Does The General Have Good Roadside Assistance?
Last Updated on July 17, 2023
The General, like many insurance companies, offers roadside assistance to policyholders.
If you have car insurance with The General, then you could have complimentary roadside assistance. The company has partnered with Nation Safe Drivers (NSD) to offer 24-hour roadside assistance across the United States.
Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about The General’s roadside assistance today in our review, including whether or not it’s the best choice for your roadside assistance needs.
Key Takeaways:
- Roadside Assistance Coverage: The General, in partnership with Nation Safe Drivers (NSD), offers 24/7 roadside assistance coverage to its policyholders, including services like towing, flat tire changes, jumpstarts, vehicle lockouts, delivery of essential supplies, rental car reimbursement, and five service calls per year at no extra charge.
- Pricing: The cost for this add-on service varies by location and driver, but typically, it is priced at around $10 to $12 per month, translating to $60-$69 for six months or $120-$138 for a year. However, it’s not available for policyholders in California.
- Requesting Assistance: To request roadside assistance, policyholders should call the NSD dispatch center at 844-608-4726 anytime, providing their policy number, location, vehicle information, and the reason for the request. If they’ve already paid for services, they can submit their receipts to The General for possible full compensation.
- Extra Benefits: Depending on the state, additional benefits may be available to roadside assistance customers, including theft & hit run protection, rental car discounts, and concierge services. Despite NSD receiving some poor online reviews, most customers reportedly have satisfactory experiences with the services provided.
How The General’s Roadside Assistance Works
The General offers roadside assistance to policyholders for a few extra dollars per month.
If you have already added The General’s roadside assistance to your policy, you could receive complimentary roadside assistance for certain situations – including flat tires, towing, vehicle jumpstarts, and vehicle lockouts. Members receive five service calls per year at no extra cost.
The General offers 24-hour roadside assistance across the United States. Simply call The General’s roadside assistance hotline. Or, submit a receipt to The General after you have already received roadside assistance.
The General does not provide roadside assistance directly—instead, the company partners with Nation Safe Drivers (NSD) to offer roadside assistance nationwide.
What Does The General’s Roadside Assistance Cover?
The General’s roadside assistance covers a similar range of roadside incidents as other roadside assistance policies, including 24-hour coverage for all of the following:
Towing: The General’s roadside assistance plan covers up to 15 miles of towing at no out-of-pocket expense to you. If your vehicle needs to be towed more than 15 miles, you’ll pay an additional fixed rate per mile. Generally, you can tow your vehicle to the nearest service center for repairs at no additional charge, assuming a service center is fewer than 15 miles away.
Mechanical First Aid: Your roadside assistance plan includes basic mechanical first aid. If a technician can perform basic repairs to get your vehicle back on the road, this service is included with your roadside assistance policy. Minor adjustments and repairs are covered.
Tire Service: If you have a flat tire, then The General can dispatch a technician to your location to change your flat tire for a good spare tire. If you don’t have a good spare tire, then the cost of a replacement tire may be added to your service call charge.
Battery Service: If you have a dead battery or your car won’t start, then The General can dispatch a technician to jumpstart your vehicle.
Delivery Service for Gasoline, Water, Oil, & Other Necessary Supplies: Your roadside assistance plan includes the delivery of certain essentials required to operate your vehicle. A roadside assistance technician can deliver gasoline, water, oil, and other supplies needed to resume driving your vehicle. The delivery service is included in the cost of The General’s roadside assistance, although you’re responsible for the cost of the gasoline, water, oil, or supplies.
Lockout Service: If you lock your keys inside your vehicle or cannot access your vehicle for any reason, then The General will dispatch a locksmith to your location.
Rental Car Reimbursement: The General’s roadside assistance may include rental car reimbursement, covering you for up to $15 a day for up to 5 days during each membership period if you’re unable to drive your ordinary vehicle after an accident. If your normal car is being repaired and you need to rent a vehicle, for example, then you could receive up to $15 per day to cover the cost of renting a replacement vehicle.
5 Service Calls Per Year: Most roadside assistance plans cover 3 to 5 service calls per year. The General is at the upper end of that range, providing a maximum of five complimentary service calls per year. You can still use The General’s roadside assistance beyond those five service calls, although you may need to pay out of pocket.
How Much Does The General’s Roadside Assistance Cost?
The cost of The General’s roadside assistance varies from state to state and from driver to driver.
However, according to The General, you can expect to pay around $10 to $12 per month to add roadside assistance to your policy:
- $60 to $69 for 6 months
- $120 to $138 for 12 months
The General’s roadside assistance is available in all covered states except for California.
To add The General’s roadside assistance to your policy, contact the company’s customer service hotline at 1-800-280-1466. A customer service representative can immediately add roadside assistance to your policy.
Once you have added The General’s roadside assistance to your plan, roadside assistance is “free.” You receive five complimentary service calls per year at no extra charge.
How to Request The General’s Roadside Assistance
The General offers 24/7 roadside assistance by phone.
Just call 844-608-4726 any time of day or night to reach the NSD dispatch center.
To request service, you’ll need your policy number location, vehicle information, and the reason for your request. Then, the NSD service center will dispatch a technician to your location as soon as possible.
If you have already paid for roadside assistance and want to submit a claim, submit your receipts to The General. As long as the expenses occurred because of a justified roadside emergency, you could receive full compensation. In fact, NSD may reimburse you “up to $50 for covered services not obtained through your plan,” according to the official website.
Other Roadside Assistance Benefits
Depending on your state, the General’s roadside assistance coverage may come with extra benefits. According to The General, you could enjoy benefits like the following after adding roadside assistance to your policy:
Theft Hit & Run Protection: NSD (The General’s roadside assistance partner) will pay a person $500 for information leading to the arrest or conviction of someone responsible for the theft of your vehicle or items inside your vehicle.
Rental Car Discounts: Roadside assistance customers may receive discounts on National, Thrifty, and Enterprise car rentals.
Concierge Benefits: NSD offers concierge services at 1-855-963-1683, giving you 24/7 access to a customer service agent who can send emergency messages to loved ones, check hotel and car rental availability, and provide other travel planning services.
The General Roadside Assistance Reviews: What Do Drivers Say?
The General is known for providing affordable car insurance to high-risk drivers.
As a non-standard car insurance company, The General provides high-risk drivers with a relatively affordable car insurance option when they’re unable to purchase coverage from the ordinary marketplace.
Generally, customers have a satisfactory experience with The General. Despite being a high-risk car insurance company, the company generally provides satisfactory claim resolution services, affordable prices, and decent customer service.
Nation Safe Drivers (NSD), the roadside assistance partner for The General, has poorer reviews online. The company has an average rating of 1 star on Yelp, for example, and a 2.5 star rating on another review aggregator website. Nevertheless, most drivers receive satisfactory roadside assistance services through Nation Safe Drivers.
Final Word
For $10 to $12 extra per month, you can add roadside assistance to your insurance policy with The General.
The General’s roadside assistance is available 24/7 and covers towing, flat tire changes, vehicle jumpstarts, vehicle lockouts, and certain other situations.
To learn more about The General’s roadside assistance or to add coverage to your policy today, contact The General’s customer service at 1-800-280-1466.
