Choosing the Best RV Roadside Assistance

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One of the most important purchases you’ll ever make as a full time RVers? RV roadside assistance. 

This might sound silly, but we are 100% serious. The right roadside assistance can be an absolute lifesaver in certain situations. Because of this, it is crucial that you do your research and ensure what you are buying will take care of you the way you think it will. 

Unfortunately, this can be difficult to do if you don’t know anything about roadside assistance. If you’re wondering what you should be looking for in RV roadside assistance, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will discuss everything you need to know to make an informed decision. 

Related: Playing it Safe When you RV Full Time

What to Look for in RV Roadside Assistance

First, let’s take a look at what kinds of things you can expect to be included in RV roadside assistance plans. All policies will include a different combination of these benefits, so it is important that you look carefully at the details of each to ensure you are getting the benefits you want and need. 

Of course, the cost of your RV roadside assistance plan will be directly affected by the type of benefits it includes. Therefore, you really want to look for a plan that includes everything you need, but nothing you won’t use in order to get the best bang for your buck. 

Who, What, and Where?

Every RV roadside assistance plan has different rules surrounding who is covered, what is covered, and where the plan benefits can be used. These are very important details and we recommend starting here when shopping for a policy. 

Make sure you understand who is covered by the policy. In some cases, a plan will cover only the named driver. In other cases, it covers every driver in the household. Still other plans offer benefits to anyone driving the listed vehicle. 

Learn about which vehicles the plan in question will cover. Will it only cover your motorhome, or will your toad be covered as well. Is the coverage on your toad still in play when it isn’t being towed? Are any other vehicles covered? What about rental vehicles that you drive?

Finally, make sure the RV roadside assistance you choose will cover you wherever it is you plan to travel. If you’ll only be in the US, you’re probably good to go, but if you plan to take your RV to Mexico or Canada you’ll want to make sure the coverage extends that far. 

Towing Service

Every roadside assistance plan should cover towing to some extent. That said, while some policies include unlimited towing, others draw a line at a certain number of miles. Unfortunately, if you find yourself broken down in the middle of nowhere, a policy with a 20 mile towing limit may not be super helpful. For this reason, we highly recommend finding a plan that includes unlimited towing. 

Tire Changes

Tire changes are another thing that pretty much every RV roadside assistance plan includes. If you carry your own spare, any tire change benefit should be just fine. That said, those who do not carry a spare tire will want to make sure their coverage includes tire delivery. 

Fuel Delivery

In a perfect world, we would never ever run out of gas. That said, we do not live in a perfect world, and there are some insanely long stretches of road out west without any gas stations whatsoever. If you don’t know to fuel up before these stretches, you might just find yourself in a dire situation. This is where fuel delivery comes into play. Make sure you look at the amount of fuel the plan will deliver, as this does differ from one plan to the next and it might really matter in the moment. 

Delivery of Other Fluids

Fuel isn’t the only fluid that your vehicle needs to work properly. If you find yourself stranded on the side of the road without a vital fluid, you are going to want a way to get that fluid. This is where fluid delivery comes into play. This is a lesser used RV roadside assistance benefit, but it can be super helpful in the right situation. 

Winching Service

Occasionally, a simple tow isn’t enough. If you find yourself stuck in the mud, you’re going to need a way to get out and pushing a giant motorhome isn’t likely to do the trick. In these cases, winching is almost always necessary and it can get pricey really, really quickly. Fortunately, this is a benefit that many roadside plans cover. Make sure yours does.  

Trip Interruption Coverage

Nobody wants to think about their RVing being involved in an accident, but it is something we have to prepare for. Trip interruption coverage will cover hotel and rental car expenses if your RV is in an accident more than 100 miles from “home”. In some cases, this coverage also comes into play if your RV is broken down, but this isn’t always the case. 

Discounts

Some RV roadside assistance plans also include discounts. In some cases, these are discounts on travel, camping fees, attractions, and shopping. While these discounts should never be the main focus when choosing a plan, they certainly can be a fun perk if the plan you choose happens to include them. 

A Word About Insurance Add-On Roadside Assistance

A huge number of RV insurance policies include roadside assistance or at least offer it as an add-on. You might think that having such an add-on is plenty and you really don’t need to look into a separate RV roadside assistance plan and honestly, you might be right. That said, it is important to note that insurance roadside assistance plans are often very limited, meaning they may not provide the coverage you need. 

We highly recommend taking a close look at the roadside assistance included with your insurance to make sure it is sufficient before you make this call. While some feel the insurance roadside assistance is enough, the majority of RVers find that it’s best to carry a stand-alone roadside assistance plan. Still others carry both the stand-alone plan and the insurance add-on.

The Best RV Roadside Assistance Companies

Not sure where to begin looking for the perfect RV roadside assistance policy? There are a handful of companies that are known for offering quality RV-specific roadside assistance. These companies are an excellent place to begin your research and we’re betting one of them will have the right plan for you!

Good Sam

Starting cost: $64.95 per year

A favorite of many RVers, Good Sam roadside assistance plans are available for every budget. With three different packages to choose from, you can pick what works best for you. 

Coach-net

Starting cost: $179 per year

Coach-Net plans are a bit more expensive, but they include every benefit you could possibly want, including coverage in a rental vehicle!

FMCA

Starting cost: $129 per year

The FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association) roadside assistance is called Roadside Rescue. It includes towing, fuel delivery,, tire changes, and more. 

RV Advisor

Starting cost: $289 per year

Roadside assistance from RV Advisor includes coverage in the US and Canada. It covers pretty much any vehicle you can imagine and will cover your dependents. 

Roamly

Starting cost: $79.99 per year

Roamly is a bit newer to the scene, but well respected. Their basic plan is enough coverage for most people and is very affordable. 

AAA

Starting cost: Location dependant

AAA is a well-known roadside assistance company. Reviews for their RV-specific service are pretty mixed, but it might be worth looking into if you are a loyal AAA customer. 

There you have it, everything you need to know to start your search for RV roadside assistance that will perfectly suit your needs. Choose wisely and then rest easy knowing you have help if problems decide to come your way on down the road. 

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