Do You Need Roadside Assistance Insurance?

Unexpected problems happen on the road. You could manage to lock your keys in your car, need a jumpstart for a dead battery or get a flat tire. Or you might test the limits of the “E” on your fuel gauge and run out of gas.

Having roadside assistance insurance can help get you back on the road and reimburse you for some of the costs.

What Is Roadside Assistance Insurance?

Roadside assistance coverage is designed to assist and pay for expenses incurred from a broken down or disabled vehicle. When you experience vehicle trouble, you can contact your roadside assistance provider either via an app or by calling the assistance hotline. The dispatch service will then send someone to assist you with your car trouble needs.

Typically, there are four ways to get roadside assistance coverage:

• Add it to your auto insurance policy.
• Pay per use when an auto emergency strikes.
• Purchase an auto club membership that has roadside assistance.
• Receive coverage as a benefit from a company.

What Does Roadside Assistance Cover?

While each plan may have different benefits, features and limits, here are a few ways roadside assistance coverage can help you when you’re in a bind:

• Your car battery dies and you need a jump-start.
• Your car breaks down and needs repairs.
• Your car gets a flat tire requiring repair.
• Your car runs out of gas.
• You lose your keys or get locked out of your vehicle and need a locksmith.
• You need a tow to a repair location.

It’s important to note that most policies have service and reimbursement limitations. For example, a policy may only pay to tow your car to the nearest repair shop, while others may limit the amount of service calls you can make in a year.

In addition to providing assistance for things, such as towing services and changing a flat tire, some of the best roadside assistance plans provide a few extra benefits. Extra benefits you might get include:

• Guaranteed arrest bond: If you’re charged with a traffic violation, this coverage will post bond, up to a certain limit.  
• Legal defense reimbursement: If you need an attorney to defend you in court against a traffic violation, this coverage will reimburse you for legal costs up to the plan limit. 
• Trip interruption coverage: If your car breaks down while on a road trip, this coverage reimburses you for certain lodging to travel expenses up to the plan limit. 

Possible Rules and Exclusions for Roadside Assistance Insurance

Although roadside assistance plans offer a wide range of benefits, there are a few common rules and exclusions, such as:

• Collision and comprehensive coverage are required. Usually, if you want to purchase a roadside assistance rider through your auto insurance company, you will need collision and comprehensive coverage. Roadside assistance coverage is often a benefit that you can add on to your current auto insurance policy.
• Vehicle specific. Roadside assistance insurance applies only to your vehicle. So, if you’re driving your best friend’s car and it breaks down, your insurance won’t extend to someone else’s car.
• Not just for cars. Roadside assistance coverage can be purchased for motorcycles, boats and RVs, such as Progressive’s roadside assistance coverage.

A membership card must be present. Usually, you must provide valid identification and/or your membership card to receive emergency roadside services.

“It is important for consumers to understand what is included as part of their plan so they aren’t surprised by additional charges. For example, only a certain number of towing miles may be included and anything beyond that will cost extra,” says Ellen Edmonds, a spokesperson at AAA.

“Types of services offered can also vary in a particular area,” she says. “Consumers should research plans to understand what it does and does not offer, the better prepared they will be in the event of a breakdown.”

Where to Get Roadside Assistance Coverage

You can get roadside assistance services in several different ways. It’s offered by some car insurance companies, credit card companies, auto clubs, companies that specialize in roadside assistance and other clubs and organizations.

Car Insurance Companies

Many car insurance companies offer some form of roadside assistance that provide services such as battery jumps, gas and oil delivery, battery jumps, roadside repairs and tire servicing. You’ll typically have to purchase roadside assistance as an additional coverage. Here are some insurers that offer roadside assistance:

• Allstate
• American Family
• Amica
• Auto-Owners
• Erie
• Farmers
• Geico
• Lemonade
• Liberty Mutual
• Mercury
• Nationwide
• Progressive
• State Farm
• Travelers
• USAA

Your Vehicle Manufacturer

When you purchase a new vehicle, many companies will offer roadside assistance programs with the new car. For example, the Mercedes-Benz roadside assistance program offers benefits, such free of charge towing services and trip interruption coverage up to $300 per night.

You also might be able to get roadside coverage through an extended warranty on your car. Keep in mind, since your coverage is often tied to the vehicle, you will lose warranty coverage if you sell the car.

Credit Card Companies

Certain major credit card companies offer a variety of roadside assistance programs. But, depending on the type of card you have, you may have to pay for roadside assistance services.

Here are a few examples of credit card companies that offer roadside assistance programs:

• Capital One Roadside Assistance. Capital One offers the program on some of their cards, including Quicksilver, Savor and Venture. There may be a flat fee for roadside service. The specific pricing for the roadside assistance program varies by the specific Capital One credit card. Services include towing, tire changes, jump-starts and fuel delivery.
• Chase Roadside Dispatch. This is a pay-per-use program that provides access to a variety of roadside assistance services to cardholders. For a set price per service call, the program offers towing up to five miles, tire changes, fuel delivery up to five gallons, jump-starting and more, up to program limits. The service call amount is provided when you call and any additional costs for services or products will be charged to your Chase card.
• MasterCard’s Master RoadAssist Roadside Service. If you’re a MasterCard cardmember, you receive a free roadside assistance hotline to request assistance for vehicle emergencies. All fees for roadside assistance services will be charged to your card. But all fees are pre-negotiated by MasterCard and can vary based on the type of services or product you receive.

Auto Clubs

Although a subscription through an auto club might be more expensive annually, they often have a broader range of high-level service providers. Examples of auto clubs include:

• AAA. One of the best-known auto clubs is AAA, which consists of regional auto clubs. AAA offers three levels of coverage: Classic, Plus and Premier. Each level of membership offers robust benefits, ranging from free service calls to reimbursement for locksmith services (up to the plan limit) to trip interruption coverage. Plans costs will vary depending on your state.
• Better World Club. Calling itself “America’s only green auto club,” Better World Club offers roadside assistance for cars and bicycles. Better World offers two auto roadside assistance programs (Basic and Premium) that differ by cost, towing range and trip interruption reimbursement. Annual costs are either $61.95 and $99.95.
• National General Motors Club. Similar to AAA, National General Motors offers three levels of roadside assistance plans: Basic, Standard, and Elite. Plan options range from free roadside services to legal defense coverage to trip interruption coverage. Plans range in price from $59 to $119 a year.

Other Companies and Organizations

There are other companies that may also provide roadside assistance either free of charge with their other services or as a membership option.

AARP: AARP offers roadside assistance plans through Allstate. AARP members save up to 20% with membership starting at $66. Benefits include towing, lockout services and dead battery jumps.

Honk: You can also check out a company like Honk, which helps connect you to roadside assistance through your smartphone, tablet or computer. This is a free service that partners with other companies that provide roadside assistance services for towing, flat tires, jump starts, locksmiths and fuel.

With the Honk app, you enter your location and basic details about the type of service you need, like “tow truck” or “car won’t start.” Honk will then quote you a service rate and guarantees you won’t be charged more than the quote. Honk might be a good option for you if you don’t want to pay membership fees for an auto club or add roadside assistance coverage to your insurance.

Verizon Wireless: For $4.99 a month, Verizon Wireless customers can receive Verizon’s Roadside Assistance Service. Benefits include towing, fuel delivery, flat tire services and more. But you may have to pay for parts or additional services if it’s outside the plan limits. You’re also limited to four service calls per enrolled line. Watch out, because if you’re not enrolled there is a $89.95 charge each time you use the service.

Do I Need Roadside Assistance Coverage?

There are 69 million vehicle breakdowns each year in the U.S., according to Agero. Having some form of roadside assistance coverage can be worth the investment.

“Roadside assistance provides drivers with peace of mind should their vehicle break down,” says Edmonds of AAA. “Being stranded on the side of a busy highway or late at night can be stressful and scary. By having roadside assistance, drivers have a number they can quickly call for help.”

With all of the options available, it’s crucial to compare benefits, features and costs of each plan available so you can find the best option for the level of assistance you want.

How to Choose a Roadside Assistance Plan

While most roadside assistance plans include fuel delivery, towing, flat-tire fixes and battery charges they still vary in price and services. When deciding which roadside assistance plan is right for you, consider the following.

Price

You don’t want overpay, but you also want to be sure you get all the benefits you want. Compare the cost of roadside assistance plans based on the services provided. For example, if having family members included is important to you, but costs a bit more, that might be a better fit than a cheaper roadside assistance plan that only covers you.

Towing Mileage Limit

Many roadside assistance plans have a limit on how far they’ll tow your car from the breakdown location, for example five, 10 or 20 miles. A higher towing mileage limit may serve you better, all else being equal.

Number of Service Calls Per Year

It’s common for roadside assistance plans to limit how many service calls you get in a year. For instance, it may be four or five.

Additional Services: Winching, Lost Keys, Extension of Coverage

Check for benefits that are important to you. For example, not all roadside assistance plans cover winching—or pulling your car out of a ditch—so if that’s a service you want, be sure it’s included in your roadside assistance plan. Likewise, ask about lost key service, trip interruption coverage and if other drivers of your car are covered.

Roadside Assistance Coverage FAQs