Guest Author - Bonnie Sayers

Roadside Assistance is a great plan for all motorists to have besides their Automobile Insurance Policy. Personally I have only had experience with two plans over the years - Allstate Motor Club and Great American Driver Club. Besides these two there are many other plans to choose from for an annual membership.

Most plans are available through your insurance carrier or an association. There is a variety of perks depending on the Roadside Assistance Plan you choose, which could range from free gas coupons, travel discounts, bicycle assistance, trailer and motorcycle assistance, travel expense reimbursement and VIP services.

After living on the East Coast for a year I decided to make the move back to California and utilized the Allstate Motor Club for a customized trip plan. This was in 1996 while I was seven months pregnant with a one-year old child aboard. The notebook had each page with a detailed map showing the destinations with the written specifications on the distance for each freeway.

I would not have made the trip successfully without the travel plan and found the stops along the way. A trip plan can include motels/hotels along the way, as well as campgrounds for those pulling an RV. This will require four weeks to process with your departure date, membership number and stops along the way you want to make.

A Roadside Assistance Plan will give you a membership card with your name, member number and the numbers to call for service. Also included could be a sticker for your car window for easy access. My Allstate Auto Insurance Policy gives me keychain cards with hints on remaining calm if in an accident along with the toll-free number and website address.

A typical Roadside Assistance Plan will cover the following:

24 hour emergency assistance
fuel delivery - the cost of the actual fuel is not included
tow truck dispatch - there are restrictions to the mileage
battery jump start
flat tire change - fixing the flat is not part of a plan
locksmith assistance - does not include cost of making a key
fluid delivery - water and oil - cost is not included of fluid

The other available options with most include maps, hotel discounts, car rentdal discounts and maintenance savings. There are some plans with the option to pay on a monthly basis, but most have an annual fee you pay once a year. All plans have online clubs to sign up and receive newsletters with discounts and specials.

There are also upgrades for plans that might be allowed throughout the year, or when you hit the limit on the number of service calls. On Star is a plan that is only available in select GM models, is factory installed, and by the year 2007 will be in all their new cars and trucks. I would love the opportunity to have On Star and will look for a GM car when the time comes for a newer vehicle.

If you join the Better World Club you will get discounts on hybrid cars, insurance and maintenance with 1% of their annual revenues donated to environmental cleanup and advocacy. Their plan starts at $53.95 per year with bicycle roadside assistance. If you join now they give you $40.00 in gas rebate coupons (not available in Minnesota). Contact them at 1.866.238.1137.

Drive America Auto Club Program gives all family members one month free of service. They have the monthly option as well as the annual fee. There is an emergency travel expense reimbursement, trip planning and rental discounts starting at $69.95 for a single membership (5.95 per mo) or the family membership at $89.95 (7.95 mo). Contact them at 1-866-494-6402.

The Auto Club has a Classic Membership that starts at $5.99 per month and covers the US and Canada. The Advantage membership is $6.99 per month. There are VIP services and tire and wheel road hazard coverage for another $1.50 or $2.50 per month, depending on the Classic or Advantage plans. There are separate Motorcycle and RV plans as well. Additional family members are $1.50 per month. Contact them at 1-866-24RESCUE.

Travel Americard also has collision assistance, legal defense reimbursement, ambulance reimbursement and trip planning. The payment options include monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and yearly. A gold membership is $64 with a platinum at $94. The towing benefit is $50 for gold and $100 for platinum. The reimbursement compares from $500 to 1,000 for the two memberships. Contact them at 1-888-266-8728.

Nationwide Auto Club costs $79 per year with the first 30 days free. One household member can be added at no additional charge with teenaged children added as an associate member at $24 per year (2 per month). Their benefits are different for California residents. Coverage is for US and Canada. There is no toll-free number posted on the website.

Driver Shield costs $69.95 per year with additional members under age 21 for free. There is a thiry-day money back guarantee. They have dining discount and 40% discount on glass replacement. There seems to be no toll-free number on their website.

AMA known as the American Motorcyclist Association has two plans. The MoTow and International Help 'N Hands. The International plan has no fee, but you do need to register to help out other riders for toll-free access anytime. For $25 per year all your motorcycles are covered, in Puerto Rico and Canada as well. MoTow Plus covers all vehicles in the household for $59.95 per year. Contact them at 1-800-AMA-JOIN.

Allstate Motor Club has several options for membership. A platinum has a $250 beneft limit, teenaged children are included, arrest bond certificate up to $2,000, this plan is $156 per year, except CA which is $168. The deluxe plan is a $150 benefit limit with the cost at $108 per year, CA at $132. The roadside advantage plan has $100 limit at $84 per year. This is $96 in CA, DC, GA, NV and TX. The road security plan is for the individual driver at $48 per year everywhere with only a $50 limit.

This is the plan I have at the moment. I have plans on updating my plan soon since I hit my limit. When I first signed up for the road security plan in 2004 it cost me $36. Contact them at 1-800-556-8959.

I learned recently that since I have a minivan with 4-wheel drive a tow costs $125, so I need to upgrade my plan when I can afford to do so. I always get offers from the Automobile Club of Southern California, but have not used them.

When I made the purchase of my Ford Aerostar in May of 2004 from Ebay Motors I was able to pay the sales tax at the AAA office since the seller was a member of AAA. This did seem like a great benefit to avoid going to the DMV offices and waiting in long lines.

Automobile Club of Southern California has three types of memberships - AAA Premier, AAA Plus and Classic Membership. The classic has a 7 mile limit for towing, with the Plus at 100 miles. You can upgrade memberships online at any time. For the classic the first year is $20 admission fee with the membership dues at $46. An RV or motorcycle is $25 per year, additional members are $23 with dependents at $26 per year. Contact them at 1-877-428-2277.

When you make adjustment to your Insurance Plans for your household, do not forget to consider an upgrade for your Roadside Assistance Plan. Teach your college students about this feature as well and make sure they are covered while on the road.

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