How Much Does AAA Roadside Assistance Cost?

Last Updated on December 27, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

One of the greatest advantages of being an AAA member is the AAA road assistance. You will be automatically enrolled in their roadside service program if you have an AAA membership of any level. Their professional services will be there to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week regardless of your problem, whether it is a tire change or you just run out of gas.

How Much Does AAA Roadside Assistance Cost?

In general, all AAA memberships include roadside assistance and cost anywhere between $60 and $170 per year, depending on the type of plan you chose to sign up for. Also, the membership cost will be affected by the towing packages you want and other inclusions like higher reimbursement policies and 24-hour concierge services.

For instance, the best available option is the Premier plan which enables you to get towed for one hundred to two hundred miles, depending on your state.

You may still have to pay for some services, even though you have roadside assistance.

In the table below you will find the average costs of the AAA roadside assistance services, if you need any of them in particular.

AAA roadside assistance – short presentation

AAA offers three types of membership levels, including Premier, Plus, and Classic. As long as you are a member of any of these plans, you will get the basic roadside service. Each member is provided with four road service calls per year for properly registered and licensed cars on the plan.

You might also like our articles about the cost of AAA battery service, car insurance, or car door unlocking.

Some of the services offered by the AAA roadside assistance coverage include towing for a vehicle that is damaged, flat tire service, locksmith service in case you lock your keys in your vehicle, battery service for dead batteries, spare tire change for a flat tire, fuel delivery if you run out of gas and emergency starting if you have lost your keys.

The company offers some other services besides the roadside assistance program, such as 24-hour concierge services, free car rentals, passport photos, and others.

Which are the additional expenses?

You should be prepared to pay another $55 per year, per person if you would like to add an RV and motorcycle to the roadside assistance plan.

A fee of $25 to $50 per year could be applied if a new car or membership (family member) is added to the plan.

Important things to consider about the AAA membership

Before signing up for your roadside assistance, make sure you read the policy. You may discover that you would not be covered in some certain situations, like being stuck in a flood.

Remember that every time you use the AAA roadside assistance, it will be considered an insurance claim and it will appear in the driving history of your car. So, your future rates may get higher. Though, it will not go on your record, if you are insured with AAA.

Tips for saving money

Even if you don’t have roadside assistance, make sure you check with your auto insurance carrier. In general, this will be the cheapest option to take into consideration.

If you don’t already have a policy, check out the AAA insurance plans. You may discover that it will cost you less to insure your car with them. The membership will be included if you do insure your vehicle.

It would make sense to sign up for one of these policies if you do a lot of driving. For instance, you would have to pay anywhere between $55 and $120 for just one roadside call. But if you were to sign up for a basic plan and use it just one time, you may recover your money with one vehicle tow.

Make sure that you don’t have coverage already before you choose your policy. You may discover that your actual vehicle insurance policy already offers coverage for roadside assistance, even though there are some limits to the number of times you are allowed to use it. This is also available for your vehicle warranty.  In case your vehicle is still under warranty, you may benefit from the roadside assistance service if this was mentioned in the contract.