Saturday, June 13, 2015

Expecting the Unexpected


After this latest truck drama, I enrolled with US Rider today.  I am not sure why I didn't already have a membership with them.  I guess it's because I have never, thankfully, had any issues while hauling.  The transfer case issue is the first issue I have ever had with my truck.  I have never had a problem with my trailer either (I love Sundowner) aside from a blow out, which is something that is not a matter of if, but when it will happen.  If you haul a trailer, you're going to get a flat at some point.  But I am overly prepared in that aspect as well.  Another contributing factor is our location.  We are close to Ocala.  We are in the heart of horse country here so there is basically a never ending supply of horse related services that are never far from home.  When I haul, I only haul further into the heart of horse country.

Funny, the day the new transfer case showed up on our porch is the day the Other Half got a promotional offer from US Rider in the mail.  We have never received mail from them until that day.  I also have no clue why it showed up with the Other Half's name on it.  He doesn't drive my truck, or haul my trailer.  I'm always the driver.  I started reading through the information and thought it was probably something that I needed to get in on.

You don't expect the unexpected.  I dropped my truck off for a noisy u-joint in the drive line, the truck wasn't driving any different.  Lucky for me we have a great, honest shop that the Beast goes to, and because they were making sure nothing else was going on in the drive line they found that the transfer case had a hole in it.  I never expected a noisy u-joint to turn into a $1,400 repair, but I'm glad it did since the alternative could have been me stranded with my trailer and a horse(s) in it somewhere on the highway in the middle of the summer.  I would have been fine but what about the ponies?  It is THEM that I would worry about in that situation.  And what if that would have happened?  I wouldn't have had US Rider to come to my rescue, but I do now!

US Rider provides towing for your truck AND trailer, repairs, battery assistance, flat tire assistance, lock out services, fuel, oil, and water delivery, emergency trip interruption vet services, emergency lodging/stabling arrangements, vet and farrier referral services.  Also, even if you are not hauling a trailer you're still covered, AND even if you are a passenger in another vehicle, you're covered.  Price?  $140 per year.  I do have full coverage insurance on my truck and trailer that includes roadside assistance and towing on my truck but my insurance company (as with most) doesn't provide anything in the way of roadside assistance for my trailer, or anything to help with the horses in the trailer in case of an emergency.  This is one of those things that you would rather have and not need it than need it and not have it.

2 comments:

  1. I'd heard so many good things about US Rider that we enrolled the same week we got the trailer! :) They can make a huge difference in a real emergency. I told Charles that it was like AAA for horse trailers, except they'll also help out even if you're not hauling. It's awesome. Agreed: definitely one of those things that is better to have and not need than to need and not have. :)

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  2. I enrolled with US Rider when we moved from WI to SC and hauled the horses ourselves. It was too long of a haul for me to feel comfortable without any coverage. Thankfully we didn't have to use them. I have renewed each year since just in case.

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