Self insuring vs Roadside Assistance

[ghsebldr]

I know it's a wide open field given all of the different types of RVs there are out there but I'm wondering what folks that have had to pay out of pocket for their own towing,tire replacement, as well as other problems that you would typically use RA for have had to pay.
I have a Class C and am curious what someone with a similar RV has paid for some of the basic services that they have used.
I'm hoping your answers will help me decide about self insuring against break downs and tire service. Thanks

[colliehauler]

I have had GS ERS for a number of years. I'm as happy as a Lark that I have not had to use there service. It gives me peace of mind to know that I would not have to cover a large tow bill.

[time2roll]

ERS, medical, home owners', etc insurance also makes money by prenegotiating a lower service cost.

Ever see a medical bill for $20,000 with a negotiated adjustment credit of $19,000 and the insurance pays $650 and the bill says $350 due? I have one on my desk right now. Golly help those that pay the rack rate. Another reason so few can afford medical without insurance to negotiate the billing. But that is another subject for around the campfire.

The more specialized or heavy the tow, it gets to be worth more to buy the insurance.

BTW is the pricing the same for a small truck towing a pop-up vs 42' class A? How much is the spread?

[willald]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

ghsebldr wrote:
I know it's a wide open field given all of the different types of RVs there are out there but I'm wondering what folks that have had to pay out of pocket for their own towing,tire replacement, as well as other problems that you would typically use RA for have had to pay.
I have a Class C and am curious what someone with a similar RV has paid for some of the basic services that they have used.
I'm hoping your answers will help me decide about self insuring against break downs and tire service. Thanks

Let's deal with the question.

ERS or "RA" as you call it is Insurance.

Medical Insurance pays some (or all) of your medical costs.
Life Insurance pays your beneficiary.
Home Owners insurance pays for (some/most) losses to your domicile.

All types of insurance are "for profit" of the insurance company.
They make money by the service/product you *don't* use.

ERS or RA - whether it's for a lock-out, tow, or tire change has limitations.
Are they going to provide drive line *repairs*?
Repair your fridge?
Tech advice - probably/maybe (who knows how good it will be).
Vehicle warranty (or you) need to take care of that.

IMO - "we" are all capable of changing a flat.
Given enough time with a wire coat hangar - "we" may be able to get past locked car/truck with keys inside.
Do you want to do that - or have someone else do it for you?

Can "we" tow our own car/truck/RV to a repair facility?
Unfortunately, probably not.

Can "we" find and contact a company that will tow our vehicle when we're stuck in the middle of nowhere, and find an appropriate repair shop there to do any repairs needed, again, in the middle of nowhere where you have no idea where you are or who you could possibly call?

Unfortunately, probably not. This is why ERS or RA insurance is soo valuable to have when on the road, regardless whether it saves you any $$ in the long run on an actual tow or not.

Soooo the solution is to have some kind of ERS which will do that.

The added "perks" - types of service rendered, towing distance, etc.
are like those other types of insurance......how much do you want/need?

Check the price of a 5-10-50 mile tow from *any* tow service in your area....for just a car or pickup (or an RV).
You can "interpolate" what the fee would be in the boondocks - and tack-on additional $ depending on the tow vehicle req'd.

Bottom line: If you have deep pockets - go for it..:C
Even most states will accept posting of a bond in lieu or carrying auto insurance.
You may never need/use the ERS or "RA" -or any other insurance- you pay for.
(Life insurance won't do anything for *you*, LOL!)

Don't think Warren Buffet has an ERS or needs medical insurance..:S

Yep -it's a wide open field.
It's your choice to grab the ball and run with it in whichever direction you choose!

YMMV


~

All good points. I added one little piece (in bold above), on why ERS or RA insurance of some kind is so good to have.

Will

[ol_Bombero-JC]

ghsebldr wrote:
I know it's a wide open field given all of the different types of RVs there are out there but I'm wondering what folks that have had to pay out of pocket for their own towing,tire replacement, as well as other problems that you would typically use RA for have had to pay.
I have a Class C and am curious what someone with a similar RV has paid for some of the basic services that they have used.
I'm hoping your answers will help me decide about self insuring against break downs and tire service. Thanks

Let's deal with the question.

ERS or "RA" as you call it is Insurance.

Medical Insurance pays some (or all) of your medical costs.
Life Insurance pays your beneficiary.
Home Owners insurance pays for (some/most) losses to your domicile.

All types of insurance are "for profit" of the insurance company.
They make money by the service/product you *don't* use.

ERS or RA - whether it's for a lock-out, tow, or tire change has limitations.
Are they going to provide drive line *repairs*?
Repair your fridge?
Tech advice - probably/maybe (who knows how good it will be).
Vehicle warranty (or you) need to take care of that.

IMO - "we" are all capable of changing a flat.
Given enough time with a wire coat hangar - "we" may be able to get past locked car/truck with keys inside.
Do you want to do that - or have someone else do it for you?

Can "we" tow our own car/truck/RV to a repair facility?
Unfortunately, probably not.

Soooo the solution is to have some kind of ERS which will do that.

The added "perks" - types of service rendered, towing distance, etc.
are like those other types of insurance......how much do you want/need?

Check the price of a 5-10-50 mile tow from *any* tow service in your area....for just a car or pickup (or an RV).
You can "interpolate" what the fee would be in the boondocks - and tack-on additional $ depending on the tow vehicle req'd.

Bottom line: If you have deep pockets - go for it..:C
Even most states will accept posting of a bond in lieu or carrying auto insurance.
You may never need/use the ERS or "RA" -or any other insurance- you pay for.
(Life insurance won't do anything for *you*, LOL!)

Don't think Warren Buffet has an ERS or needs medical insurance..:S

Yep -it's a wide open field.
It's your choice to grab the ball and run with it in whichever direction you choose!

YMMV


~

[willald]

pigman1 wrote:
In my case, I'm not so much paying for towing as I'm paying for knowledge. When we had a flat in Alaska, Coach Net called a road service unit 160 miles away and they had to go another 60 miles into town to find the right size tire, then bring it 200 miles to me. I paid for the tire, but would have had a heck of a time finding it and getting it to me. Also, when the rig quits, where's the nearest competent repair shop? These guys usually know and it could take me hours to find out.

Exactly. This is why I keep Emergency roadside service coverage. Its not so much about saving $$ (although it only takes one or two incidents before you are saving $$). Its more about the peace of mind of knowing no matter how far from home we may have a problem, one phone call gets us to someone that will locate an appropriate repair shop and/or tow truck for us.

We have Good Sam ERS, and would not want to travel without it. Fortunately, have only had to use it once when we had a tire problem, and they handled it very well, pretty much as expected.

[tpi]

pigman1 wrote:
In my case, I'm not so much paying for towing as I'm paying for knowledge. When we had a flat in Alaska, Coach Net called a road service unit 160 miles away and they had to go another 60 miles into town to find the right size tire, then bring it 200 miles to me. I paid for the tire, but would have had a heck of a time finding it and getting it to me. Also, when the rig quits, where's the nearest competent repair shop? These guys usually know and it could take me hours to find out.

X2. I'm not looking at is as buying financial insurance. I'm looking at it as buying knowledge about repair facilities in my travel area. I'd much prefer one call than to begin a research project in the middle of nowhere and possibly under emergency conditions.

[beemerphile1]

I have self insured most of my life. I have paid for a few tows out of pocket and believe I came out way ahead of paying for ERS.

Now that I am older and thankfully have a couple $$ in my pocket I semi self insure. I have this program through the American Motorcycle Association;
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/amaroadsideassistance
They cover the initial call and hook fee and then I am responsible for towing any miles over the first 35.

For a very minimal cost to cover all my vehicles, I think it is a great deal.

[rockhillmanor]

I'm wondering what folks that have had to pay out of pocket for their own towing,tire replacement, as well as other problems that you would typically use RA for have had to pay.
I have a Class C and am curious what someone with a similar RV has paid for some of the basic services that they have used.
I'm hoping your answers will help me decide about self insuring against break downs and tire service

I wouldn't put my MH in drive without 'RV' road side assistance insurance!

ONE service call for something as simple as a flat tire will cost you more than the yearly membership for ERS. I.E. payback on breakdown.

Not to mention we are RV'ing and usually driving through po dunk areas we don't know anything about let alone know the phone numbers of the local tow truck/repair shops.

One phone call to ERS and THEY arrange for the closest and 'appropriate' tow truck to come out to you......and you pay NOTHING to the tow truck company.

I couldn't fathom carrying enough money around with me to pay cash if in case I needed a tow. Bo-cue $$$$$ to tow a MH. 80 bucks a year to have ERS insurance that would pay for it? No brainer for me! :B

[happybooker1]

My Pop up and HTT I did NOT have RA. Pop Up son and I changed 2 tires (different trips). HTT Son, Niece, and I changed 1 tire. THAT one took 5 or 6 hours since I had to drop the trailer, FIND a tire, go GET the tire, (1 hour each way), etc.

Now I'm older and have NO desire to wrestle with a tire. May '13 I bought a '91 Class C. I KNEW I wasn't keeping it but a year, did a few upgrades & repairs, and camped last summer. Had GSRA. C broke down our 3rd trip in West Texas (August -- triple digits) TWICE on the same trip (battery, alternator, and then starter and electric problems). The tow alone would have cost me $450+ the tow driver told me. Yes, I had to wait 4 hours. Yes I had the cost of a motel room to bear. Yes I was towed to a facility that was closed for the weekend.

BIL came from 2.5 hours away and fixed me so I could hobble home. I still count it as getting my money's worth as I was NOT stuck on the side of the freeway with my son and a kitten for overnight on a weekend.

May '14 I bought my TT. Went with CN this time. 4th trip out had a flat. Yes, it took 3 hours for someone to come out to where I was and put the spare on. I was sitting in the truck in the AC the whole time however. We made sandwiches for lunch. That bill right there covered my entire year of joining.

Wouldn't be without it. However, since it's 6 of one and 1/2 dozen of another between CN and GS, I'll probably switch again next year and get the 'new member' price. Rinse and repeat.

Oh I forgot. The policy with GSRA? We made our last trip in the C in October. I cancelled the policy and got a refund of $55 IIRC. So the grand total of coverage for THAT policy was around $25.

[pigman1]

In my case, I'm not so much paying for towing as I'm paying for knowledge. When we had a flat in Alaska, Coach Net called a road service unit 160 miles away and they had to go another 60 miles into town to find the right size tire, then bring it 200 miles to me. I paid for the tire, but would have had a heck of a time finding it and getting it to me. Also, when the rig quits, where's the nearest competent repair shop? These guys usually know and it could take me hours to find out.

[belfert]

My motorhome is an older converted bus so I have Coach-Net. I try my best to keep everything in tip top shape, but it isn't always possible to find every problem area on a vehicle with 400,000+ miles. I had to have a roadside mechanic come out once to help with a failed wheel bearing. Coach-Net paid for the mechanic to travel three hours each way at a cost of something like $900. I had to pay for the labor for the actual repair.

I didn't have the right Coach-Net plan to cover the trailer behind my motorhome and it cost $300 to have the trailer towed when it had problems.

[ghsebldr]

Thanks for all of the answers. That $2100 or even the more reasonable $1800 could scare anyone into keeping the RA. Even though I can change tires or belts and hoses if needed I'm not always next to the highway if I need a tow.
I guess when you think about the premium as one hand of black jack or a couple of pulls on the slot machine that $15 a month isn't that high of a price to pay for the peace of mind gained.
Thanks again

[Ron3rd]

The only time I've had to use RA was when our old trailer broke a leaf spring and had to be towed on a flat bed about 100 miles for repair. Drive said it was about a $600 tow. Glad I had RA. We have it through our Progressive trailer policy and I believe they contract with Coach Net.

[webslave]

Not debating which insurer, it is "insurance". I'm not 20 or 30 something anymore, in fact, I'm not even 50-something (I vaguely remember those years though...).

I struggle with the trailer tires when doing inspections and it takes just about all I've got to get the truck's tires off and on doing brakes. That's in the "comfort" of my yard or garage, not along a highway in the pouring rain with cars and trucks whizzing by or along a desolate road in the middle of nowhere.

As mentioned before, I'd spend that money on something; maybe I'd need that "something", maybe not. I'd just as soon spend the money on the ERS that gives me and my wife some options in the case of an emergency. To be honest, the only time I've used the GS ERS system was for our car up in our local town - blew a transmission cooler line and it was dead in the water. Called GS and they were there in 20 minutes and towed us to our dealer (further than "the nearest garage") with no issues. If I don't ever use it for the RV, I'll count my blessings, but, I won't curse the fact that I spent the money for the safety net that I haven't used. Like anything else, you won't miss it until you need and then it is too late...