To Pick a Roadside Assistance Package

You're driving and your car suddenly breaks down. What do you do? It depends on a lot of factors, including what is wrong with your car, where you are, and what kind of roadside assistance package you've got.

Choosing a roadside assistance program should be a serious consideration, since, even if you decide not to opt for one, you'll want a plan of action when you're in the situation mentioned above.

Assess Your Current Options

You may be receiving various kinds of roadside already from one or more sources. If you know what you have, you can avoid costly overlaps.

Be extra mindful of holes where you are not covered at all.

For example, ambulance rides are probably already covered by your health insurance, so there's likely no need for that from a roadside program. However, many highways do not legally allow some towing companies to operate on them, in which case you might be forced to call 911.

Car-based roadside assistance

If you have a relatively new or certified pre-owned vehicle, you may already be able to receive roadside assistance through your automaker. (Mercedes Benz offers free roadside assistance for the vehicle's whole life, while others offer coverage through the length of the warranty. Toyota and Chrysler will give you roadside help if you own one of their certified pre-owned vehicles only.)

Beyond the manufacturer of the car, you may even be covered for towing if a specific part fails while it is under warranty. Always see what is covered when you replace items that can cripple your car's driving ability and consider the reliability of these "outs."

Credit Card or Phone roadside assistance plans

Some credit card companies and phone companies offer roadside assistance plans, but these can be confusing and include hidden costs. For example, some phone-based roadside plans require that you call from the phone on the plan in order to receive coverage. If there's a chance you won't have your phone, it may not be something to gamble on, especially if you need coverage for multiple drivers.

Investigate phone and credit card plans closely before using them as the basis for your roadside assistance instead of auto insurance.

Roadside Plans from Motor Clubs

Companies like AAA specialize in roadside assistance. You'll generally receive a quick response. Mind the gap though: does your plan cover vehicle damage from floods or fires? The last place you want to be is waist-deep in water, only to find out your roadside coverage does not include flooding, unlike many auto insurance plans.

What's the Real Cost?

Ultimately, having a roadside assistance program may not even be the most cost-effective way to go. If you estimate your annual membership costs for roadside assistance would be about equal to your expected cost for a single incident, do you really want to pay for it? The better option might be to put the money you would otherwise spend into an "emergency" account you can tap into when you do become stranded, but during safe periods the money will accumulate in YOUR hands, not in the hands of an auto insurance provider that might not even cover you.