What Does Roadside Assistance Cover?

Roadside assistance gives you peace of mind when calling for help to get back on the road. It’s the equivalent of a best friend who bails you out when you run out of gas, have a flat tire, need winching back onto the road, or have a dead battery. While not legally required, roadside assistance can be a smart move on any driver’s part. 

Often, many people classify roadside assistance as a type of car insurance. However, you can obtain and maintain your roadside assistance policy separate from your car insurance. As long as you pay your monthly or annual premium, roadside assistance doesn’t expire. 

Many dealerships that offer car leasing with insurance include roadside assistance, especially if you purchase an extended warranty. The convenience of having someone to call in case of road trouble is a huge selling point. Note that your roadside assistance policy covers your car only. Roadside assistance can also come with additional perks, such as hotel or travel discounts, depending on where you purchase roadside assistance.

Where can you get roadside assistance coverage? 

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is commonly associated with roadside assistance. Since 1902, they’ve offered what’s become the gold standard in roadside assistance. However, you can also purchase roadside assistance from the following: 

• Auto insurance carriers
• Company benefits
• Auto club memberships 
• Pay-per-use memberships 
• Credit card companies 

You can also add roadside assistance through the vehicle manufacturer. Using roadside assistance through your insurance carrier may be counted as a claim but only minimally affects your rates. Remember that some insurance carriers require you to carry full coverage (comprehensive and collision) to obtain roadside assistance coverage. 

When can you use roadside assistance? 

You can use roadside assistance any time after you obtain coverage. Most companies provide a card with contact information, including which phone numbers to call for various services. For example, let’s say you find yourself stranded on the side of the highway because you ran out of gas. Here are the steps you might take to use your roadside assistance: 

1. Call the number on the card for fuel services. 
2. Speak to the representative, relaying the problem and where you are. 
3. Answer any further questions they have, including verifying your coverage. 
4. Wait for the dedicated technician to arrive with fuel. 
5. Fill up your car and make your way to the nearest gas station.

As convenient and timely as roadside assistance sounds, it’s not necessarily a free service. While you may not pay on the spot for the assistance you receive, most roadside assistance carriers enforce strict limits on complementary services. 

Whether you own a car vs. a truck, roadside assistance covers your vehicle with the following essential services. 

Battery jump

If your battery dies, roadside assistance can help jumpstart your car so you can drive to the nearest auto parts store and purchase a new one. Instead of flagging another driver down and hoping they have jumper cables (or carrying a pair yourself), you can safely wait in your car for roadside assistance to arrive.

Fuel delivery 

As you saw in the example above, you can call roadside assistance if you run out of gas. A technician will deliver a few gallons to you, often more than enough to get you to the nearest gas station. Opting for roadside assistance is usually worth it just for this coverage because it beats walking to the nearest gas station, which could be miles away. 

Winching

Separate from towing but also known as extrication, winching services can help get your car out of a tight spot, even if nothing else is damaged. For example, let’s say you swerved to avoid debris in the road and wound up in a ditch. Your car runs, but you can’t escape the sticky mud. Roadside assistance winching services can pull you from the muck so you can get back on the road. 

Tire changes

Flat tires can take all the wind out of your sails. With roadside assistance, you can call for help changing your tire and getting back on the road. Most roadside assistance companies will swap out a spare for free but may not cover tire repair. 

Lockout services

You can call your roadside assistance carrier if you get locked out of your car. Some carriers even allow for key replacement. 

Cost of repairs

In rare cases, some roadside assistance companies will partially cover repairs if your car goes into the shop. For example, AAA pays 10% of your bill, while State Farm covers the first hour of labor. 

Additional benefits

Some roadside assistance benefits aren’t necessarily related to your vehicle. Instead, you can get legal defense reimbursement, a guaranteed arrest bond, or trip interruption benefits. Other companies offer travel-related perks, such as discounts on hotels, flights, and more. 

Excluded services

Roadside assistance companies exclude certain services, including: 

• Roadside diagnosis
• Long-distance towing
• Tire repair
• Dents, dings, or scratches
• Windshield replacement
• Additional necessary repairs

If you call roadside assistance to diagnose a check engine light, they may charge you $50 or more to plug a scanner into the car’s On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port. Depending on who you contract with, your car may be towed to the nearest approved auto shop rather than one of your choosing. It’s just as important to review what’s excluded from your roadside assistance coverage as what’s included. 

Depending on where you purchase roadside assistance, coverage can cost anywhere from $0 to $150 annually. The cost of roadside assistance also depends on which tier you choose. Many roadside assistance companies separate service levels to charge more for additional coverage. However, you can expect to pay around $60 or $70 for a general roadside assistance policy. 

Roadside assistance carriers that provide memberships often charge an annual fee. Others may allow you to pay monthly, which offers more flexibility. If you bundle roadside assistance with your insurance carrier, your rate may be prorated until your next renewal date. 

Each carrier will enforce limits whether you purchase roadside assistance as an add-on or standalone coverage. Each company will limit how far they’ll tow you, how many service hours you’re allotted in a set period, and how many times they’ll respond to your calls. Once you’ve met these limits, you must pick up the bill.

For most people, roadside assistance provides peace of mind, even if they never take advantage of this paid service. Here are a few additional reasons why you might choose to purchase roadside assistance:  

• You drive more than 20,000 miles per year
• You often drive in inclement weather
• You don’t want to deal with the hassle of roadside car repairs 
• You want to prepare for the unexpected
• You drive an older vehicle 
• Family or friends aren’t immediately available for help 
• You want to pay less for services that would cost you more on your own 
• You want to take advantage of the additional benefits your coverage offers

As you peruse roadside assistance carriers and coverage limits, read the fine print. Make sure the service area described fits the area you frequent the most. 

If you drive a newer car, know how to get yourself out of a pickle or two, or don’t drive very far from home, roadside assistance may not be necessary.  

With a FINN car subscription, you don’t have to decide whether to pay for roadside assistance. Your monthly subscription fee includes this service and registration, insurance, depreciation, and maintenance. FINN gives you the freedom to think about where your subscription can take you and not worry about issues along the way. If you ever encounter trouble, FINN’s roadside assistance crew is there to get you back on the road.