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Sunday, June 23rd
2024 Roadside Assistance Company Reviews
AAA Roadside Assistance
- Prices from $75 to $124.99 per year
- Towing, battery help, locksmith services, and fuel delivery
- Discounts offered
- Coverage in in 15 US states and territories
- Coverage in Canada
- "A+" rating from the BBB
You've likely come across an AAA (American Automobile Association) auto insurance commercial or two. Beyond offering insurance, though, AAA (most often referred to as "triple-A" ) extends its services to include Roadside Assistance, home security, identity protection, notary services, and various auto-related situations. With a history dating back to 1902 and a whopping 61 million members relying on their Roadside Assistance plans, AAA offers 24/7 safeguarding, whether you're driving or riding along with others.
Covered across the US and Canada
Depending on where your vehicle breaks down, AAA is there to help. The company operates throughout the United States and Canada. But there are some limitations. For example, at the time of our review, AAA only offered coverage for drivers living in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
3 day waiting period
After signing up, a 3-day waiting period applies before you can access and utilize your Roadside Assistance benefits, so you'll want to be a member before getting involved in a vehicle or roadside emergency. AAA can be contacted through their app, by phone, or online, but customer feedback suggests uncertainty regarding their timely response. Members are entitled to up to 4 emergency roadside services per membership year.
Hard to find detailed pricing
To explore coverage options on AAA's website, the initial step involves providing your state and zip code, as membership costs vary across the United States. To give an accurate price comparison each time, we checked out prices for the state of Florida where any roadside assistance company (like AAA) requires location to proceed. While there used to be prices for all three tiers at AAA, now it appears that AAA only offers pricing for their basic plan, which costs $75 per month for Florida residents. This one plan is now called the "Classic" and it includes all the main features of roadside assistance. The three plans that AAA offers are called Classic, Plus, and Premier.
Basic option: Classic
Classic costs $75 per month as listed on the main website. The service includes:
- Towing for 5 miles or to the nearest AAA repair shop
- Emergency starting
- Car battery service
- Flat tire service
- Emergency fuel delivery (but you pay for the fuel)
- Vehicle locksmith reimbursem*nt (up to $50)
- Accident insurance up to $100,000
Mid-tier option: Plus
The Plus service expands on the features offered on their Classic option. These upgraded features include:
- Towing for 100 miles or to the nearest AAA repair shop
- Emergency fuel delivery (free fuel)
- Vehicle locksmith reimbursem*nt (up to $100)
- Accident insurance up to $300,000
- 2 sets of passport photos per member
Full coverage option: AAA Premier
The Premier option includes everything in the Plus plan, with more upgraded features and a few new ones. These include:
- Towing for 200 miles
- Vehicle locksmith reimbursem*nt (up to $150)
- Accident insurance up to $500,000
- Unlimited sets of passport photos per member
- Home lockout service up to $100
- 24 hour concierge
- 24 hour emergency and medical services
Tons of available discounts
While AAA stands out as one of the most recognized Roadside Assistance providers, its plans, regrettably, offer low mileage towing options. Despite this drawback, AAA compensates with some membership perks, including discounts on pet insurance, rental cars, home security, restaurants, electronics, glasses prescriptions, and more.
Refund within 7 days
Should you enroll in AAA's Roadside Assistance plan, only to reconsider, a full refund can be obtained within 7 business days from enrollment. Beyond this period, cancellation remains an option for a prorated refund. However, if you have used any of the emergency services from AAA, you can cancel, but you won't receive a refund.
Reputation is falling outside the BBB
Surprisingly, AAA receives an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, despite the difficulty in obtaining clear pricing. However, from third-party review sites, the news isn't so hot. According to Trustpilot, customers have rated AAA just 1.5 stars on average. Customers complain regularly about the dependability of the service, citing delayed claims payments, extremely long tow truck waits, or even sudden cancellations. It's a veritable laundry list of complaints. Yikes! Evidently, the quality of AAA's services appears to be declining, so despite the stellar BBB score, you might want to consider looking elsewhere.
Declining reputation is a red flag
While some of the AAA perks are exciting, like a range of discounts on hotels, car rentals, and reimbursem*nt for different services, that isn't enough to earn AAA a higher rating in our review. With the difficulties navigating the website just to find pricing as well as the extremely concerning reviews, AAA stands out as a service that used to be quite popular but is falling in its reliability. Our advice? You may want to choose a more reputable Roadside Assistance company especially if you're looking for options with better prices (or just better customer service overall).
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Who Provides the Best Roadside Assistance?
Whether you're just cruising around town running errands, or embarking on an exciting family road trip, the last thing you want is for your car to unexpectedly break down. It's not only a major inconvenience but can also pose challenges to your safety, or totally throw off your perfectly planned timeline. This is where a dependable Roadside Assistance plan comes to the rescue.
These services promise swift support and expert guidance to help you navigate the unexpected twists and turns of a car breakdown. Whether you're worried about a blown tire, accidentally run out of fuel, or just need an emergency tow, being a member of a roadside assistance company can help soothe any worries and keep a roadside emergency from being a costly setback.
Continue reading below
Roadside Assistance Company FAQ
The most commonly-used benefits of roadside assistance plans are 24-hour towing, flat tire repair, jump starting, lockout service, and emergency fuel delivery. Your plan may also include trip interruption assistance, emergency medical referrals if you need treatment while traveling, travel planning help and discounts on related services.
Not at all. Most plans range from $60 - $200 per year, depending on the level of coverage you select and the number of household members included on the contract.
This varies widely from provider to provider - and even from one plan to another from the same company. It's important that you read the terms and conditions very carefully, so that you're not left with a nasty surprise of extra charges or no coverage when you need it most. One common limitation is on towing: many plans have a mileage limit on a covered tow, and customers are responsible for paying any fees beyond that distance. You may also get a certain number of service calls per year, with little to no coverage once you've reached that limit.
Yes, sometimes: and if you already have coverage, you might not need to pay for a roadside assistance plan. But, you'll want to read your policy very carefully so that you'll know what's covered - and what isn't. For example, your roadside assistance with a new car might expire once you hit two years or 25,000 miles.
Most plans cover you throughout the US, as well as Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the USVI. But, if you're planning on trips outside of the United States, be sure your roadside assistance plan extends to your destination, and know how to contact your provider for help.
Yes! Some roadside assistance plans specialize in helping people with non-traditional vehicles like motorcycles and RVs (and even bicycles!).
Sometimes. Because most plans are charged monthly, most providers let you cancel with no penalty. You might not get your money back for any previous months of service, especially if you received any benefits during that time.
You'll need to consider which companies offer the coverage you want, compare prices, and check out customer reviews: the "best deal" might not be so great if the service falls short and you're waiting hours for help. It's a good idea to look up the provider's reputation with the Better Business Bureau as well.
Continued from above...
Often, we don't give much thought to unfortunate events like a sudden car breakdown until they catch us off guard, leaving us with limited options: expensive tow trucks or worse, waving down a stranger to jump your car in the Walmart parking lot. That's why proactive planning by joining a Roadside Assistance plan can be crucial to your peace of mind and your wallet.
Roadside Assistance plans go well behind the basics of mechanical concerns. You'll find assistance with an array of services such as towing, jump-starts, fuel delivery, theft protection, lockouts, tire changes, and more.
As an added layer of convenience, many Roadside Assistance programs allow you to customize your plan with additional add-ons. For instance, you can opt for trip interruption coverage or even financial assistance to cover legal defense in case of a speeding ticket. The flexibility in choosing the plan that suits your lifestyle comes with varying costs so that you have options that align with your budget. Plus, for those of us with a large family with multiple drivers and vehicles to worry about, many plans allow you to extend coverage to any car you drive, regardless of ownership, making it a family-friendly choice.
Beyond the basic services, many Roadside Assistance programs offer a range of fun perks unrelated to car trouble like discounted hotel stays, discounts on regular car maintenance, and discounts at major retailers or even pharmacies. So, on top of being covered in a roadside emergency, you can count on extra benefits to make your travels even better.
But with so many different companies on the market offering Roadside Assistance plans, it can be hard to know where to start. So, as you explore the packages offered by various providers, keep these key considerations in mind:
- Coverage details. There are tons of differences between most Roadside Assistance plans. Carefully read the details including things like tow distance or reimbursem*nt limits. Those details can help you find the best fit for your car and your lifestyle.
- Price. How much does each plan cost? Are you okay with basic coverage or do you need more extensive tow distances to cover your trips? How affordable are the extras you're looking for? Many of these companies charge per year, so make sure you pick one that fits your budget without compromising your safety.
- Provider's reputation. What do customers have to say about their experience? What about the company's reputation on the BBB? Knowing how each service stacks up against competitors can help you make a more informed decision.
To make your next road trip a breeze, Top Consumer Reviews researched and analyzed the top Roadside Assistance plans available today: we bring you the lowdown on which ones stand up to really assist you when your car goes haywire. Because, let's face it, when you're stranded with a flat tire or a bad battery, you want help and you want it fast. We hope our analysis helps you make the best decision so you can rest easy whether you're hopping to the store or driving cross-country. Happy motoring!
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