ok folks, we need some help with this one..we have received a few of these offers for emergency roadside help..we would like some opinions on these The first one is Allstate RV Roadhelp, some basic services include unlimited towing to nearest facility and minor labor (whats minor on a motorhome), unlimited lock-out,trip interruption up to 1500, koa discounts, and some sort of legal defense benefit.. the second one is the good sam rv emergency road service, which includes free battery jump starts, free flat tire changes, free locksmith, fre fuel and fluid delivery, free mobilie mechanic, trip interrupt up to 1200.. anyway, you get the drift..are these items something that part timers need..we basically do 3 week long trips per year to florida, myrtle beach, etc (from indiana) and all of the other time we camp almost every weekend (during warmer months) anywhere from 5hrs away to 15 mins. away.. ok, we would love some help.. and thanks, we love reading all the reviews and topics, jc
Take a look at Topic "Coachnet" down around five from this one. Also need to get a price to tow your motorhome to a shop for repair work. Then see if you have a different in two prices. Tow bills are very high dollars.
We we are part timers (2-3 long trips a year along with a few smaller trips). We have the Good Sam service which we have used 4 times, and we have been very pleased so far. The funny thing is we have never used it on a trip. All four calls were for trouble here at home, and only one of those times was for our RV. We called twice for dead car batteries, once for a flat car tire, and this last time we had a dead battery on the motorhome. It would not even jump start so the service brought out a new battery and installed it here at home. (To be clear, we had to pay for the battery and installation fee, but the trip charge was covered by the GS service.) The response time has been good considering we live a little off the beaten path (no near-by town) and everyone (even our friends) get lost coming to our house. The first time we used the service, the tow truck driver got hopelessly lost, so now we ask to have the service call us to get directions. We think a road service is worth the money, but this is something you have to decide for yourself. As for the different services, I suggest you compare their benefits very carefully and see who offers the most for the money. Other considerations might be if you have kids, if you do not travel with a tow vehicle, and if you travel and camp in remote areas. It might be worth the cost to be sure the kids would not be stranded for hours in a less than safe area. Just some thoughts.
We have the Allstate one. It was originally just RV Road Help, then got bought by Allstate. We have used it one time. July 3rd of last year, while returning home, we had a leaf spring break on our trailer in Columbia, SC. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon, so I called the 800 number. After about 30 minutes, the lady said she couldn't get in touch with anybody, so for me to get it towed and I would be re-imbursed. Now I was on the side of a busy interstate with my wife and 3 kids, my elderly mother, and a big dog. I called 411 and got the number for the Camping World in Columbia, called them and asked who I should call. They gave me a company's number. I called, and the owner got on the line, siad he would need to handle this one instead of one of his employees, and he would be there in about 30-45 minutes (he had just put his boat in the water). He showed up, said his flatbed tow vehicle was in Kentucky, but he jacked it up, put some wood blocks and straps and got the axles back where they belonged, and he followed me the 4-5 miles back to Camping World. $175 Now, the Allstate people did re-imburse me in full - but they were absolutely no help on the phone.
I have Good Sam and have had Coachnet. I've never had to use either, so I just continue to buy whichever is cheapest at the time. We are generally away from home about six months per year. ERS is akin to a long term warranty in that you hope you never have to use it, but it is there if it is needed. For me, it's called peace of mind.
Hi all, I've had very good service from CAA (AAA stateside). I'm away ahead of the "game" in so far as roadside visits. My old RV had 417500 kilometers on it (250,000 miles). I'm not expecting to use their service as much with my new to me RV. CAA does not offer a mobile mechanic service--just tows, boosts, and emergency fuel service.
If you want the very best, Coach Net is the one, with Good Sam in a strong second position. Both have good reputations, but Coach Net is the one which comes with the warranty on most highest priced motorhomes. They set the standard, while Good Sam does work to stay competitive. As to if you need this, it is an insurance policy and like any insurance it may pay and it may not. If you get good policies, any insurance will pay as they state, but the amount of service provided will vary as will the ease of getting paid. Last May, we attended the Escapees rally in Missouri and it was very rainy for several days at the start and many of those who left early, as well as some who stayed to the end, required a tow service to get out of the grass area where we parked. Good Sam did send help for those who called and as far as I know the service was good. Coach Net was represented at the rally and when folks started to need help they dispatched a heavy wrecker to the park who just drove from one Coach Net customer to the next, towing them out as needed. That truck was on site from about 7am until about 7pm for two days and so service was as quick as they could get to the person needing help. Both Coach Net and Good Sam just asked the customer to sign the ticket once out on the road. As far as I could see, Coach Net was a bit quicker to respond, but both provided good service. One thing to keep in mind with any insurance, if you never need it, the price is not a good buy but if you do, it is a real bargain. We happen to have carried such a policy now for both of the motorhomes that we have owned. That is now just under twenty years and to date we have never had to be towed out. But we sleep well in places like the mentioned rally because we know that we have coverage. In addition, I did use the service on one occasion for fuel delivery when our other motorhome's generator burned the fuel empty(it didn't have the generater get fuel at the 1/4 level like they do now) and in one case we had a jump start on our present one. The services were from different companies and both provided good service. In our case, we would have saved a lot of money over the years, having paid about $100/year for twenty years and no towing at all. But the cost of one tow will easily pay the price for all of those years of support. In addition, Coach Net has an RV tech on duty to assist over the phone when a customer calls, seven days per week. To me, that is worth the price. I would never travel without it. I consider this no different than collision insurance. In both cases I do everything possible to avoid the need for the insurance, but I sleep well because I have it.
Thanks to all, thats why we love this site..We get so many different experiences that help us make a good decision..thanks--I must get off the computer now, bath kids, put them to bed, and get out in front of a beautiful campfire...Enjoy...
