Roadside Assistance (RSA) cover offers much-needed relief to car owners if their vehicle breaks down or has a mechanical failure on the road or at home. It can be very frustrating to be stranded in an unfamiliar place with no access to a mechanic. This is where the RSA cover comes in handy.
Some car insurance companies offer this protection as an inherent part of the comprehensive car insurance policy. Others offer it as an exclusive add-on insurance cover that can be opted for at the discretion of the car owner.
Coverage is mandatory: You will usually require collision and comprehensive coverage if you wish to acquire a roadside assistance rider via your auto insurance company. Roadside help is frequently an add-on bonus to your existing auto insurance policy.
Vehicle specific: Roadside assistance insurance is vehicle specific, meaning it only covers your vehicle. As a result, if you're driving your best friend's car and it breaks down, your insurance won't cover you.
Not only for cars: Roadside aid coverage is available for motorcycles, boats, and RVs.
A membership card is needed: You must usually present acceptable identification and/or your membership card to get emergency roadside assistance.
You might be unsure which roadside assistance package is suitable for you because there are so many options. Of course, cost is crucial, but it should not be your only consideration. Roadside help plans come with a variety of coverage options and extra features to consider.
Most insurance companies give Roadside Assistance cover to car owners at a low cost. The insurance company will estimate the cost and availability of the add-on cover based on the facts of each application. It is highly recommended for all car owners because it is a very beneficial add-on.
Provider | Cost of Program |
---|---|
Statefarm | $5-$7 per policy period |
USAA | Not listed |
Progressive | $10-$18 per policy period |
AARP | $58-$74 per year |
Way+ | $7.95-$29.95/month (incl. towing, parking & car wash) |
Usual roadside assistance plans include standard services such as flat-tire service, towing service, battery jump-start service, lockout services, winching, fuel delivery etc,
Roadside assistance is provided by several automobile insurance carriers including Way.com. While these programs differ by location and firm, the majority of them only apply to the vehicle and drivers named on the policy. Roadside help from a car insurance company is usually inexpensive.
Insurance Provider | State Farm | USAA | Progressive |
---|---|---|---|
Emergency Jump Start Services | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Towing | Yes | Yes | Within 15-mile radius |
Emergency Fuel Services | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Vehicle Lockout | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Flat Tire Services | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Extrication/ Winching Services | No | No | Yes |
Labour/ Small Mechanical Repair | No | No | Up to an hour |
Roadside Assistance is a part of the subscription service offered by Way.com. Named Way+, the membership package combines the exceptional services offered by way.com also including Car Parking and Car Wash apart from Roadside assistance.
Way.com’s Roadside Assistance gives you access to a network of 35,000 digitally connected tow trucks with real-time tracking.
Way+ comes with 3 subscription options. You can download the way app and easily choose the membership plan that suits your budget. Being a Way+ member gives you access to 10,000+ parking locations and 60,000+ Car washes.
While some policies allow unlimited service calls, most typically cover four claims per year. After then, you can usually still get assistance by paying a charge. However, if you file too many claims, certain carriers may refuse to renew your roadside assistance coverage.
Most membership groups will allow you to add family members for an extra price. Some cell phone plans cover whoever owns the enrolled device. If a friend borrows your enrolled cell phone and requires roadside help, the incident would be covered even if you weren't present.
Excessive claims on roadside assistance coverage purchased through your auto insurance company may affect your rates. Your prices are unlikely to rise if you just utilize the plan for unexpected emergencies. However, State Farm and Farmers representatives caution that a large number of emergency road claims could be classified as a risk, resulting in a rate hike.
If you have roadside help from a different source, such as AAA or a credit card business, your auto insurance premiums will not be affected.
There are four easy ways to get roadside assistance.
If you want to buy a roadside assistance package, think carefully about where you want to buy it. We've listed a variety of options below to help you decide which approach is best for you.
Auto insurers typically provide roadside assistance as an optional coverage, but you may only be eligible provided you obtain comprehensive and accident insurance from them as well. Certain companies like State Farm have unlimited service coverage, while other auto insurance firms are willing to pay for only up to four incidents per year. Although not all insurers provide roadside assistance, the ones that do include:
Farmers: Coverage costs with Farmers vary from state to state, with no fixed cap on the number of service calls. Some of the perks include towing services up to $150.
Erie: Roadside assistance coverage with Erie costs around $5 a year per vehicle and is only available if you have an Erie issued comprehensive insurance or crash insurance policy in place. Some of Erie's benefits include towing to the nearest garage station, plus 20 additional miles.
Allstate: You'll be able to add roadside assistance to your insurance policy starting at rates of $25 per vehicle per year. If you do not have an Allstate policy or prefer membership that requires extra benefits, there are two choices to choose from - these range from $80 to $140 a year. Depending on the membership type you choose, the policy will include three to five service calls a year. If you don't want to commit to a contract, Allstate has a pay-per-use option that starts at $120 per tow.
State Farm: Roadside assistance with State Farm costs around $10 a year per vehicle, and has no limits on the number of emergency service calls. State Farm also offers pay-per-incident coverage.
Membership organizations such as AAA can be costlier than other roadside assistance options, but they come with advantages that you won't usually find with other roadside assistance offerings.
You could also get access to free roadside assistance coverage if you have recently purchased a new car. Some car manufacturers automatically include this when you purchase a new car. This coverage is typically limited to a number of years or miles.
Some car manufacturers allow for certified pre-owned vehicles to be granted two years of free coverage when the original coverage expires or when the certified pre-owned vehicle is sold.
Some mobile phone providers, including Verizon and AT & T, are now offering emergency road service coverage.
Verizon's coverage costs $3 a month per phone line for four claims a year. The overall gain for an incident varies depending on the service given. For example, a winch is given up to a service limit of $100. If you're a Verizon client, but you don't have an emergency roadside plan, you'll pay under $90 per incident.
AT & T charges $2.99 a month for service, and the first month is free of charge. You are limited to four service incidents a year, up to a maximum profit of $75 per incident.
Both these companies offer roadside assistance through Signature Motor Club, a subsidiary of Allstate, and encourage anybody to use this service if they have a licensed and registered cell phone with them at the time of need.
You could already have access to roadside assistance if you have a Mastercard or Visa credit card. Some of these cards have pay-per-incident coverage, which ensures that you will pay each time you use the service, but nothing will be paid if you never use the advantage.
There is no monthly or annual charge for this form of roadside assistance, although there may be an annual fee for the credit card itself.
Visa and Mastercard provide roadside dispatch at various rates depending on the particular card you have. For example, Visa Signature Credit Cards usually charge $69.95 per incident, with no limit to how many times you use it.
Company | CARDS THAT OFFER ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE | FEE | TYPE OF ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE OFFERED | COVERAGE LIMITS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Visa | All Visa cards | You pay a set rate per service call | Standard towing: Up to 5 miles included, Tire changing: You must have good, inflated spare tire, Jump starting, Lockout service (no key replacement), Fuel delivery: Up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel), Standard winching | No limit on usage |
Mastercard | All Mastercard Cards | Fees for services are pre-negotiated. Road service fees will be automatically billed to your World MasterCard account | Jump-starts, towing, gas delivery, and tire changes | Emergency road service is not available in areas not regularly traveled, in “off road” areas not accessible by ordinary towing vehicles, or for over one-ton capacity trailers, campers or vehicles-in-tow |
American Express | All American Express Cards | Flat fee of $59.95 per service call, | 24-Hour Emergency Towing service, Replacement of a flat tire with the replacement spare tire, Delivery of fuel or other standard fluids (cost of the fuel or the fluids is not included), Lockout service (no key replacement), Jump start a dead or weakened battery. | |
Discover | All Discover Visa cards offer roadside assistance through Visa | You pay a set rate per service call | Standard towing: Up to 5 miles included, Tire changing: You must have good, inflated spare tire, Jump starting, Lockout service (no key replacement), Fuel delivery: Up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel), Standard winching | No limit on usage |
Bank Issuers | ||||
Bank of America | All Bank of America Visa cards | You pay a set rate per service call | Standard towing: Up to 5 miles included, Tire changing: You must have good, inflated spare tire, Jump starting, Lockout service (no key replacement), Fuel delivery: Up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel), Standard winching | No limit on usage |
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card | $95/yr | Emergency roadside assistance, locksmith services, towing, and more | Coverage is complimentary, but you pay a set rate for services | |
Capital One | Many Capital One cards offer roadside assistance through Visa or Mastercard | |||
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Tire Changing, Jump Starting, Standard Towing (up to 5 miles included), Lockout Service (no key replacement), Fuel Delivery (up to 5 gallons), Standard Winching | There is a fee of $69.95 for roadside assistance, and the cardholder is only responsible for uncovered services. | ||
Chase | All Chase Visa and Master cards offer some form of roadside assistance | |||
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95/yr | Towing, jump-starting, tire changing, fuel delivery, lockout service, and more | Coverage is complimentary, but you pay a set rate for services | |
Chase Slate | $0 | Towing – up to 5 miles, Lockout service (no key replacement), Jump starting – battery boost, Fuel delivery – up to 5 gallons (cost of fuel not included), Winching (within 100 feet of paved or county-maintained road only) eligible Chase card | Rates apply to vehicles up to one-ton gross vehicle weight only. Emergency road service is not available in areas not regularly traveled, in “off-road” areas not accessible by ordinary towing vehicles. | |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® | $0 | Towing, tire changing, jump-starting, lockout service, fuel delivery and more | Coverage is complimentary, but you pay a set rate for services | |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® | $550/yr | Towing, tire changing, lockout service, jump-starting, fuel delivery and more | Covered up to $50 per service event, up to 4 events per year | |
Citibank | ||||
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | $0 with your Costco membership | Towing, duel delivery, battery charging, and more | Coverage is complimentary, but you pay a set rate for services | |
Wells Fargo | All Wells Fargo Visa cards | You pay a set rate per service call | Standard towing: Up to 5 miles included, Tire changing: You must have good, inflated spare tire, Jump starting, Lockout service (no key replacement), Fuel delivery: Up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel), Standard winching | No limit on usage |
U.S. Bank | All U.S. Bank Visa cards | You pay a set rate per service call | Standard towing: Up to 5 miles included, Tire changing: You must have good, inflated spare tire, Jump starting, Lockout service (no key replacement), Fuel delivery: Up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel), Standard winching | No limit on usage |
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: The best way to earn flexible travel rewards is with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the top rewards cards available right now. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, and bill credits, as well as for booking travel through Chase or 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and lodging partners. When you use this card's points to book travel through the Chase gateway, you'll get a 25% bonus on your rewards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited is the best way to get cash back.
Because you may get 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore expenditures, and 1.5 percent back on all other transactions, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the most attractive cashback credit cards on the market today.
New cardholders can earn a 15-month 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers (followed by a variable APR ranging from 15.24% to 23.99%), which can help them save money on interest while paying off a significant purchase or consolidating debt from other cards.
This card offers additional benefits in addition to roadside assistance, such as auto rental coverage and trip cancellation and interruption coverage.
Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card.
Existing Bank of America customers who are members of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program might consider the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card. Members of this programme can earn an extra 25% to 75% more rewards for each dollar they spend if they achieve the minimum balance requirements for qualifying accounts.
This card includes trip delay compensation, luggage delay coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and a slew of other benefits in addition to roadside assistance.
This is dependent on the age of your car, how far you normally drive, and how important convenience is to you. Roadside assistance is provided by a number of motor insurance companies, auto clubs, credit card issuers, and car manufacturers. Here's how we determine whether the advantages are worthwhile:
Vehicle age: If you have an older vehicle, roadside help may be a worthwhile purchase.
Convenience: If you value convenience, we believe that adding a roadside assistance program to your auto insurance coverage will be beneficial. You won't have to research which service provider is suitable for your requirements. This is especially beneficial if you're stuck late at night or in bad weather.
Costs: Roadside assistance programs negotiate pricing with service providers and pass the savings on to members, potentially saving you money. Many roadside help members use the service on a regular basis.
Free roadside assistance: If you already have free roadside help, you should take advantage of it. Some credit card companies and automobile manufacturers offer complimentary services, albeit some restrictions may apply.
We offer you some of the best road trip assistance coverage options
Path Finder Trip Routing Service: Tips and maps on locations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada are made available to the customers.
Trip Interruption: If your car is inoperable as a consequence of an accident, you will be compensated for our travel expenditures up to $1,500. To be qualified, you must be more than 100 miles from home.
Auto theft reward: If your vehicle is stolen, this will pay a monetary reward for information leading to the arrest of the criminal.
Legal Defense Reimbursement: If you are taken to court for a traffic infringement, our service will defend you. There are several limitations.
Hospital Emergency Bond: If you're injured more than 100 miles away from home and need to provide proof of financial responsibility at a hospital, you'll need to post an emergency bond.
Arrest Bond Certificate: An AARP variant of a "get out of jail free card," the Arrest Bond Certificate. You can use this coverage as a jail bond if you're arrested for a driving-related infraction (but not DUI/DWI). Up to $1,000.
RV Roadside Coverage: This coverage is available for $24 per year and includes two additional service calls.
While insurance companies and car manufacturers often give services based on the vehicle, membership organizations like AAA provide coverage for individuals. This means you can request assistance if your friend's car breaks down while you're riding a shotgun.
Roadside assistance is not the same as other types of coverage available through a car insurance policy or a manufacturer's warranty. Basic car insurance often just covers the cost of fixing damage caused by accidents. Emergency assistance is usually not included. Flat tires and empty gas tanks are not covered by warranties, with a few exceptions.
You can typically purchase a roadside assistance plan as an add-on to your current service through your insurance provider or your vehicle's manufacturer. When you bundle roadside assistance with numerous services from the same supplier, you will benefit from convenience and potential cost savings. Simply browse around before committing to a plan to ensure you get the best price and service.
Getting Roadside Assistance with Way.com is simple. You just need to install the way app and choose one of the plans. In addition to Roadside Assistance, you can enjoy Car Wash and Car Parking services.
The auto insurance rates published in this guide are based on the results of research completed by Way.com’s data team. Using a mix of public and internal data, we analyzed millions of rate averages across U.S. ZIP codes.
Quotes are typically based on a full coverage policy average unless otherwise noted within the content.
These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes will differ. Given this, it’s important to go through our insurance steps form to find how much you can save with way.com
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