In contrast to the increase in intermediaries' income, the National Roadside Assistance Alliance puts the focus on tow-truck companies' losses.
The recently published report by the Asitur Focus Observatory indicates that roadside call-outs rose by 4.8 % in 2022, reports the National Roadside Assistance Alliance, which recalls another important figure, published by the insurers themselves: profits of 2,662 million euros accumulated during the first half of last year (9.3 % more than in 2021).
The data gathered by the Observatory match those of the leading companies in the roadside assistance sector, which put the increase in call-outs at between 3 and 8.5 %; this contrasts with the situation of these companies, 63 % of which are making losses. Insurers' rates are insufficient to cover costs, as the Alliance has been denouncing for months, having called the numerous protests that have taken place across the country.
The Alliance's spokesperson, Xavier Martí, has again pointed out that the situation in the roadside assistance value chain is "unsustainable". "Assistance companies are clear that in 2023 they are not going to ruin themselves by working: many of them have found that it would be better to remain idle than to suffer losses."
Serious problems in the Basque Country
In fact, the year has got off to a heated start in the north of the country, with serious problems in the Basque Country, where jobs for which the Real Automóvil Club de España (Race) acts as intermediary are still not being handled. The reason? As assistance companies have been saying: the rates do not cover operating costs. Hence these situations.
Assistance companies are being forced to prioritise profitable jobs over those on which intermediaries force them to make losses. They only attend incidents when required to by the traffic authorities, or in cases of force majeure, where there are personal casualties, or in circumstances of similar seriousness.
The Alliance points to the Observatory's figures, highlighting that despite the increase in activity, average income has fallen by 27 %. What is more, rates are considered to be more than 40 % below the prices that would be needed to avoid technical insolvency.
Last March's Royal Decree is still not being complied with
Royal Decree-Law 3/22 of 1 March, passed by the Government, which called for costs arising from the increase in fuel prices to be passed on, is still not being complied with by insurers, assistance platforms and motoring clubs. This has had a very negative impact on assistance companies' profit margins, driving them straight into negative figures. Not only on urban jobs – which average less than 34 euros – … but also on long-distance jobs, which are no longer profitable.
The Alliance warns of the intermediaries' irresponsibility. The sector has spent the whole year calling for prices to be brought into line with the costs and expenses involved in maintaining a 24/365 service. And the other side is turning a deaf ear to the problem, pushing it to the limit, and to a scenario of crisis, closures, redundancies and direct conflict on several fronts. And the year has only just begun. The existing gap in the roadside assistance and recovery value chain – which also affects users and has an impact on road safety – must be corrected.
The National Roadside Assistance Alliance is made up of the following regional and national associations and business organisations: ABEAC (Balearic Islands), ABEAC (Basque Country), ASCA (Catalonia), AMEAC (Madrid), ASCALEAC, (Castile and León), ASEDA (Andalusia), ASEGA (Galicia), AGRUAXA (Salamanca), ASEXTEAC (Extremadura), GRUPO CARTER (National), CEPAS (National), FEGRUAL (National Federation) AGREGA-GRÚAS and REAC (National Group).