California’s Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) is a free roadside assistance program offered in many counties across the state. But it’s not available everywhere (or at all times of the day), so drivers will want to consider investing in more comprehensive roadside assistance from an auto club, car insurance
company, or manufacturer. From flat tires to dead batteries, breakdowns are an inevitable part of every driver’s life. With roadside assistance coverage, you don’t have to have a breakdown of your own if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road—and there are tons of programs out there to choose from. Read on to find affordable roadside assistance in California.
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If you could plan for a breakdown, the odds of one happening would be much lower—as it is, the best any driver can do is simply learn what roadside assistance options are out there. Whether you get it through a club (like AAA), vehicle manufacturer (like Ford), insurance company, or credit card, roadside assistance is usually worth the money it costs. Here are some of the most popular options for roadside assistance among California drivers.
Roadside assistance clubs in California
Californians agree: there’s no better roadside assistance club than AAA
. While AAA offers a variety of insurance products, it’s most well-known (and well-loved) for its extensive roadside assistance services, from vehicle towing to fuel delivery, mechanical first-aid, and more. Purchasing roadside assistance through an auto club like AAA is more expensive than most other options—but the added benefits make it a cost-effective option for most drivers. California drivers pay between $60 and $120 per year for an average AAA membership, which includes emergency roadside assistance services like:
Battery boosts and replacements
Extrication and winching services
Alternatives to an AAA membership include auto clubs like Better World or Good Sam Club. Depending on where you live, there may also be local roadside assistance clubs you can join.
Manufacturers that offer roadside assistance
While it’s not an option for every driver, some manufacturers offer roadside assistance programs of their own, which are available to drivers who purchase a new vehicle. Some of these programs come complimentary with your new car, while others are subscription-based and come with an annual fee.
Check out the list below to see which manufacturers offer roadside assistance benefits to new car buyers:
Ford:
Five years or 60,000 milesHonda: Three years or 36,000 miles
Hyundai
: Five years with unlimited mileageKia
: Five years or 60,000 miles Nissan
: Three years or 36,000 milesTesla:
Four years of 50,000 miles Toyota
: Two years with unlimited mileage
MORE: Everything you need to know about California towing laws
Credit card companies that offer roadside assistance
Another way to get roadside assistance is through your credit card company! We know—it sounds strange. But several major credit card companies include complimentary roadside assistance services for customers. Some of the most popular programs are through the following companies:
Citi (note that Citi Double Cash discontinued their roadside assistance program)
If you’re not sure whether your credit card company offers roadside assistance—or how to access it—you can always call your company’s customer service to check the terms of your credit card. A representative of the company should be able to tell you what benefits are available to you and how you can use them.
Insurance companies that offer roadside assistance
In California, AAA is considered one of the best overall auto insurance companies—but it’s not the only provider to offer roadside assistance programs.
In fact, most major car insurance companies—including Nationwide, Allstate, and Progressive—offer optional roadside assistance (sometimes referred to as “towing and labor coverage
” among providers) to their customers. Policyholders who have full-coverage plans may even receive roadside assistance as an added benefit at a much lower cost! The best way to find out whether you can get roadside assistance through your auto insurance company is simply by calling to check the details of your policy. It may also be worthwhile to compare plans from multiple insurance companies, since the exact benefits included in your coverage can vary across providers.
MORE: How to join AAA and make sure you have roadside assistance coverage
How to find free roadside assistance in California
There’s one other way for California drivers to get roadside assistance—and it’s the easiest option of all. California’s state-wide Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) offers free, emergency roadside services including vehicle towing, flat tire changes, fluid services, fuel-ups, and more.
The FSP’s logo’d fleet of towing vehicles monitors highways across the state during peak commuting hours to offer emergency help to drivers. In many cases, an FSP driver will arrive on the scene of a roadside mishap before drivers have a chance to call—but if you need to access an FSP service, you can dial 511 and say “Freeway Assist” for help.
Keep in mind that the FSP is not a 24-hour service, making it an unreliable stand-in for full roadside assistance coverage. FSP vehicles patrol highways during the busiest hours (think morning and evening commutes), and may operate at different times depending on your location. To find out when FSP services are available in your area, visit the Freeway Service Patrol’s website
. Unfortunately, not every county across the state has access to FSP services. FSP fleets are only available to residents who live in the following California counties:
California Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) Division | |
|---|
| Orange County, San Diego County |
| |
| Monterey County, Santa Barbara County, and Santa Cruz County |
| Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma counties |
| Riverside County, San Bernardino County |
| |
| El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Yolo counties |
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