Glossary

Roadside assistance

Optional coverage or service that sends help for breakdowns, such as towing, jump-starts, flat-tire changes, lockouts and fuel delivery.

Also called: emergency road service, roadside coverage, roadside service

Roadside assistance is help when your car breaks down or you are stranded. Sold as an optional add-on to a car insurance policy, it typically covers towing to a nearby repair shop, battery jump-starts, changing a flat tire with your spare, lockout service, fuel delivery (you usually pay for the fuel) and winching if the car is stuck just off the road.

Insurers offer it in two main forms. Many sell a roadside program with a dispatch number or app: the insurer sends a provider and pays up to set limits, such as one tow up to a certain distance. Others sell towing and labor coverage, which reimburses towing and on-site labor up to a per-incident limit after you pay the provider. Example: a 12-mile tow costs $140; with a $100 per-incident limit, you pay $40 (hypothetical figures).

Roadside coverage on an auto policy is usually inexpensive, but it is not the only option. Auto club memberships, new-car warranties, some credit cards and some phone plans include similar services, so check what you already have before adding it. Roadside service calls are generally not treated like accident claims, but it is worth asking your insurer whether frequent use affects your policy. See roadside assistance coverage vs auto club membership and endorsement.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

Towing and labor coverage Optional coverage that reimburses towing and on-the-spot repair labor when your car breaks down, up to a set amount per incident. Endorsement A written amendment to an insurance policy that adds, removes or changes coverage, such as rideshare use, rental coverage or OEM parts. Rental reimbursement Optional coverage that pays for a rental car or other transportation while your car is repaired after a covered claim, up to daily and total limits. Comprehensive coverage Pays for damage to your car from causes other than a crash, such as theft, fire, hail, flood, falling objects, vandalism or hitting an animal. Premium The amount you pay for an insurance policy over its term, built from the insurer's rate, your rating factors, coverage choices and discounts.

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Related insurers

AAA (Auto Club Enterprises) AAA insurance from the Southern California-led Auto Club Enterprises clubs, for members in about 20 states; top-ranked by J.D. Power in Texas in 2026. AAA (The Auto Club Group) The AAA club group behind AAA car insurance in Michigan, Florida, the Upper Midwest and the Carolinas, sold only to AAA members. Central Insurance A Van Wert, Ohio, mutual insurer founded in 1876 that sells Signature and Summit auto policies through independent agents in 27 states. Seguros Múltiples Puerto Rico insurance cooperative owned by about 150 local cooperatives, in business since 1965 and selling auto, home and business coverage island-wide. COUNTRY Financial An Illinois insurer founded by farmers in 1925 and tied to Illinois Farm Bureau, selling auto through local representatives in 19 states. AAA (CSAA Insurance Group) The AAA insurer for Northern California, the Mountain West and much of the Mid-Atlantic, selling only to AAA members in 23 states and D.C.