Roadside Assistance vs AAA Bankrate Caret RightMain Menu Mortgage Mortgages Financing a home purchase Refinancing your existing loan Finding the right lender Additional Resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Bank Banking Compare Accounts Use calculators Get advice Bank reviews Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Credit Card Credit cards Compare by category Compare by credit needed Compare by issuer Get advice Looking for the perfect credit card? Narrow your search with CardMatch Caret RightMain Menu Loan Loans Personal Loans Student Loans Auto Loans Loan calculators Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Invest Investing Best of Brokerages and robo-advisors Learn the basics Additional resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Home Equity Home equity Get the best rates Lender reviews Use calculators Knowledge base Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Loan Home Improvement Real estate Selling a home Buying a home Finding the right agent Additional resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Insurance Insurance Car insurance Homeowners insurance Other insurance Company reviews Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Caret RightMain Menu Retirement Retirement Retirement plans & accounts Learn the basics Retirement calculators Additional resources Elevate your Bankrate experience Get insider access to our best financial tools and content Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure
We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence.
Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. How We Make Money
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you. SHARE: On This Page
urbazon/Getty Images April 05, 2022 Sara Coleman is an insurance contributor at Bankrate. She has a couple of years of experience in writing for insurance domains such as The Simple Dollar, Reviews.com, Coverage.com and numerous other personal finance sites. She writes about insurance products such as auto, homeowners, renters and disability. Mariah Posey is an auto and homeowners insurance writer and editor for Bankrate.com. She aims to make the insurance journey as convenient as possible by keeping the reader at the forefront of her mind in her work. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of how we make money. Our content is backed by LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). For more information, please see our Insurance Disclosure. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. We’ve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by and edited by , who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy. Our insurance team is composed of agents, data analysts, and customers like you. They focus on the points consumers care about most — price, customer service, policy features and savings opportunities — so you can feel confident about which provider is right for you. We guide you throughout your search and help you understand your coverage options. We provide up-to-date, reliable market information to help you make confident decisions. We reduce industry jargon so you get the clearest form of information possible. All providers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide. And we constantly review our criteria to ensure we’re putting accuracy first. Bankrate logo Editorial integrity
Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. Key Principles
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. Editorial Independence
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information. Bankrate logo How we make money
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Bankrate logo Insurance Disclosure
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in . Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way. When it comes to , you may be surprised at the number of choices available to you. Almost all the major auto insurance carriers offer this as a policy add-on. Then you have other third-party companies, such as American Automobile Association (AAA), offering what seems like a similar service. Compare rates and save on auto insurance today! Get quotes Close X RatesRates keep going up in 2022. Compare rates and save on auto insurance today! Get quotes Close X This advertisement is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisement are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisement. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions. Compare auto insurance rates
Answer a few questions to see personalized rates from top carriers. Save on auto insurance with quotes from trusted providers like: Drivers switch & save an average of $750+/year Arrow Right Are you overpaying for auto insurance? Arrow Right Safe drivers choose Allstate Arrow Right Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249) Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in . Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way. See more providers in Choose from insurers in Show More RATE INCREASE ALERT Rates increased up to 12% this year
Shop for a better rate before you renew your current policy. This advertisement is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisement are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisement. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions. Compare auto insurance rates
Answer a few questions to see personalized rates from top carriers. Save on auto insurance with quotes from trusted providers like: Drivers switch & save an average of $750+/year Arrow Right Are you overpaying for auto insurance? Arrow Right Safe drivers choose Allstate Arrow Right Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249) Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in . Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way. See more providers in Choose from insurers in Show More If you’re considering purchasing roadside assistance coverage, you should understand the major differences between the various programs available. You should also know whether the company you partner with is the one offering the actual roadside assistance, or simply connecting you with the service providers to assist you based on your location. What is roadside assistance
is a service that provides help when you find your vehicle inoperable. Whether the incident occurs while the vehicle is parked in a driveway, on the highway or even while driving out of town, roadside assistance is available to provide service when needed. Examples of services include: Vehicle refueling when your vehicle runs out of gas Locksmithing services Flat tire changing or spare tire mounting Extracting your vehicle from a collision Jump-starting a dead battery Towing Roadside assistance plans are offered through almost all auto insurance carriers. The actual services offered through each carrier are quite varied, with some companies only offering towing up to a certain number of miles, or a limited number of lockout and fuel delivery services. You can also purchase roadside assistance through other companies, such as your cell phone carrier or a . Car manufacturers also offer plans and it is possible it is included for a certain number of miles when you first purchase a vehicle. Membership organizations, such as AAA, are another option for roadside assistance. These organizations tend to offer additional perks on top of the roadside assistance, making it more enticing to enroll in an annual membership. What is AAA
AAA was founded in 1902 and is first and foremost a car, travel and insurance company. Many people recognize AAA as a company providing insurance products, travel discounts and roadside assistance. Over the years, AAA has grown to include a wide variety of financial products, including home mortgages, banking and credit cards. AAA charges a yearly fee for the roadside assistance and bundles the program with other discounts and incentives besides vehicle services. There may be an extra charge for extended towing miles. AAA membership packages
AAA is also well known for its roadside assistance program and the coverage is sold as a membership package. AAA offers three levels of membership options, with each level increasing in the number of benefits and perks: Classic: This is the most basic option. It provides up to five miles towing, lockout service, fuel delivery (you pay for the fuel) and a battery jumpstart. Plus, the membership comes with various discounts for attractions and services across the country. Plus: This package level provides up to 100 miles in towing and increased locksmith benefits, plus free fuel if you need AAA to provide fuel delivery. There are numerous other increased benefits, including higher accidental travel coverage and other perks. Premier: This level provides up to 200 miles of towing, even greater locksmith benefits and a free mobile battery service. Overall, the membership packages provide a large network for roadside assistance, plus many other travel, auto and home-related discounts and benefits. How do I know if AAA or roadside assistance is right for me
There are a few points to keep in mind before deciding if you want to purchase a roadside assistance plan through an versus AAA. Budget is definitely a top consideration for many drivers. If your budget is limited, it helps to compare the costs between several providers to find which one offers you the most beneficial coverage for your money. Purchasing a plan through your insurance carrier might allow you greater budgeting flexibility since you are able to spread the cost out each month if needed. Another consideration is how much you will use the additional benefits provided by a membership service, such as AAA, versus a straightforward roadside assistance program. You could weigh the likelihood of if you will take advantage of many of the benefits offered by the membership service, or if you only use a handful of options while on the road. How do I purchase roadside assistance
If you choose to purchase AAA, you can sign up either online or by calling the customer service number, or sending in your application through the mail. If you are interested in purchasing roadside assistance through a carrier, you can add it on during your policy renewal period, either online, via the app, through your agent or by calling customer service. The table below compares some of the most popular roadside assistance programs available to a wide range of drivers, including both the costs and what makes the program one to consider. Company Roadside assistance cost Standout feature AAA Multiple options to fit a variety of budgets Geico Drivers can request assistance in as little as two minutes Allstate You can track the location of the towing assistance Better World Club Eco-friendly option for roadside assistance AT&T No annual contract required Frequently asked questions
Does roadside assistance cover everyone within my household
Each plan has different rules regarding who is covered within a single plan, so it is important to verify this before making your decision. For example, AAA only covers the person who is the account holder, unless you purchase the family coverage plan.
How much does roadside assistance cost
The cost of the roadside assistance plan depends on the carrier or company you are purchasing from. The cost may vary depending on your state and number of drivers on the account. Some plans are as little as a few dollars per month, but the costs are quite varied.
Which carrier or company offers the best roadside assistance
This depends on which one offers you the options which work the best for your driving habits. For example, if you drive an older vehicle and are concerned about needing towing at some point, consider a roadside assistance program with this option.
Does the roadside assistance cover me when I am not in my own vehicle
Most roadside assistance plans travel with the person and not the vehicle. This means if you are in someone else’s car but you have a roadside assistance plan, you should be able to get the same coverage as if it were your own vehicle. However, this can vary depending on the company, so you will need to verify this beforehand to avoid making service calls to your roadside assistance provider. SHARE: Sara Coleman is an insurance contributor at Bankrate. She has a couple of years of experience in writing for insurance domains such as The Simple Dollar, Reviews.com, Coverage.com and numerous other personal finance sites. She writes about insurance products such as auto, homeowners, renters and disability. Mariah Posey is an auto and homeowners insurance writer and editor for Bankrate.com. She aims to make the insurance journey as convenient as possible by keeping the reader at the forefront of her mind in her work. Related Articles