BY SOLO INSURANCE® [Updated 6-9-25]

What is The Dirty Little Secret About Roadside Assistance?

Lately it seems like people ask about Roadside Assistance with their car insurance policies with liability or full coverage. It’s good for emergencies, but do you want it on your car insurance policy? Read on.

ROADSIDE DEFINED

Roadside Assistance: the attempt by a service professional to make minor mechanical repairs or adjustments on a disabled vehicle to make it drivable again. Typically one calls a toll-free number for help. Again, the big question is, do you want this on your auto insurance policy? Quite frankly, we think there are better options.

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How does Roadside Assistance work?

For a fee, roadside assistance helps drivers when their vehicle breaks down when they contact the provider by phone or app.

On car insurance policies:

• An option available on some auto insurance policies.
• Car insurance company typically partner with an existing network of roadside assistance providers. They may employ a team to contact within the company to arrange the services on their customers’ behalf.
• Generally, adding roadside assistance to your policy could provide towing, battery service, flat tire service, fuel delivery and/or lockout service.
• Some car insurance programs set a dollar amount per claim; for instance, it may cover up to $75 or $100 per disablement.
• The roadside assistance applies only to the vehicles that specifically have purchased it on the policy.

***        Here is the dirty little secret: When you get roadside from an auto insurance company it counts as a claim (or towards claim activity) when you use it. Why? Because you are making a claim on your auto insurance policy; you are using a feature of the policy. These claims can sometimes prevent you from getting an insurance company’s best rate because of your claim activity or by causing you to lose a claim-free discount. That’s right. It’s why we call it the dirty little secret.

Stand-Alone Roadside Assistance Plans:

Usually, a Roadside Assistance plan tows you to the nearest location if your car is disabled and they can’t get you up and running. Most often, some form of these activities are included:

• Towing service– they tow your car when it can’t be driven safely. They could tow your vehicle to a mechanic up to a limited number of miles. If you want or need your vehicle towed beyond the limit, but they charge you the difference.
• Battery jump-start service– they jump-start the battery, unless otherwise advised by the manufacturer. If you drive an electric car reference the owner’s manual, since they operate differently than most vehicles on the road and have fewer qualified service professionals. Generally, hybrid vehicles use the battery which powers the electric motor to turn over the gasoline engine, making it unlikely they would ever require a jump-start.
• Flat tire service– they replace the flat tire with the your vehicle’s spare tire. Roadside assistance for an automobile will not typically cover a flat tire for a motorcycle or any other two or three-wheel vehicle.
• Lockout service or locksmith service– they help you get back into your car when you lock the keys in the car. They use a pump wedge or a long reach tool to unlock a door. Depending upon the plan, they may call a locksmith if they can’t get in. Some roadside assistance plans cover the cost of a locksmith, or partially cover the cost, and others do not cover locksmiths.
• Fuel delivery service– they bring some gas to drivers who run out of gas on the road. A service professional comes to your location with enough fuel to get the vehicle to the nearest gas station. They may charge for the fuel provided.

Should You Get Roadside Assistance?

A kind soul from San Antonio, Texas drove around helping people after he was done with work. Known as the Highway Hero, he spread kindness and assistance:  http://foxsanantonio.com/news/cash-for-kindness/highway-hero-awarded-1k-for-helping-stranded-motorists. However, we  do not recommend waiting for strangers to assist you this day in age (but it’s still a great story). As you can see, we recommend getting a roadside program but it’s a personal choice. Factors to consider are: how old your vehicle is, how far you commute, plus how much security and convenience you want. It is very nice to have when you’re stranded on a dark road somewhere at night or in bad weather.

Summary and where to get Roadside Assistance plans

Roadside Assistance is a great thing to have whether on a long trip or driving through town.  Some auto insurance companies provide it but also auto clubs, some credit card companies, some cell phone service providers, and vehicle manufacturers. Even though we are insurance, we recommend getting it from sources other than your car insurance policy to prevent roadside usage from showing up as a claim. If your car manufacturer (such as Ford, Chrysler, etc.) provides it, make sure to keep their phone number in your car along with your Vehicle Identification Number [VIN] for your own convenience.

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