by BRONWEN ELISABETH ROBERTS
If you’ve ever needed roadside assistance in South Africa, chances are you’ve come away from the experience disappointed.
It’s not like the towing services aren’t out there - just look around and you’ll see them all over the place: Sitting under a tree, parked at a busy intersection, just waiting for you to have an accident.
Sadly however, when your car breaks down and you urgently need help, they all seem to have disappeared. Call any of the assistance services that seem to come free with everything these days (and of course are not free at all), and you will find that delays of an hour plus are quite common. Would you believe that even the occasional 24-hour delay is not unheard of.
Picture the scene: You’re standing next to the road worried about your car, or your family’s safety, or your next appointment, and the operator’s saying “Don’t worry sir, our service provider will be there tomorrow!”
In fact if your car broke down it would probably be better if you drove into a ditch just before you came to a standstill – as ridiculous as that may sound you would have several tow truck operators all over you like a rash before you could reach for your phone!
Over 40 million people in South Africa have to deal with emergencies on a daily basis, whether it is medical, home-related, motor-related, mental trauma or pertaining to various legal issues. Most of them do not always know where to turn to for help, or how to handle basic health issues and personal trauma. There is no doubt that the assistance industry deserves to change.
The motoring public are still not exactly spoilt for choice; apart from the AA and a few lesser known groups such as McCarthy Club there is not much else. Apart from the AA, other reputable assistance companies like Europ Assistance concentrate on corporate assistance. However, the level of crime on the roads keeps increasing so we need better roadside assistance, more reliable response times and most of all accountability.
Roadside Assistance: Where it all began
According to the AA the first motoring organisation was the Automobile Club of SA, formed in Cape Town in 1901. This body began to lobby for improved roads and amenities for cars. The effect was a mere ripple in the pond for the motoring numbers grew slowly. The Anglo Boer War ended in 1902, the first car in Johannesburg was registered in 1904, the first American imports arrived in 1906, and the first motor show was held in 1908. The local motor assembly commenced in 1923. In January of 1930 the Federation of Clubs was liquidated and reconstituted as the Automobile Association of SA.
Roadside Assistance: The situation at present
There are many examples of corporate assistance schemes, including those offered on a compulsory basis by several motor manufacturers and insurance companies. If your vehicle is covered by an assistance product from the manufacturer (while under warranty) and/or your insurance company, an AA membership is sometimes considered necessary.
But, it is an accepted fact that owners of (especially new) vehicles may now be covered many times over by various different assistance schemes, with the result that an AA member could also be a member of BMW-on-Call, or Delta Assist, or Santam Assist.
While this holds true, it is also a fact that the average age of the over 6 million vehicles in South Africa today is approximately 13 years (as reported by the RMI). Most of these are no longer under warranty and many of them are not even insured, so does that imply that they do not need access to a reliable assistance service? Obviously not – in fact the most vulnerable of individuals may own vehicles that fall into this category, including students and the aged.
While price is a factor, clearly service levels are even more important. Moreover, what makes the assistance industry so different that guarantees of some kind are not in order! Surely, services that are promised should be backed up – at least to the extent that there is an offer on the table to repay the member should the service not be satisfactory.
40/FLAT™ Assistance sets new standards in Roadside Assistance, utilising its extensive Service Provider network to respond to emergencies within 40 minutes FLAT (80 minutes in outlying areas). In addition it facilitates access to other emergency services, such as emergency medical and legal assistance.
Emergency Assistance Industry
Friday, October 20, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
Basic Insurance
Basic Insurance
Covering the basics - and beyond: why insurance plays a vital role in protecting you and your family
Michael Hanna
Things don't always go as planned; in fact, many of us, at some point in our lives, are likely to face an unanticipated situation which holds the potential to set us or our loved ones back considerably.
That's why, with respect to many of life's constituents, insurance is an important - and often necessary - precaution to take.
Insurance is intended to help deal with the question: if something disastrous were to unexpectedly happen, what would financially happen to family and other dependents? Or if some serious injury or illness, were to occur, would the unfortunate victim be confident that they would be able to pay for the costs of treatment? Likewise, if someone becomes involved in a car accident, or if something happens to their personal belongings while on holiday or a business trip, what would happen regarding recovery of the losses - and if anyone else were to be involved – how would they be covered?
Many people forego insurance simply because they don't believe they need it; countless motorists vow to practice caution on the roads - when in reality, there is just as high a chance that they'll be involved in an accident which wasn't even their fault. Similarly, things like serious illness or death cannot always be foreseen, which is why insurance is absolutely vital - not only to cover oneself, but to protect loved ones as well.
Insurance significantly minimises the risk of potential financial losses for both those directly involved, and their family. It's generally a low-cost way of covering various types of unexpected adversity, from serious illness to accidents, and even burglary or mortgage-related mishaps. What's more, the cost of insurance is far more manageable than having to remedy an unfortunate situation if it happens to arise.
A number of large general insurance companies, like Churchill, offer comprehensive insurance packages to cover medical, life, motor, travel and household situations - to name but a few. There are also a large number of smaller more specialised insurers such as E&L who offer very dedicated types of protection. For anyone who owns their own business or for landlords, there are additional specific coverage plans - such as public liability insurance, business expense insurance and landlord's insurance - which are geared specifically towards their unique requirements.
Finding and arranging the most appropriate type of cover has become a much easier task over recent years, since the advent of the internet, as most insurers now have an online presence where specific policy details and premiums can be quickly researched. The rise of various insurance comparison sites like Moneynet have also made it easier to find the right insurance coverage.
With so many financial demands being made on everyone, everyday, insurance has become imperative to modern life in order to ensure that family and friends do not suddenly become over burdened - so considering all the available coverage options is extremely important. Most insurance agents are happy to provide consultations to help determine specific coverage needs and help decide which package provides the best fit, however it is always best to check around to ensure the best deal is obtained.
While no-one can be absolutely sure of what the future holds for them; with the right insurance, it is possible to be certain that quality protection is at hand - even if the most unexpected of hardships arises.
Submitted by:
Michael Hanna
About Michael
Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:
Contact details: E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone:
0131 561 2251 Michael's Website: Taxis Belfast
Basic Insurance
Covering the basics - and beyond: why insurance plays a vital role in protecting you and your family
Michael Hanna
Things don't always go as planned; in fact, many of us, at some point in our lives, are likely to face an unanticipated situation which holds the potential to set us or our loved ones back considerably.
That's why, with respect to many of life's constituents, insurance is an important - and often necessary - precaution to take.
Insurance is intended to help deal with the question: if something disastrous were to unexpectedly happen, what would financially happen to family and other dependents? Or if some serious injury or illness, were to occur, would the unfortunate victim be confident that they would be able to pay for the costs of treatment? Likewise, if someone becomes involved in a car accident, or if something happens to their personal belongings while on holiday or a business trip, what would happen regarding recovery of the losses - and if anyone else were to be involved – how would they be covered?
Many people forego insurance simply because they don't believe they need it; countless motorists vow to practice caution on the roads - when in reality, there is just as high a chance that they'll be involved in an accident which wasn't even their fault. Similarly, things like serious illness or death cannot always be foreseen, which is why insurance is absolutely vital - not only to cover oneself, but to protect loved ones as well.
Insurance significantly minimises the risk of potential financial losses for both those directly involved, and their family. It's generally a low-cost way of covering various types of unexpected adversity, from serious illness to accidents, and even burglary or mortgage-related mishaps. What's more, the cost of insurance is far more manageable than having to remedy an unfortunate situation if it happens to arise.
A number of large general insurance companies, like Churchill, offer comprehensive insurance packages to cover medical, life, motor, travel and household situations - to name but a few. There are also a large number of smaller more specialised insurers such as E&L who offer very dedicated types of protection. For anyone who owns their own business or for landlords, there are additional specific coverage plans - such as public liability insurance, business expense insurance and landlord's insurance - which are geared specifically towards their unique requirements.
Finding and arranging the most appropriate type of cover has become a much easier task over recent years, since the advent of the internet, as most insurers now have an online presence where specific policy details and premiums can be quickly researched. The rise of various insurance comparison sites like Moneynet have also made it easier to find the right insurance coverage.
With so many financial demands being made on everyone, everyday, insurance has become imperative to modern life in order to ensure that family and friends do not suddenly become over burdened - so considering all the available coverage options is extremely important. Most insurance agents are happy to provide consultations to help determine specific coverage needs and help decide which package provides the best fit, however it is always best to check around to ensure the best deal is obtained.
While no-one can be absolutely sure of what the future holds for them; with the right insurance, it is possible to be certain that quality protection is at hand - even if the most unexpected of hardships arises.
Submitted by:
Michael Hanna
About Michael
Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:
Contact details: E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone:
0131 561 2251 Michael's Website: Taxis Belfast
Basic Insurance
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