Should I buy AAA or Roadside Assistance?

Roadside Assistance

There is nothing worse than being stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire, broken down car, or locked keys inside. That is the moment that you will love having a roadside assistance plan in your wallet. The question is, what is the best way to get roadside assistance? You have two basic options, utilize the program offered by your insurance carrier or use a service like AAA or one of the others available. So what’s the difference and which should you use?

For the most part, the service you get from these programs are similar. They will all:

• Tow your vehicle if needed
• Change a tire
• Jump a battery
• Unlock your car
• Bring you fuel

Now lets look at the differences

Roadside Assistance offered by your Car Insurance

Almost all Insurance Carriers offer Roadside assistance with their insurance packages making it easy and very affordable to obtain this service. The benefits of using the Insurance Carrier are:

• It’s typically much cheaper than AAA
• They can offer just as good coverages as AAA
• Consolidated Service, one place to call for support

With every PRO, there is a CON. The biggest CON here is that depending on the carrier, calling for assistance is a “claim” and too many of these can start to impact your premiums. Talk to your insurance agent about how your carrier may view this. Also make sure you ask about the different levels of coverage available, for example, the basic package may offer 15 miles of towing while the premier package offers 100 or more.

AAA

If you are unable to obtain roadside assistance from your Insurance Carrier or you just prefer another option, then services like AAA can fill this void. AAA offers 3 levels of memberships so you have to evaluate which one works best for you. In addition to the basic services we spoke about above, AAA can offer added benefits like:

• Discounts at authorized auto shops
• Discounts at Hotels
• Discounts on Auto Rentals

Once again, there are some CONS:

• You are allowed up to 4 calls per year – Additional charge after that
• You have to manage a separate account
• It is more expensive

Talk to your Agent when purchasing Insurance and evaluate which might be better for you. The good news is, you have options!!