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Last updated: November 19, 2024

Guide to Roadside Assistance

A roadside assistance program often pays for itself, even if you only end up using it once a year.

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With the costs of car insurance, gasoline, and vehicle maintenance, the last thing you want to do is add another recurring expense for your car. But if you’re stranded on the side of the road and need a tow, tire change, or battery jump start, you’ll be glad you invested in roadside assistance. And the good news is that with most companies, you can get away with paying less than $10 a month for this service. Learn more with our roadside assistance guide.

Editor’s note (last updated October 2024): We have updated this page with the current plans and pricing for various roadside assistance programs such as AAA.

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What Is Roadside Assistance?

Roadside assistance is a service that will help you if you or your car needs emergency assistance due to a vehicle breakdown. Different plans cover different issues, but here’s what you can expect in general.

What It Covers

Roadside assistance usually covers these costs:

  • Towing
  • Jump starts
  • Flat tire changes
  • Lock outs
  • Fuel delivery
  • Battery changes
  • Winching (e.g., if your vehicle is stuck in mud, snow, sand, or a ditch)

Some plans include extras, like emergency car rental, or lodging, meals, and transportation if you get stuck while away from home (also known as travel expenses coverage).

Why You Need Roadside Assistance

Without roadside assistance, you’ll have to pay out of pocket for expensive services such as towing and lockouts. These services could cost you hundreds of dollars, versus the roughly $100 you’d spend on a roadside assistance program yearly, if not less.

Take the cost of towing, for example, which varies based on distance.

  • 5 miles or fewer: $35 to $125
  • 40 miles: $125 to $275
  • 100 miles: $600 maximum1

It’s better to pay $100 a year for roadside assistance than to risk having to pay $600 if you need a tow a long way from home (not to mention the cost to stay in hotels, for which some roadside assistance programs reimburse you).

J.D. Power also looked at the costs of car locksmiths, which don’t come cheap either.

  • Door unlocking: $70 to $150
  • Car rekeying: $50 to $100
  • Car door lock replacement: $300 to $600
  • Rekeyed ignition: $100
  • Multiple key copies: $30 to $50

Those expenses could be covered if you had roadside assistance.

Roadside assistance is also a good idea for teen drivers or anyone who lacks driving experience. It will give you peace of mind to know that when your loved ones are on the road, they can easily get the help they may need with just one phone call and little expense.

How Much Does Roadside Assistance Cost?

On average, roadside assistance costs between $5 and $9 a month. More expensive plans from companies like GEICO cost $14 a month, but keep in mind that these plans tend to cover more vehicles and people.

Company Minimum cost per month Maximum cost per month
AAA $6 $10.17
AARP (Allstate) $5.50 $6.33
Allstate Roadside $6.08 $7.42
AT&T $2.99 $2.99
Better World Club $5.25 $9.58
Erie $0.42 $0.42
GEICO $14 $14
Good Sam $4.16 $7.50
Motorcycle Towing Services $2.50 $15 (family membership)

SAVE 20 PERCENT:

Senior drivers can take advantage of a 20 percent discount on Allstate Roadside with an AARP membership.2

How to Find the Best Roadside Assistance Programs

While you’re exploring roadside assistance options, pricing isn’t the only factor you should consider. Also take into account the following aspects of the program:

  • How often you can use the service: Most roadside assistance programs place limits on how many times you can use the service per year.
  • The calling process: If a roadside assistance program isn’t easily reachable by a toll-free phone number, it won’t do much good when you’re locked out of your car on a freezing night.
  • How long it takes to arrive: Use websites such as Trustpilot to see how fast the provider usually arrives.
  • Which vehicles it covers: If you’re part of a family, make sure your roadside assistance plan applies to everyone and their respective vehicles.
  • Where the plan provides coverage: Some plans cover you only when you’re near home, while others provide coverage within a certain radius. If you plan to take a road trip, make sure roadside assistance will be available throughout your journey.
  • Towing distance: Most companies impose a maximum distance for which they will reimburse you for towing; you’ll be responsible for funding anything beyond that distance.
  • Cancellation policy: The program should be easy to cancel, and the company should provide a prorated refund based on your cancellation date.
  • Complaints with the Better Business Bureau: Check the Better Business Bureau’s website for both the company rating and the customer rating. Avoid providers with customer ratings of three stars or lower.
  • Discounts/specials: Make sure you’re signing up at an optimal time to save money. Also consider whether a roadside assistance membership offers perks and discounts on other services, like hotels or rental cars.

NOTE:

As of October 2024, roadside assistance plans from Good Sam are 50 percent off both for RVs and regular passenger vehicles.3

Accidents

While roadside assistance plans are certainly helpful when you have a flat tire, they shouldn’t be your go-to for all situations. For example, if you caused an accident with extensive injuries or property damage, you should call 911 first, not your roadside assistance provider.

Exceptions

Roadside assistance isn’t available for all situations, so you may end up paying out of pocket for emergency services in times like these:

  • Your car breaks down outside your service area.
  • Your lockout is more expensive than your limit.
  • You need fuel delivery (you have to pay for the cost of the fuel itself).
  • You have a towing trip that’s longer than your maximum distance.

Roadside assistance also doesn’t cover regular maintenance, though some memberships, like AAA, offer discounts on mechanical labor.

Roadside Assistance vs. Car Insurance

Roadside assistance and car insurance are not the same. However, many auto insurance companies offer roadside assistance as an add-on to their insurance policies. Sometimes, these programs are included for free; other times, they cost an additional small monthly fee.

Are You Already Covered?

Check your car insurance policy or ask your auto insurance agent about your coverage. The following companies provide roadside assistance as add-ons to their car insurance policies:

  • Allstate
  • American Family
  • Erie
  • Farmers
  • GEICO
  • Nationwide
  • Progressive
  • The Hartford
  • Travelers
  • State Farm

Typically, it’s cheaper to buy roadside assistance with your car insurance provider than to buy a separate policy, so ask your agent about your options before you search the marketplace. However, you may find superior service with a dedicated roadside assistance company.

Another thing to note is that some credit card companies (like Visa, Mastercard, and Chase) provide roadside assistance coverage, including free towing; help with dead batteries, flat tires, and vehicle brakes; and trip interruption reimbursement. Before you sign up for another program, make sure you don’t already have this coverage through your credit card.

Conclusion

Want more roadside assistance options? Check out our list of the best roadside assistance programs you’ve never heard of. Or, keep reading our frequently asked questions below to learn even more about roadside assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between AAA Basic and Plus?

AAA has changed its plans from Basic and Plus to Classic, Plus, and Premier. Here are the differences between the three when it comes to roadside assistance:

  • Cost: The Classic Plus is the cheapest, at $72 for the first year or $7.41 a month. Plus costs $94 for the first year or $11.62 a month, while Premier costs $122 for the first year or $13.95 a month.
  • Cost of fuel delivery: Only the Plus and Premier plans include fuel and delivery for free. With the Classic plan, the member will pay the pump price.
  • Vehicle lockout service reimbursement: While the Classic plan covers lockout services up to $50, it’s $100 that amount with the Plus plan, and $150 with the Premier plan, which includes homes as well as vehicles.

Who is a competitor of AAA?

Some competitors of AAA include these companies:

  • Allstate
  • Better World Club
  • GEICO
  • Good Sam
  • Motorcycle Towing Services
  • State Farm

How do I use Verizon roadside assistance?

  1. Request help online via https://roadside.allstate.com/member/VZW/memberlookup or call either 7623 from your enrolled phone or 1-87-ROADSIDE from a non-enrolled phone. 
  2. Provide your vehicle make, model, and color, along with your nearest major crossroad or street. 
  3. You’ll receive a text message confirming your services needed, an estimated time of arrival, the name of the company providing the services, and the company’s phone number.

What is the AAA roadside assistance number?

The AAA roadside assistance number is 1-800-222-4357.

Aliza Vigderman
Written by:Aliza Vigderman
Senior Writer & Editor
A seasoned journalist and content strategist with over 10 years of editorial experience in digital media, Aliza Vigderman has written and edited hundreds of articles on the site, covering everything from plan coverages to discounts to state laws. Previously, she was a senior editor and industry analyst at the home and digital security website Security.org, previously called Security Baron. She has also contributed to The Huffington Post, SquareFoot, and Degreed. Aliza studied journalism at Brandeis University.

Citations

  1. How Much Does It Cost To Tow A Car? J.D. Power. (2021, Mar 8).
    https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-tow-a-car

  2. ALLSTATE ROADSIDE. AARP. (2023).
    https://www.aarp.org/membership/benefits/insurance/allstate-roadside/

  3. Roadside Assistance. Good Sam. (2023).
    https://roadside.goodsam.com/