How to Get Roadside Assistance in Michigan
If you need roadside assistance in Michigan, you’ll need to purchase a plan from a roadside assistance club or car insurance company.
Written by Cameron Thiessen
Reviewed by Amy Bobinger
The Michigan Department of Transportation has a Safety Service Patrol that monitors some highways in Michigan. If you want to be able to call for roadside assistance anywhere in the state, you’ll need to purchase a roadside assistance plan. You can do this through the roadside assistance club of your choice, your
car insurance
company, and sometimes your vehicle manufacturer.Roadside assistance services usually include things like emergency jump starts, towing, battery replacement, fuel delivery, or even tire changes for drivers who end up stuck on the road. Having a roadside assistance service on call means you’ll always have a direct line to trained professionals who can help get you back on your way or give you a tow. Here’s how to find good roadside assistance in Michigan.
How to get roadside assistance in Michigan
Being prepared is a key part of being a regular driver. Finding yourself a roadside assistance plan before something goes wrong is a great way to avoid exorbitant emergency towing and labor costs. These days, roadside assistance plans are offered by insurance companies, clubs like AAA, credit card companies, and even vehicle manufacturers, and it’s usually fairly affordable.
Roadside assistance clubs in Michigan
You’ve probably already heard of
AAA
, which is one of the most popular roadside assistance clubs in the U.S. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most expensive options, due to how many extra perks and services are included.Usually, basic AAA membership includes:
- Car lockoutservices
- Dead battery services
- Flat tire services
- Towing services up to seven miles (4x per year)
More expensive membership plans will usually include raised towing mileage limits, trip disruption, and even free car rental, making it a great choice for road trippers. Roadside assistance clubs are good choices for people with older cars that might have very basic insurance plans and dwindling reliability.
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Manufacturers that offer roadside assistance
On the other hand, if you’ve recently purchased a new vehicle, the automaker might provide roadside assistance to you. Here are some major car manufacturers that offer roadside assistance plans for new cars:
Credit card companies that offer roadside assistance
It’s also possible that you have a roadside assistance plan through your credit card provider. Here are a few that offer roadside assistance services as part of your credit card agreement:
- Bank of America
- Capital One
- Chase
- Citi
- Wells Fargo
- U.S. Bank
Depending on your credit card company, the terms might be quite different surrounding roadside assistance. For instance, you can get roadside assistance with any Visa credit card, but you have to pay a fee for it. Make sure to read through your credit card-related documents so you can understand what services you have access to and whether or not you’re eligible for more.
MORE: Why your car breaks down and how to avoid it
Insurance companies that offer roadside assistance
In some cases, you’ll find that you can get the best roadside assistance deal through your car insurance provider, especially if you have
full-coverage
.Major insurers like
Nationwide
, Allstate
, and Progressive
all offer roadside assistance as an additional coverage option—your company might refer to it as “towing and labor coverage
.” Adding towing and labor coverage onto your full-coverage plan will cost an average of $10 to $20 per year, much more affordable than AAA.How to find free roadside assistance in Michigan
Many highways in Michigan are patrolled by MDOT’s Safety Service Patrol, otherwise known as the Freeway Courtesy Patrol.
Unfortunately, there is no way to directly call to request these services—they move down the roads with the main purpose of keeping highways clear for the safety of everyone on the road. If you call to report an emergency, this patrol might be sent to assist you, but the highways are not patrolled 24/7. It’s a good idea to check how these services function in your particular county.
MORE: How to join AAA and make sure you have roadside assistance coverage
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What is the phone number for AAA?
You can call (800) 222-4357 for AAA roadside assistance. AAA members can call for assistance 24/7, as needed.
Does Michigan have free roadside assistance?
On certain highways, yes, but there’s no direct number to contact them, and they are not patrolling 24/7. In fact, in some areas, they only patrol on weekdays, during the day.
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