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Last updated: February 15, 2023

The Best Roadside Assistance You’ve Never Heard Of

An overview of the best and least-known roadside services in the country

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Ali Saleh
Ali Saleh, Staff Writer & Editor

Most of us have heard of AAA, USAA, AARP, and other big car clubs, memberships, and organizations. These groups help make drivers’ lives easier by offering roadside services, membership benefits, and discounts.

Outside of the big clubs and memberships, however, there are a whole host of organizations that offer excellent emergency assistance services and other benefits. While these might not be the biggest groups in the country, we think they’re worth looking at for their competitive rates and niche services.

Motor Club of America

Founded in 1926, Motor Club of America (MCA) has brought peace of mind to millions of drivers for nearly a century. MCA is a roadside assistance service available to drivers in the U.S. and Canada. It has two primary membership plans, which provide the following benefits and services.

Costs, services, and benefits MCA Security Plan Total Security Plan
Cost per month $9.95 $19.95
Emergency roadside assistance Yes Yes
Long distance towing No Yes
Recreational vehicle roadside assistance No Yes
Emergency car rental Yes Yes
Emergency room reimbursement Yes Yes
Daily hospital benefits Yes Yes
Lodging, meals, transportation Yes Yes
Accidental death benefit Yes Yes
Worldwide travel emergency Yes Yes
Auto-related legal services Yes Yes
Theft security awards Yes Yes
Travel discounts Yes Yes
Concierge services Yes Yes
Optional accidental death and dismemberment coverage No Yes

DID YOU KNOW?

In the U.S. alone, 220 million drivers have to replace flat tires each year, and only 19 percent of U.S. drivers know how to do it.1 2

The Good Sam Club

The Good Sam Club (short for “good samaritan”) offers roadside assistance subscriptions, membership benefits, and travel assistance for RVs and cars. The RV-focused club started in 1966. What began as a few charters in select states has turned into a national organization with more than 1.3 million members.

The Good Sam Club offers three subscription models: Good Sam membership, Travel Assist, and Roadside Assistance. Here’s a basic breakdown of what each offers.

Subscription Annual starting cost Services
Good Sam Membership $29.99
  • RV, camping, and other outdoor discounts
  • 5¢ off each gallon of gas and 8¢ off each gallon of diesel
  • Retail discounts
  • Free shipping for Camping World purchases
  • Free RV and boat dump station services
  • 15 percent off on propane at select Camping World and RVs.com retail locations
Travel Assist $45
  • RV return-to-home service if you’re unable to drive your vehicle
  • Emergency medical transportation
  • Medical transportation that takes you to a hospital near your home
  • Emergency medical monitoring with updates to family members
  • Pet care and pet return assistance
Roadside Assistance $49.95
  • Roadside emergency services (flat tire replacement, towing, fuel refills, etc.) for both cars and RVs
  • Trip interruption assistance that pays up to $1,200 for approved expenses if your accident is more than 100 miles from home
  • Coverage in the U.S., Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico
  • Certified RV technicians and the nation’s largest RV-dispatch network on staff
  • Emergency medical assistance
  • Emergency fuel and fluids service

Auto Insurance Roadside Services

One of the cheapest ways to get roadside assistance is to sign up for the optional roadside assistance program through your provider. Your major providers – State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, etc.– all have their own roadside assistance programs that you can add to your policy. While some services may differ from provider to provider, you will get the standard towing, winching, field delivery, and tire change from every big provider.

And if, for whatever reason, you don’t want roadside assistance from your particular provider, Allstate offers a roadside motor club membership to non-existing customers. That means you can get all the roadside services you need without being an Allstate customer. Allstate’s starting roadside assistance rate is $8 per month.

PRO TIP:

AARP’s roadside assistance program is serviced by Allstate. AARP members earn a 20 percent discount when they sign up for Allstate’s roadside assistance program.3

Credit Card Companies

Believe it or not, you may not need roadside assistance from a provider or third-party member if you can get it from your credit card company. Some credit card companies, like Visa, charge a flat rate per service, while others have a maximum charge, like Chase. Here’s a breakdown of the rates, services, and features of these roadside options.

Cost/services/benefits Visa (includes Wells Fargo, Bank of America, U.S. Bank, and Discover) Mastercard Chase
Cost per service $69.95 Rates vary Rates vary, but benefits are covered for up to $50 per roadside call
Standard towing Yes Yes Yes
Tire change Yes Yes Yes
Jump start Yes Yes Yes
Fuel delivery Yes Yes Yes
Winch service Yes No Yes

Citations

  1. BACK TO SEARCH TIRE BLOWOUT SEASON IS UPON US, AS 40 MILLION AMERICANS HIT THE ROAD FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY TRAVEL PERIOD. AAA. (2018, Jul 3).
    https://cluballiance.aaa.com/public-affairs/press-release?rdl=midatlantic.aaa.com&Id=9a57c237-2745-4df1-8ced-699bb2662086

  2. Tires. United States Department of Transportation. (2019).
    https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/tires

  3. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, 24 HOURS A DAY. AARP. (2023).
    https://www.aarproadside.com/aarp/

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