Indiana residents can get roadside assistance for free via Hoosier Helpers, but many drivers prefer the convenience of a paid, private service offered via a roadside assistance club, credit card company, or car insurance
company. Indiana’s free roadside assistance program, Hoosier Helpers, is a great option if you get stranded on the highway. Since this service was designed to help keep roadways clear and safe, however, Hoosier Helpers may not prioritize problems like locking your keys in your car or getting a flat tire in the grocery store parking lot.
As a result, many drivers opt for other roadside assistance options, like membership clubs and car insurance add-ons. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways that you can access roadside assistance in Indiana.
How to get roadside assistance in Indiana
When choosing a roadside assistance service, you’ll want to look at everything from roadside assistance membership clubs to your car insurance to your credit card benefits. Whether you’re willing to pay a lot of money for good roadside assistance or you just want to know that the option is there, read on to learn more about your options.
Roadside assistance clubs in Indiana
AAA
is one of the most popular roadside assistance services out there, and for good reason. While roadside assistance clubs like AAA represent the most expensive option at an average cost of $60 to $165 per year, many drivers find that the higher price is worth it
due to the additional benefits that are included in a AAA membership. A basic AAA membership comes with benefits like:
Towing services (up to seven miles up to four times per year)
If you’re willing to pay a little extra for a more expensive plan, though, you can unlock some additional benefits, including things like free car rentals! Whether you’re super cautious or worried about driving for another reason, this could be a great option for you.
MORE: How to join AAA and make sure you have roadside assistance coverage
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Manufacturers that offer roadside assistance
New cars often have roadside assistance via the manufacturer. Some car brands that offer roadside assistance for new car buyers include:
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
Credit card companies that offer roadside assistance
Do you have a credit card? If so, it’s possible that you already have roadside assistance. Lots of major credit card companies automatically offer roadside assistance services to their customers, including:
If you have a Visa card, it comes with roadside assistance, provided you’re willing to pay an extra fee. If you’re interested in this type of coverage, check the terms of your credit card to make sure you understand what roadside assistance benefits are available to you and how you can access them.
MORE: Why your car breaks down and how to avoid it
Insurance companies that offer roadside assistance
Did you know that you can often get affordable roadside assistance via your car insurance provider?
Most major car insurance companies like Nationwide
, Allstate
, and Progressive
offer roadside assistance as an add-on benefit for an average of $10 to $20 per year for drivers with full coverage insurance. This type of add-on will often be referred to as “towing and labor coverage
,” but the benefits are the same as a standard roadside assistance club and include things like jump starts, spare tires/tire repair, lockout or fuel delivery
, tow trucks, and even winch services. To see if this is an option for you, contact your insurer about roadside assistance coverage. If this is important to you, it might even be worth switching providers to find one that offers the type of towing and labor coverage that you want.
How to find free roadside assistance in Indiana
If you’re stranded on a major highway in Indiana, you can contact the Hoosier Helper Safety Service Patrol, a program organized by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) that can provide services like:
Fixing minor mechanical problems
Removing debris from the road at the scene of an accident
Providing minimal amounts of fuel
Providing some medical assistance as trained Good Samaritans
This program was organized to improve traffic congestion and overall road safety, and as of now this program certainly achieves that goal. Since Hoosier Helpers are also trained in First Aid, CPR, Automatic External Defibrillator (AED), and HAZMAT, and have completed medical helicopter training, they can also help if they arrive on the scene of an accident with injuries!
To get aid from a Hoosier Helper, you can call 1-855-INDOT4U (that’s 1-855-463-6848).