Towing and labor coverage—often known as roadside assistance—covers some of the costs associated with unexpected breakdowns, such as towing, tire changes, and battery assistance.
Towing and labor coverage offers protection if you experience a breakdown and usually includes towing, tire changes, battery assistance, and lockout services.
Some insurance companies include roadside assistance in their full-coverage
. It provides protection against some of the expenses and hassles associated with car breakdowns.
This insurance typically covers the cost of towing your vehicle to a mechanic when it can’t be driven, as well as the labor costs incurred at the location of the breakdown.
You can add towing and labor coverage to an existing car insurance policy for an additional cost, though some insurance companies include it in their
before you can add towing and labor to your policy.
Towing and labor coverage limits
As with other forms of auto insurance, towing and labor coverage comes with set limits. Your limit will depend on your individual policy.
To find out what your limit is, contact your insurance company. Limits may include:
Total number of claims in a 12-month period
Cap on your costs per breakdown
Caveats around longer-distance tows
Note that towing and labor coverage usually only applies to your car. If you hop behind the wheel of a vehicle belonging to a friend or employer, you won’t be protected.
When towing and labor coverage is worth it (and when it isn’t)
Towing and labor coverage can come to the rescue in all kinds of scenarios:
Consider how and where you drive when you’re weighing the merits of towing and labor coverage.
Towing and labor coverage might be worth it if: you drive frequently and eat up a lot of miles, you often drive outside the city (where towing distances are greater)
Towing and labor coverage probably isn’t necessary if: you work from home and don’t spend a lot of time commuting or on the road.