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Last updated: December 12, 2024
The Best Roadside Assistance You’ve Never Heard Of
An overview of the best and least-known roadside services in the country
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Most of us have heard of AAA, USAA, AARP, and other big car clubs, memberships, and organizations. These groups help make drivers’ lives easier by offering roadside services, membership benefits, and discounts.
Outside of the big clubs and memberships, however, there are a whole host of organizations that offer excellent emergency assistance services and other benefits. While these might not be the biggest groups in the country, we think they’re worth looking at for their competitive rates and niche services.
Motor Club of America
Founded in 1926, Motor Club of America (MCA) has brought peace of mind to millions of drivers for nearly a century. MCA is a roadside assistance service available to drivers in the U.S. and Canada. It has two primary membership plans, which provide the following benefits and services.
| Costs, services, and benefits | MCA Security Plan | Security Plus Plan | Total Security Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per month | $9.95 | $14.95 | $19.95 |
| Emergency roadside assistance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Long distance towing | No | No | Yes |
| Recreational vehicle roadside assistance | No | No | Yes |
| Emergency car rental | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Emergency room reimbursement | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Daily hospital benefits (for auto-related accidents | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Emergency room and daily hospital benefits (for any accident) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Lodging, meals, transportation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accidental death benefit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Worldwide travel emergency | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-related legal services | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Theft security awards | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Travel discounts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Concierge services | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Optional accidental death and dismemberment coverage | No | No | Yes |
DID YOU KNOW?
In the U.S. alone, 220 million drivers have to replace flat tires each year, and only 19 percent of U.S. drivers know how to do it.1 2
The Good Sam Club
The Good Sam Club (short for “good samaritan”) offers roadside assistance subscriptions, membership benefits, and travel assistance for RVs and cars. The RV-focused club started in 1966. What began as a few charters in select states has turned into a national organization with more than 2 million members.
The Good Sam Club offers three subscription models: Good Sam membership, Travel Assist, and Roadside Assistance. Here’s a basic breakdown of what each offers.
| Subscription | Annual starting cost | Services |
|---|---|---|
| Good Sam Membership | $29.99 |
|
| Travel Assist | $45 |
|
| Roadside Assistance | $64.95 |
|
Auto Insurance Roadside Services
One of the cheapest ways to get roadside assistance is to sign up for the optional roadside assistance program through your provider. Your major providers – State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, etc.– all have their own roadside assistance programs that you can add to your policy. While some services may differ from provider to provider, you will get the standard towing, winching, field delivery, and tire change from every big provider. Typically, adding roadside assistance to your policy costs anywhere from less than a dollar to no more than a few dollars monthly.
And if, for whatever reason, you don’t want roadside assistance from your particular provider, Allstate offers a roadside motor club membership to non-existing customers. That means you can get all the roadside services you need without being an Allstate customer. Allstate’s starting roadside assistance rate is $6.50 per month.
PRO TIP:
AARP’s roadside assistance program is serviced by Allstate. AARP members earn a 20 percent discount when they sign up for Allstate’s roadside assistance program.3
Credit Card Companies
Believe it or not, you may not need roadside assistance from a provider or third-party member if you can get it from your credit card company. Some credit card companies, like Visa, charge a flat rate per service, while others have a maximum charge, like Chase. Here’s a breakdown of the rates, services, and features of these roadside options.
| Cost/services/benefits | Visa (includes Wells Fargo, Bank of America, U.S. Bank, and Discover) | Mastercard | Chase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per service | $79.95 | Rates vary | Rates vary, but benefits are covered for up to $50 per roadside call |
| Standard towing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tire change | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jump start | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fuel delivery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Winch service | Yes | No | Yes |
Staff Writer & Editor
Ali Saleh is a copywriter with nearly 10 years of experience in content writing, editing, and journalism. Ali’s work has been featured on a number of notable sites and publications, including MSN, Business.com’s award-winning newsletter, and Groove Korea, South Korea’s largest English-print magazine. Today, he writes for dozens of brands, providing expert guides and informative articles on auto insurance, healthcare, recruiting technology, business, and more. Ali holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from North Carolina State University.
Citations
BACK TO SEARCH TIRE BLOWOUT SEASON IS UPON US, AS 40 MILLION AMERICANS HIT THE ROAD FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY TRAVEL PERIOD. AAA. (2018, Jul 3).
https://cluballiance.aaa.com/public-affairs/press-release?rdl=midatlantic.aaa.com&Id=9a57c237-2745-4df1-8ced-699bb2662086Tires. United States Department of Transportation. (2019).
https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/tiresROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, 24 HOURS A DAY. AARP. (2023).
https://www.aarproadside.com/aarp/
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