 2020 50 mi. west of Albuquerque, we btoke a main spring on our 5er. Trurk stop recommended mechanic arrived in an hour, began repairs while we drove back to the city for parts. All fixed in 4 hours. (450 $ us )

Those samaritans and honest businesses are becoming rare. Vetting becomes a before trip exercise.

My moral of the story is its exceedingly rare for a warranty to pay up for the problem, they may pay for the emergency tow but then to their approved facility which then may have inflated rates.
Our insurance is to buy informed and be prepared Its a lot cheaper and much quicker in the long run.
Put those warrany payments into a savings account.

[rk911]

Bowti wrote:
Just wondering what your experience has been. I have a RV rider on my policy, but they just say save your receipts and turn them in for reimbursement. I am curious as to how you even know who to call when you are broke down in the middle of no where. It can be even worse if no cell phone service and its after closing time. Not looking for horror stores, just how did you get taken care of. I know many have AAA or Good Sam, is that the best way to go?

we've had GoodSam ERS for 30+years and that should tell you that we are pleased with it. But...we haven't had to use it for 7 or 8-years. when we have used it is has been good. no cell coverage? that's one reason we has a toad.

[TexasShadow]

we use Coach Net.
One time several years ago, we had a blow out on one the rear tires, 30 miles from nearest town. we just pulled off the road a bit, onto a ranch gate drive and waited. They came and changed out the tire.

another time, we wanted to buy new batteries and called to find out where we could get some nearby.

and last time, a few years ago, we had a serious breakdown and needed a tow to a service that could fix the problem. we were about 200 miles from nearest place.
So the tow driver got his first directions mixed up and didn't show up until dark on the highway west of Riverton, WY...anyway, very interesting op... and he hauled us to Riverton and parked us and the next day, another driver from Casper came and hauled us to Casper and a place that could fix the rig. We stayed in the truck parking lot until the final day when they pulled the rig into their garage and did the final work. All very interesting. We explored Casper in our toad, etc.
All paid for.