Welcome to another installment of "Tell that to your Claims Adjuster," a weekly column that offers insurance advice from a man with more insurance war stories than he cares to admit.
Sponsor Link
If you get stuck or stranded, we'll be there. Get the help you need for pennies a day.
Yes, friends, hopefully these tales of woe will help you avoid the many insurance pitfalls I encountered as a swashbuckling yet ill-advised youth. In this week's column, I will talk about a subject near and dear to many of our hearts - the Auto Club.
Emergency Roadside Service NEEDED
It all started on a brisk winter night around 2 a.m. My buddies and I were driving home to Chicago from a rock concert in Milwaukee, a happening place about an hour and a half north of the Windy City.
Feeling sleepy, I pulled into a gas station to grab some coffee and directed my slightly thick-headed friend to put some gas into the car. Diligently, he filled up my tank. Only after the tank was full did he realize my beautiful little Volkswagen took diesel instead of unleaded gasoline.
Upon hearing that my car drank its fill of poison, and after unleashing a bout of uncontrollable rage and fury onto my distraught companion, I quickly telephoned Volkswagen's
Emergency Roadside Service, a program that comes with the purchase of a new VW.
I explained my problem to the customer care representative, and asked him to find me a tow truck and a mechanic who could nurse my baby back to health. Instead of lending a helping hand, the customer care representative - with what I am now quite sure was a slightly sinister German accent - told me that the Volkswagen
Emergency Roadside Service was only free for one year after the purchase of a new VW, and that my service contract had expired.
He mentioned that he could transfer me to "triple A," or the AAA Auto Club, for help, but that I would have to pay for any towing and mechanic services myself.
AAA Auto Club - the Interstate's "Knight in Shining Armor"
Yes, the AAA, America's largest Auto Club, did help me out that night. They called someone to tow my car, and woke up a poor mechanic on my behalf. These services would have been included in a $54 yearly AAA membership, but because I was not a member, I paid hundreds more. What is the moral of my story, you ask? Always make sure that you are a member of an Auto Club that provides 24-hour roadside assistance. This insurance is absolutely necessary if you ever take a road trip.
About the Author
Kirk Bangstad is an artist, manager, and singer working in Chicago, IL. His previous experience includes consulting for technology companies in the Silicon Valley and serving as a field director and publicist for a statewide political campaign. Kirk holds a B.A. in government from Harvard University.
