Cars

Heat leaves many motorists out in the cold

By Bao Chang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-07 10:30

BEIJING - Requests for roadside assistance are increasing hand-in-hand with rising temperatures as vehicles succumb to the heat on the nation's roadways.

Also on the rise are insurance claims for the cost of towing and breakdowns.

Wang Feng, deputy director of the claim center of the People's Insurance Company of China, said insurance claims have jumped as reports of overheating and stalled vehicles soar with the high temperatures.

Beijing has seen temperatures in the 40s as the heatwave continues, exceeding 35 degrees in most areas in China.

Towing and roadside assistance firms are cleaning up on the surge in business.

"We have received nearly 500 calls for assistance or towing every day this week, a lot more than last week when the weather was not so hot," said Zhao Yong, a towing-service manager with China Automobile Association, a Beijing-based automobile club.

Common heat-related problems stalling vehicles include stuck thermostats, cooling system leaks, faulty water pumps, bad cooling fans and clogged radiators.

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Zhao's company is seeing 50 percent growth in its business compared with the same period last year. The company charges 200 yuan ($29.4) for roadside vehicle assistance.

The unexpected heatwave has created headaches and confusion for some motorists as some insurance companies and dealerships don't cover overheating claims.

An employee in the after-sales service department of Shanghai Volkswagen Skoda dealership at Beijing Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange Market said that dealers are not responsible for heat-related compensation and will forward claims to insurance companies.

Some auto insurance coverage plans offer varying levels of coverage for roadside assistance, but fees and the extent of coverage is usually determined at the time of policy purchase.

Ping An of China, one of China's largest insurance companies, said it doesn't offer insurance to compensate heat-related breakdowns on Tuesday.

According to a report released by www.uaa.cn, another Beijing-based automobile club, the options for stranded drivers includes calling insurance companies, car manufacturers, calling friends or call an automobile club.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a heat alert Tuesday morning, warning that the heatwave affecting many parts of China will continue. That is not the news. Fu Renjie, a 26-year-old engineer at a foreign-owned enterprise, wanted to hear on Tuesday.

"Yesterday, the temperature in my car exceeded 60 degrees!"