We’ve all likely experienced a car failure in the middle of our drive at least once in our lives. It is normal to panic if your car gets a punctured tyre, its fuel runs out, or stops because of any other issue. Most of the time, people need help to take the right steps and turn it into a bigger problem. Your credit card could help you in these situations if it offers you complimentary roadside assistance.
Many credit cards come with offers and privileges, but one significant benefit to consider is roadside assistance. This service, provided by the card issuer, can be incredibly helpful during unexpected car breakdowns. Having roadside assistance as part of your credit card benefits is certainly a valuable feature.
In this article, we will discuss some of the best credit cards available in the Indian market that provide complimentary roadside assistance to cardholders. IDFC First Bank has multiple credit cards with roadside assistance similar to IndusInd credit cards. You will even find some options by ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, and more.
Let’s take a look at some of the best credit cards offering roadside assistance in case a cardholder’s car breaks down in the middle of driving and requires assistance to repair it and drive it safely.
30X Reward Points on HPCL Fuel up to 2,400 Reward Points. You can save up to 5% as rewards on grocery and utility expenses, up to 5% as a reward on IDFC FIRST FASTag recharges (max ₹1,000 per month), and 3X rewards on all other retail transactions.
Welcome Benefits
₹500 gift voucher on your 1st HPCL fuel transaction above ₹500 and up to 5% cashback (up to ₹1,000 capped) on the transaction value of the first EMI.
10 Reward Points per ₹200 Spent on Dining, Travel, and International Transactions, 1X Reward Points per ₹200 Spent on Insurance, Utilities, Railways, and FASTag Recharges, and 3 Reward Points per ₹200 Spent on All Other Eligible Transactions
Welcome Benefits
5% cashback on first EMI spend up to Rs. 1,000 and additional welcome gift vouchers worth Rs. 500 on spending Rs. 5,000 within 30 days of card generation
10X Reward Points/₹150 on Incremental Spends Above ₹20,000 Per Statement Cycle. 5X Reward Points/₹150 on Spends Upto ₹20,000. 3X RPs Are Also Awarded for Rent, Wallet Load, Education, and Government Transactions
Earn 2.5 reward points per Rs. 100 spent online, 1.5 reward points per Rs. 100 spent on online travel and flight bookings, 1 RP for spends of Rs. 100 on other purchases.
Welcome Benefits
Choose any one benefit from, a Luxe gift card, a complimentary night stay at Oberoi hotels, or gift vouchers from brands like Hush Puppies, BATA, Titan, Pantaloons, Raymond, etc.
4% cashback on fuel spends at HPCL pumps, 5% cashback as RPs on departmental store spends & utility purchases, 2 Reward points per Rs. 100 spent for all other domestic and international transactions.
Welcome Benefits
2,000 bonus Reward Points on paying the membership fee within 2 months and spending at least Rs. 5,000 within the first 45 days of card issuance; Rs. 100 cashback on HP Pay app on the first fuel purchase of Rs. 1,000 or more.
10X Reward Points/₹150 on Incremental Spends Above ₹20,000 Per Statement Cycle. 5X Reward Points/₹150 on Spends Upto ₹20,000. 3X RPs Are Also Awarded for Rent, Wallet Load, Education, and Government Transactions
Earn 10X Reward Points Per ₹200 on Dining, Travel & International Spends, 3X on Regular and UPI Spends Above ₹2,000, and 1X on Insurance, Utilities, Railways, FASTag and UPI Spends Up to ₹2,000
Welcome Benefits
₹500 Voucher from Uber, Amazon, and Bigbasket on Spending ₹5,000 Within 30 Days of Card Issuance. 5% Cashback Upto ₹1,000 on the First EMI Transaction
Save up to 5% on your fuel spending. Save 2.5% as a reward on your utility and grocery expenses. 2.5% as a reward on your IDFC FASTag recharge. 2x rewards on all other retail spend.
Welcome Benefits
₹250 gift voucher on your 1st HPCL fuel transaction above ₹250 and up to 5% cashback (up to ₹1,000 capped) on the transaction value of the first EMI.
1 Reward Point for every Rs. 100 you spend on domestic purchases. 3 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 you spend on international purchases.
Welcome Benefits
Vouchers Worth ₹25,000
Credit Cards With Roadside Assistance
Cards
RSA
Who to Call?
IDFC First Power, Power+, Select, Millennia, Wealth, Ashva, and Mayura Credit Card
4 Times Each Year Worth ₹1,399
1800-572-3860
ICICI HPCL Super Saver Credit Card
24×7 Roadside Assistance Worth ₹3,500
1800-419-1024
ICICI Times Black and Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card
24×7 Roadside Assistance in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai
1800-26-70731/022-6787-2016
IndusInd Tiger, Legend, Crest, Celesta, and Pinnacle Credit Card
24×7 Roadside Assistance Available in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore
1860-267-7777
Why Do We Need Roadside Assistance?
Imagine yourself running late for your work meeting, and your car suddenly makes a weird noise and comes to a halt. You are unable to turn the car on again and are getting very late for your meeting. This is a perfect example of where roadside assistance comes to help. The team of experts will reach your location as soon as possible and either repair your car or tow it to a local repair station.
Simply call your credit card helpline, inform them of your situation, and use your roadside assistance service. It is a really valuable and helpful feature, which is why many premium credit cards offer this privilege. Most people tend to ignore the insurance and RSA service for their vehicle, assuming they won’t encounter such a situation.
However, when they face a car breakdown, local operators charge a lot of money to tow their vehicles, whereas the roadside assistance team would have helped them at a low cost. An RSA plan costs approximately ₹1,499 per year and reduces your repair costs as well. If you do not get this service with your credit card, you can contact your insurance provider for the facility.
Roadside Assistance – What Does it Cover
Your car can break down and stop working due to a variety of reasons, like a dead battery, a burst tyre, a lack of fuel, or an accident. When you call the roadside assistance service of your credit card for help, they will come to your location and try to fix your problem as soon as possible and safely.
They will try to repair any minor faults, and if the car needs to be towed to a repair center, they will arrange conveyance for you. With roadside assistance, you get peace of mind while driving because you know that you can call for prompt service in case of need. The following issues are fixed with the assistance –
Vehicle Towaway Service in Case of Breakdown/Accident – The assistance team will try to fix faults and perform minor repairs. If the problem persists, the car will be towed to a nearby repair station for further repairs.
Jump Start or Alternate Battery – You may leave your car headlights on and return to a dead battery where your car does not start. The roadside assistance team will come to your location to jumpstart your car with an alternate battery.
Tire Replacement – If your tire is punctured or it bursts while driving, the roadside assistance team will come to your location and help change your tire as soon as possible. You may need to pay for new tyres if you don’t have spare ones already.
Unlocking Service – You may lose your attention for a second and lock your keys inside the car. A kid or a pet may lock the car and leave you outside. The roadside assistance team will reach your location and speedily unlock your car doors.
Emergency Fuel and Other Fluids – In the midst of your busy professional life, it’s easy to forget to refuel your car or check its fluid levels. Your car may stop because of low fluid, and in this situation, roadside assistance will reach your location with the fuel as required.
Breakdown Support – If your car breaks down due to an accident, electrical, or mechanical fault, the roadside assistance team will either bring experts on the spot to repair your car or tow it to a good repair station nearby.
Spare Key Arrangement – In case you lose, misplace, or break your car keys, you will need a new set. Roadside assistance will help arrange a spare key for your car so you can continue your journey.
Alternate Accommodation/Transport – If your car needs to be towed, you can either continue to your destination or stay at a hotel or other accommodations. The roadside assistance team will arrange hotel reservations, alternate transportation, or car rentals for you.
How to Claim Roadside Assistance Service?
Follow these steps if you want to contact the roadside assistance service of your credit card–
You must call the Toll-free number of your credit card’s customer support or roadside assistance support team.
You must share your name and the last four digits of your credit card to validate your identity and authenticate your credit card.
The roadside assistance team will need you to provide government ID proof and a car ID copy. Your details must match those on your credit card.
The roadside assistance team will visit your location and provide you with the necessary help and support to start your car as soon as possible.
Some Exclusions from Roadside Assistance
You may not be provided the roadside assistance service in some cases –
If your vehicle was not maintained regularly and was not in good driving condition
If the breakdown has happened because of deliberate damage, criminal acts, or vandalism
If the customer has a prior history of misusing or abusing the services twice
If the driver is found in an intoxicated state or does not have the proper license to drive the car.
If the car broke down because of illegal racing or criminal activities.
Benefits of Roadside Assistance Service
The best thing is the peace of mind you have while driving your vehicle. Every second is important in today’s busy professional life, and you don’t want to get stuck somewhere because your car broke down. A prompt roadside assistance team will reach your location as soon as possible and work on getting your vehicle back on the road.
Another benefit is that your car is handled by experts who will effectively tackle every emergency. Experts strive to minimize costly car repairs and deliver superior work compared to local car repair shops.
Your road trips and daily commutes become confident with the roadside assistance team available for help. More and more credit cards are now offering complimentary roadside assistance to cardholders, and it has become a really useful benefit of owning a credit card.
Conclusion
We hope that every person has a safe journey in their car and never needs roadside assistance. However, for a variety of reasons, a car breakdown can occur at the most unexpected moments, and it is a really frustrating situation for an average person.
Sometimes, people make the wrong decision, which can make the situation worse than before. A roadside assistance team can reach your location quickly and perform the necessary steps needed to start your vehicle. Many credit cards are now offering complimentary roadside assistance to cardholders, and the majority welcome the privilege.
What do you think about the complimentary roadside assistance service? If you want to get a credit card that offers this privilege, let us know in the comments section.
FAQs:
Which are the best credit cards offering complimentary roadside assistance?
In our country, many credit cards offer complimentary roadside assistance. Some of the best cards are IDFC First Power and First Power Plus, IDFC Wealth, ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver, and more.
Do all IDFC First Bank credit cards offer roadside assistance?
Yes, almost all IDFC Bank credit cards are lifetime free, and they offer complimentary roadside assistance all over India, not just to metropolitan cities. With IDFC Bank Credit Cards, you get complimentary roadside assistance four times a year, worth ₹1399.
What is covered in roadside assistance?
If your car breaks down while driving, you can contact your credit card’s roadside assistance service, and a team of experts will come to help you out. They will help you with the following issues –
Vehicle Towaway service
Car Unlocking
Alternate Battery or Jumpstart
Tyre Replacement
Emergency Fuel and Other Fluids
Arranging Spare Keys
Breakdown Support
Arranging Alternate Transport
How to claim roadside assistance service?
To access your credit card’s roadside assistance service, please follow these steps:
You must call the Toll-free number of your credit card’s customer support or roadside assistance support team.
You must share your name and the last 4 digits of your credit card to validate your identity and authenticate your credit card.
The roadside assistance team will need you to provide proof of government ID and a copy of your car ID. Your details must match those on your credit card.
The roadside assistance team will visit your location and provide you with the necessary help and support to start your car as soon as possible.
Can you be denied complimentary roadside assistance?
There are some situations in which roadside assistance is not provided –
If the breakdown has happened because of deliberate damage, criminal acts, or vandalism
If your vehicle was not maintained regularly and was not in good driving condition
If the customer has a prior history of misusing or abusing the services twice
If the car broke down because of illegal racing or criminal activities.
If the driver is found in an intoxicated state or does not have the proper license to drive the car.
