Should You Buy Roadside Assistance?
Roadside assistance can help if you run out of gas or have a flat tire. Here’s what to consider before buying.
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Updated · 5 min read
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Key takeaways
- Roadside assistance helps stranded drivers with battery jumpstarts, key replacements, fuel deliveries and other similar services.
- Most insurance companies offer roadside assistance as an optional add-on.
- You may also be able to get roadside assistance through an auto club, credit card, your car’s manufacturer or your cell phone company.
Roadside assistance helps drivers when they experience car problems. If you lose your car keys, run out of gas or need your car towed, having a roadside assistance plan can get you out of these and similar emergency situations.
Car insurance companies often offer roadside assistance. If you don't already have it, you may also be able to get coverage through your:
- Membership in AAA or other auto clubs.
- Car manufacturer.
- Cell phone provider.
- Credit card company.
The cost of roadside assistance is usually fairly low compared to other types of coverage. The cheapest way to get roadside assistance is likely as an add-on to your car insurance policy, credit card or cell phone plan rather than buying it from a provider like AAA.
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What does roadside assistance cover?
Roadside services vary depending on the company, but often include:
- Towing.
- Changing a flat tire.
- Fuel delivery.
- Locksmith services.
- Battery jump-start.
- Winching, which is pulling a car with a chain or rope if it’s stuck in snow, ice or mud.
With a roadside assistance plan, you typically pay a monthly or annual fee for coverage. Then, when you need help, you can get services at no extra cost or at a discount.
Another option is to pay per incident for roadside coverage. Instead of paying every year whether you use the service or not, you can pay when (and if) you need help.
Where to get roadside assistance
If you want to buy a roadside assistance plan, think carefully about where you want to purchase it. We’ve detailed several options below to help you determine what method is best for you.
Auto insurance company
Auto insurers generally offer roadside assistance as an optional coverage, but it may be available only if you buy comprehensive and collision insurance. The number of incidents covered per year varies by insurer, so make sure to ask your insurance representative for more details.
While not all insurers offer roadside assistance, many do, including:
- Allstate: Allstate has two roadside assistance plans that range in cost from $78 to $111 per year, per car, and rates are cheaper for the first year. Policyholders may be able to get roadside assistance more cheaply. Allstate also offers a pay-per-use program that costs $154 each time you use it.
- Erie: Benefits include battery jumps, lockout services, flat tire changes, fuel deliveries and help with stuck vehicles. Coverage may start at about $5 per vehicle, according to Erie.
- Farmers: Helps to cover towing, tire changes and other services. Farmers’ roadside assistance may also include coverage for a rideshare if your car breaks down.
- GEICO: Roadside assistance starts at $14 a year per car, including lockout services up to $100.
- Progressive: Coverage includes benefits such as towing services anywhere within 15 miles or to the nearest repair facility.
- State Farm: Roadside assistance services may include towing and labor, fuel delivery, change of tire and help with lockouts. State Farm also offers pay-per-incident coverage.
» MORE: What are the types of auto insurance?
AAA and other member organizations
Membership organizations can be pricier than other roadside assistance options, but they come with benefits you typically won’t find in other types of plans. With an organization like AAA or Better World Club, you can get emergency road benefits plus perks like assistance in booking travel and discounts on hotels, car rentals and movie tickets.
Both AAA and Better World Club offer different membership tiers. Better World Club, which focuses on environmentally-friendly values, costs $69.95 a year for a basic plan and $119.95 for a premium plan. AAA membership costs differ depending on tier and location, but pricing can be over $120 per year for premium roadside service.
AAA and Better World Club aren't the only membership organizations that include roadside assistance. For instance, if you own a recreational vehicle and care more about camping discounts than travel, Good Sam Club, which caters to RV owners, might be a better fit for you. Good Sam offers auto-only coverage at $49.95 a year, and packages for auto and RV ranging from $64.95 to $119.95.
Car manufacturer
You may already have free roadside assistance coverage if you’ve recently purchased a new vehicle. Some car manufacturers automatically include it when you buy a new car. Coverage is usually limited to a certain number of years or miles. Here are a few examples.
| Car company | Roadside assistance |
|---|---|
| Ford | Free, up to 60,000 miles or five years. |
| General Motors | GM may include roadside assistance for 5 years or 60,000 miles on 2016 or newer vehicles. |
| Hyundai | Free roadside assistance for the first five years. |
| Toyota | Free coverage up to two years. |
| Volkswagen | Free for the first three years or 36,000 miles. Certified pre-owned vehicles receive two years of free coverage. |
Cell phone company
Some cell phone companies, including Verizon, also provide emergency road service coverage.
A Verizon plan costs $4.99 a month per phone line for four claims a year. The maximum benefit per incident varies depending on the service provided. For example, winching is provided up to a $100 service limit. If you're a Verizon customer but don't have an emergency roadside plan, you'll pay a separate rate per incident.
Roadside assistance through Verizon is provided by Signature Motor Club.
Credit card company
If you have a Mastercard or Visa credit card, you may already have access to roadside assistance. Some of these cards provide pay-per-incident coverage, which means you’ll pay each time you use the service but won’t be charged anything if you never use this benefit. There’s no monthly or annual fee for this type of roadside assistance, although there may be an annual fee for the credit card itself.
Visa and Mastercard offer roadside dispatch at varying rates based on the specific card you have. For example, Visa Signature credit cards generally charge $79.95 per incident, with no limit to how many times you use it.
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Do you need roadside assistance coverage?
Whether you want to buy a roadside assistance plan is a personal choice. If you only drive short distances or have coverage automatically through your car manufacturer or credit card company, you might not want to spring for the extra protection. And if you barely use roadside assistance, then you might be comfortable paying out of pocket on those rare occasions.
Still, depending on your situation, an emergency road service plan can help ease anxiety and save you money in the long run. It might be worth it if you:
- Have an upcoming road trip.
- Want the additional benefits a membership organization offers.
- Have a long commute.
- Have an older car.
- Prefer the convenience of having coverage.
- Aren’t familiar with service garages or car mechanics.
Choosing a roadside assistance plan
All roadside assistance plans are not the same, so be sure to ask these questions:
How much does this plan cost, and what does it include? Are there any additional fees?
Roadside assistance can cost anywhere from $5 to more than $100 a year — or it might be a free perk from your credit card company or new car manufacturer.
You may have additional expenses beyond this base price for certain services. For example, your plan might cover fuel delivery but require you to pay for the gas. Some policies also limit the number of manual labor hours or how many miles a car can be towed before you’re charged an extra fee.
How many service claims can you have each year?
A few policies allow unlimited service calls, but many will cover only four claims per year. After that, you can usually still get help by paying an additional fee. But if you have too many claims, some companies might not offer you roadside assistance coverage in the future.
Are you covered if you’re not in your own car?
While insurance companies and car manufacturers generally provide service based on the car, membership organizations such as AAA cover the individual. This means you can call for help if your friend’s car breaks down while you’re along for the ride.
Does the policy extend to others?
Membership organizations usually allow you to add household members for an additional fee but some plans will cover one additional household member for free. Some plans through cell phone companies provide coverage based on whoever has the enrolled device. For example, if your friend borrows your enrolled cell phone and needs roadside assistance, the incident would be covered even if you’re not there.
Will service claims affect your car insurance rates?
If you buy roadside assistance coverage through your auto insurance company, excessive claims could affect your rates. As long as you use the plan only for occasional emergencies, you likely won’t see your rates rise.
Your car insurance rates won’t be affected if you use roadside assistance from a different source, such as AAA or a credit card company.
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On this page
- Key takeaways
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- Where to get roadside assistance
- Do you need roadside assistance coverage?
- Choosing a roadside assistance plan
- How much does this plan cost, and what does it include? Are there any additional fees?
- How many service claims can you have each year?
- Are you covered if you’re not in your own car?
- Does the policy extend to others?
- Will service claims affect your car insurance rates?
- See what you could save on car insurance
