Fiat Group Automobiles and the Europ Assistance group are boosting their partnership in the roadside assistance field thanks to a pan-European agreement increasing the number of European countries in which the Fiat, Fiat Professional, Abarth, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands will now be offering the Europ Assistance group's roadside assistance services to their customers to a total of nine.

The two groups are also extending their partnership in the Indian market, where the Fiat Group is growing strongly, building on their current international partnership which was launched in 1999 in Brazil and Argentina.

Under the terms of this agreement, (which extends the partnership in place between the two groups since 1995 for three years), customers of Fiat Group Automobiles in five new European countries can now benefit from the Europ Assistance group’s roadside assistance programmes.

After France, Portugal, Spain and Greece, clients of the various Fiat Group Automobiles brands can now receive support from the Europ Assistance group in Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia as well as in Argentina, Brazil and India internationally.

This new agreement between the two groups clearly demonstrates Fiat Group Automobiles’ commitment to offering its clients a broad range of highly effective services fully adapted to their needs and to adding to these in an innovative manner, guaranteeing mobility for all of its customers, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, thanks to a number of services: immediate roadside assistance in the event of accidents or other incidents (i.e. flat batteries, running out of fuel or punctures); the provision of a replacement vehicle if the customer's own vehicle will be off the road for more than four hours for repairs (six hours for models from the Fiat brand); the availability of alternative means of travel (taxis, trains or air travel, etc.) for onward travel; and medical and health assistance.

This comprehensive agreement also includes the provision of special services, tailored to meet the specific needs of Fiat Group Automobiles’ customers, with examples being: cover for used vehicles (Autoexpert) in France and roadside assistance for the Fiat Ducato Camper in thirty five countries throughout Europe, available directly from the Fiat Camper website.

In the opinion of Mauro Veglia, Vice President of Fiat Group Automobiles’ network development division and of the customer service division, "this partnership will provide us with a major pan-European partner able to supply innovative, wide-ranging solutions in all market segments, enabling us to pursue our vital goal of standardising assistance services throughout the European market".

Stefano Sarti, Director of the Europ Assistance group’s international automotive division added that "this decision by Fiat Group Automobiles demonstrates the Europ Assistance group's commitment to offering its vehicle manufacturing clients comprehensive solutions via a single pan-European service provider.