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The TRUTH about Elephant Roadside Assistance
Elephant Insurance is a small insurance company founded in 2009 that provides direct to customer insurance products for vehicles, motorcycles, and homes. They offer various discounts and basic coverage options, including liability, comprehensive, collision and more. Currently, Elephant provides policies in Virginia (their home base), plus Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland. Ohio, Tennessee, Texas.
Elephant insurance also offers additional coverage options, such as legal assistance, rental car reimbursement, and roadside assistance. For many, roadside assistance is a great addition to their current policy. Elephants’ roadside offers basic coverage such as towing, battery jump, flat tire repair, fuel delivery, and lockout services.
Although these services suffice as adequate protection for many drivers, it’s not wise to assume your current auto policy provider is the best option for roadside protection. Keep reading to see if Elephants roadside assistance could be right for you.
How Does Elephant Roadside Assistance Work?
If you are in a state they cover, Elephant Insurance Roadside Coverage will help you get back on the road if you are involved in minor mishaps not involving a vehicular accident. They offer a simple process by partnering with Urgent.ly, a roadside assistance service provider which is essentially the Uber of tow trucks.
They are like Uber because through Urgent.ly you can call the Elephants’ special emergency roadside assistance number to connect to a certified service provider. You can then track the position of your provider until they arrive.
Unlike Uber, however, you won’t be paying on a per service call basis like a normal Urgent.ly app user would. Elephant will cover the costs according to your coverage, but Urgent.ly service providers will be dispatched to provide the service.
Services/Limitations Include:
Towing – Your vehicle will be towed to the closest certified repair shop. If the distance is over 15 miles, you will pay $4.00 for each additional mile. You must pay the difference the day of the tow.
Jump – A service tech will come and jump start your vehicle should your battery die.
Spare Tire Change – Elephant will send a service provider to replace your flat tire. If you don’t have a spare, Urgent.ly can arrange for towing.
Lockout – Have one of our locksmiths get you back into your vehicle if you get locked out.
Fuel – Urgent.ly can arrange for up to 2 gallons of gas or diesel to be delivered to your location. You must pay for the gas once delivered.
*Maximum benefit limit for towing, jump starts, tire changes, and lockout services is $75.
How Much Does Elephant Roadside Assistance Cost?
According to a recent blog post on their direct website, a roadside plan through Elephant Insurance ranges from $3 to $5 a month. The cost varies a bit by state. You must be a participating insurance customer to obtain roadside coverage through Elephant.
How do I Contact Elephant Roadside Assistance?
If you already have an auto policy with roadside assistance, you can use their app or call 844-937-5353.
If you are looking to get a quote from Elephant, they have a simple online quote process that takes less than 10 minutes to complete according to their website.
Elephants’ mobile is available for iPhone and Android and allows policy holders to view and change policies, request emergency roadside assistance, and file claims.
Elephant’s app also has a Telematics feature. Similar to Progressive, the app tracks your driving habits and offers discounts for good drivers.
How Does Elephant Roadside Assistance Compare to Other Companies?
Although customer reviews are a bit shifty, Elephant Insurance with optional roadside coverage seems to be well liked overall. They have even won awards such as the 2014 Stevie Award for sales and customer service. They are also accredited and maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, which is not always easy achievement in the insurance industry.
The main issue seems to be that they are limited in their coverage areas. As a result, we compared other top roadside coverage providers to Elephant below…
| Elephant | GEICO | Progressive | Farmers | AllState | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Year | $3-$5 | $14 | $23 | $23 | $25 |
| Incidents Covered Per Year | 3 | 3 | varies | 3 | 3 |
| Towing | 15 miles | 100 miles | 15 miles | $150 | $100 |
| Winching/ Extrication | $75 | 1 hr | 100 ft | 10 ft | $100 |
| Car Locksmith | $75 | $100 | 1 hr | $150 | $100 |
| On-Site Mechanical Adjustment | $75 | 1 hr | 1 hr | $150 | $100 |
| Fuel Delivery | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Jump Start | $75 | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Flat Tire Service | $75 | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Geico has also received an A+ rating from the BBB and an A++ rating from AM Best. It’s also the second-largest car insurance company in the U.S. and covers all 50 states. It is a bit pricier than Elephant, but still reasonable compared to Progressive, Farmers, and AlllState. Although Progressive, Farmers, and AllState are similar in price, they are more costly than Elephant and Geico and seem to offer similar services.
As always, it is important to consider all the details of each carrier both inside and outside of their roadside plan. For example, should you choose Elephant for your roadside, keep in mind that they only cover up to $75 for each service. Some of these services can easily exceed this spending limit depending upon the circumstances. Easy and cheap isn’t always best, especially if you drive a lot, travel, or have a classic car.
Also, you don’t have to switch car insurance providers if you want to find roadside elsewhere. There are plenty of standalone roadside providers and motor clubs, such as AAA, that can provide you with the roadside you need without changing your current auto coverage.
Which Roadside Assistance Should You Choose?
Because Urgent.ly is a new method for Elephant insurance, it’s too early to tell how dependable it will be. The feedback on Google has been erratic. The response time to help requests varies widely. Nearly two-thirds of reviewers were totally satisfied, while the remaining one-third were displeased.
In choosing a roadside provider, we suggest shopping around. Top-rated companies like USAA auto insurance, Geico, and Progressive may serve as a good starting point before moving on to others. By comparing providers and spending a few extra minutes up front you get the coverage that best meets your requirements. Also, even if you’re satisfied with your existing coverage, check for better deals every 6 months. New discounts and prices are always being introduced, so you never know what to expect.
