24 Hour Insurance Support

What is 24 Hour Car Insurance?

24-hour car insurance is a type of short-term insurance that covers you for a day. It is a temporary policy that allows you to choose the level of coverage you need, similar to a traditional insurance policy. In most cases, the insurance coverage is similar to the insurance policy you would take out for six months or longer. You can still take advantage of liability coverage, as well as optional comprehensive and collision coverage.

This is what each one covers:

• Liability coverage: Liability coverage covers the damages of injuries of other drivers if you are at fault in an accident.
• Comprehensive coverage: Comprehensive coverage covers damages and injuries of your vehicle or your passengers.
• Collision coverage: Collision coverage covers damages not related to an accident, like theft or weather-related damages.

You may need 24-hour car insurance to cover gaps in coverage, such as for new drivers who are still shopping for the best policy. Some drivers may also choose 24-hour car insurance for coverage while they are working on getting their driver’s license. Other drivers may choose 24-hour car insurance if they are renting a vehicle for the day or buying a new vehicle and don’t yet have insurance coverage.

Most auto lending companies require you to have insurance before leaving with the vehicle. If you don’t, then they may take out their own policy, which is usually much more expensive than a 24-hour policy.

A traditional insurance policy is one that lasts for six months or a year. 24-hour car insurance is not the same as same-day insurance. Whereas drivers looking for a same-day insurance policy want proof of insurance fast, those looking for 24-hour car insurance only want coverage for a day.

How Much Does 24 Hour Car Insurance Cost?

According to Car Insurance Comparison, the average cost of 24-hour car insurance is $10 per day. However, rates can vary based on the provider. It is still important to shop around the best rates, even for 24-hour insurance. While this is affordable, even $10 a day can add up if you maintain the policy for a longer period of time. Similar to traditional car insurance, your rates can be affected by the following factors:

• Age
• Gender
• Driving record
• Make and model of your vehicle
• Your level of coverage

24-hour car insurance is cheap because you are only covered for one day. Drivers who are under 21 years old are also not eligible for 24-hour insurance. Some providers do not offer this policy to drivers under the age of 25 years, so it is important to check eligibility when comparing rates.

Where Can You Get 24 Hour Car Insurance?

Many of the larger, well-known car insurance companies do not offer 24-hour car insurance, which can make it difficult to find. Insurance providers who do offer 24-hour car insurance usually offer the same coverages as a traditional policy.

Even if your insurance provider does not offer 24-hour insurance, they may have other options. For example, non-owners car insurance is an option if you frequently drive someone else’s vehicle but don’t own it. This policy, however, does not cover the physical damages to the vehicle. A pay-as-you-go policy may also be available. This type of policy charges you based on the number of miles driven each month.

A 30-day insurance policy may also be available as a temporary coverage option.

The biggest difference between 24-hour car insurance and a traditional insurance policy is that 24-hour coverage is designed to cover you for a day, or a few days, versus a longer period of time. Getting 24-hour car insurance, once you find a provider, is usually fast. Your policy can begin as soon as you make your payment.

How to Find the Most Affordable 24 Hour Car Insurance

If you need temporary insurance for a few days, you may want to price shop to ensure you get the best rates possible. You can find affordable 24-hour car insurance with the following tips:

• Check your current coverage: Depending on why you need short-term insurance, your current provider may offer coverage. For example, they may have non-owner or pay-as-you-go rates.
• Pay a higher deposit: A higher deposit can lead to discounted rates. Some providers may allow you to choose the amount you are willing to place as a deposit.
• Choose a vehicle based on coverage: The type of vehicle you cover will also affect your insurance rates. If you are renting a vehicle, you might choose something smaller.
• Consider your coverage needs: You can usually choose the level of coverage you want with a 24-hour policy. A comprehensive policy will cost more than liability only.

As always, it is important to shop around when choosing the best insurance rates. You will need certain information to get accurate pricing, like your driver’s license number, the VIN and mileage of your vehicle, your driving record, and proof of your car insurance history.

It can also be helpful to consider your coverage needs. If you are buying a new vehicle with a loan and need coverage until you find an affordable policy, you may be required to have comprehensive coverage.

Keeping 24-hour car insurance for longer than 24 hours can be expensive. If you need car insurance for a longer period of time, it may make sense to choose a traditional coverage policy. 24-hour car insurance can be an affordable way to protect yourself when borrowing or renting a vehicle, according to BuyAutoInsurance.com. However, it may not make sense financially if you plan on keeping it for a long period of time.

24 hour car insurance is a good way to fill in insurance gaps, especially while you are price shopping. But, as with any insurance, it is important to choose a policy that meets your daily budget and coverage needs.

What Can Emergency Assistance Services Help With?

The extent of support that a travel insurance provider offers can vary. Most companies will go above and beyond to help their policyholders get out of stressful situations and return home safely.

Examples of what a 24 Hour Assistance Service department can help with include:

Medical Assistance Services

A primary concern for travelers planning international travel is getting sick or injured in a foreign country. This can be especially stressful if you don’t speak the local language.

The best travel insurance companies will be there to assist you in the event of a medical emergency through the following services:

• Medical Referrals: Can utilize their vast medical network to connect you with competent medical professionals abroad
• Emergency Transportation Arrangement: Will work with air ambulances and other local medical transportation services to arrange emergency medical evacuations
• Payment to Medical Facilities: Can provide payment if a hospital requires medical expenses be paid upfront before administering medical care

Travel Emergency Services

In addition to medical support, most 24 Hour Assistance Service departments can provide additional aid if you experience trouble while away from home, including:

• Legal Referrals: May be able to connect you with local law professionals at your destination
• Emergency Translation: Can connect you with an interpreter or other translation services to help communicate with local police, medical professionals, and more
• Emergency Cash Transfers: Can arrange the transfer of cash to you if your credit cards are deactivated or you run out of money while traveling
• Transportation Home: May be able to help arrange a safe return home if you encounter a natural disaster, civil unrest, or other emergency that impacts your ability to travel
• Lost Travel Documents & Lost Luggage: Can help locate or replace travel documents, such as passports and visas, or personal belongings that are lost during a covered trip
• Emergency Message Relay: Can transmit messages to family members back home if you’re unable to reach them

Does Travel Insurance Provide Roadside Assistance?

The vast majority of travel insurance policies do not offer roadside assistance. While rare, some providers’ 24 Hour Emergency Assistance departments may be able to help you locate auto-repair shops, connect you with local tow companies, or help facilitate rental vehicle returns.

If you are renting a car overseas and are concerned about breaking down, we recommend checking what type of support your rental car agency can provide.

Why Do Travel Insurance Providers Offer 24-Hour Emergency Assistance?

There’s no such thing as a risk-free trip. To combat the uncertainties of travel, especially abroad, travel insurance plans include an emergency hotline that can be reached at any point during your trip.

Providers offer this service as an added benefit to travelers and to provide peace of mind if their trips take a turn for the worse. While providers do their best to satisfy their policyholders, some providers have better customer service reputations than others.

Squaremouth shows reviews and ratings for each provider on our platform. These come directly from previous customers and can provide insight into the quality of service they received.

How To Contact Your Provider’s Emergency Assistance Department

Your travel insurance provider’s contact information can be found on your travel insurance policy, on their Squaremouth provider page, on their website, or within their mobile app. If you’re traveling abroad, we recommend saving this phone number somewhere that you can access easily if your phone is dead or out of service.

Keep in mind that providers often have separate numbers for domestic and international travelers. It’s also important to remember the country code if you’re heading overseas, which is “+1” if you’re trying to reach a U.S. number.

Does it Cost Money to Call A Provider While Traveling?

If you’re traveling within the United States, you may contact your provider at any time using their toll-free phone number free of charge. This typically extends to travelers visiting Canada and U.S. territories. If you are traveling internationally, you may be charged a fee. The extent of that fee will be based on your phone plan, carrier, and destination.

Premier Roadside Assistance Package

Premier Roadside Assistance will provide towing service up to 100 miles, as well as jump start, fuel delivery,^† flat tire change and lockout assistance.

This package also provides trip interruption coverage, which means you may be eligible for reimbursement of $200 a day (to a maximum of $600) for meals and lodging if your car breaks down at least 100 miles from home and your vehicle is out of commission for more than 24 hours.

Premier Roadside Assistance also includes personal property coverage with a $500 limit, which provides coverage to replace stolen or damaged personal property as a result of a covered, paid comprehensive or collision loss.

Roadside assistance coverage vs. Premier Roadside Assistance package

Travelers offers two options for roadside assistance to help give customers peace of mind – whether commuting to work or taking a long trip. Here’s how they compare:

Plan features	Roadside Assistance	Premier Roadside Assistance
Towing up to a mileage limit up to point of disablement or to the nearest service station	Yes Up to 15 miles	Yes Up to 100 miles
Dead battery/jump start (not including cost of battery)	Yes	Yes
Fuel delivery (not including cost of fuel)	Yes	Yes
Flat tire change	Yes	Yes
Lockout assistance	Yes	Yes
Roadside winching	Yes	Yes
Trip interruption coverage – reimbursement for disablement that occurs more than 100 miles from your primary residence address. $200/day up to a maximum of $600 total for lodging, meals and alternate transportation.	No	Yes
Personal property coverage – $500 of coverage for personal property damaged or stolen as part of a comprehensive, collision or glass loss. Includes portable sound receiving and transmitting equipment and items such as CDs and DVDs.	No	Yes