How does assistance cover work?

When your car breaks down on the A43 or an accident leaves you stranded far from home, you call the assistance number on your green card or contract. What you do not see is the chain that starts up behind the scenes: assistance centre, recovery operator, and then — this is where we come in — a transport operator who takes you and your passengers to your destination.

Step 1: your call creates a "case"

At the assistance provider (Allianz Partners, AXA Partners, Mutuaide, Europ Assistance, IMA…), your call opens a case with a unique number. This number follows all operations: roadside repair, towing, taxi/private-hire car, replacement vehicle, any accommodation. Keep it handy — everyone involved will ask for it.

The case manager assesses your situation: where exactly are you (motorway marker, rest area, address)? How many passengers? Children with car seats? Luggage? A pet? These details determine which vehicle is sent.

Step 2: the assistance provider appoints a local transport operator

For the "passenger transport" part, the assistance provider appoints a transport company in its area — this is ONLY VTC's role across the Lyon metropolitan area and a wide surrounding zone: from Villefranche-sur-Saône to Vienne, from L'Arbresle to Givors, Bourgoin-Jallieu and as far as Bourg-en-Bresse. In practice, we receive a mission with: the case number, the pick-up location, the destination authorised by your contract and the number of passengers.

Important point: the scope of the ride is set by your assistance contract, not by the driver. Depending on the cover, the destination may be your home, the nearest station, a garage or a hotel. If you would like a different destination, this is negotiated with your case manager — the driver carries out the approved mission.

Step 3: pick-up on site

On the motorway, pick-up generally takes place at the rest area or at the exit from the concession network, after towing by the approved recovery operator — a private-hire driver is not allowed to stop on the hard shoulder. The driver calls you when approaching, checks the case number and identities, and takes you to the mission's destination.

You have nothing to pay on board for the covered service: the ride is invoiced directly to the assistance provider. If an uncovered extra is added (for example a second personal stop), you are told beforehand, never at the last minute.

How long does it take?

Let's be honest: the longest link is rarely the transport. Between your call and the mission being sent to the transport operator, 20 minutes to more than an hour may pass depending on the assistance centre's workload. Once the mission is received, our pick-up times are short: our drivers are spread across a wide area — from Villefranche-sur-Saône to Vienne, from L'Arbresle to Bourgoin-Jallieu and as far as Bourg-en-Bresse — with a base at the junction of the A43, the A46 and the eastern bypass.

Our advice from the field

• Write down your case number from the first call.
• Mention child seats from the initial assessment: an equipped van avoids a second vehicle.
• Stay reachable : the driver calls you when approaching, and a flat phone is the leading cause of avoidable waiting.
• On the motorway, follow the recovery operator's instructions: the meeting with the private-hire car takes place in a safe area.

ONLY VTC carries out assistance missions on behalf of assistance centres across the Lyon metropolitan area, Saint-Exupéry airport and a wide zone — Villefranche-sur-Saône, L'Arbresle, Givors, Vienne, Bourgoin-Jallieu, Bourg-en-Bresse — 24/7, with real-time mission tracking and direct invoicing to the assistance provider. Our entire service is presented on the page Assistance & repatriation. Partnerships contact: contact@onlyvtc.fr.

Frequently asked questions