For minor situations, your roadside coverage typically handles lockouts, jump starts, flat tire changes, and out-of-fuel calls. What is covered depends on your policy or club membership. Knowing the limits upfront avoids surprise bills.
Lockouts
If you lock your keys in the car, roadside services dispatch a locksmith or a technician. Coverage is for the labor of opening the door, not for damage to the lock or replacement of lost keys. If your car uses electronic key fobs (most newer vehicles), the technician will only unlock the door; you still need a working key to drive away. For a lost fob, you may need to be towed to a dealer.
Dead battery: jump or replace
Roadside includes a jump start at no charge in most policies. If the battery is dead and a jump cannot revive it, the technician may diagnose and offer a replacement on the spot. The battery itself is not part of roadside coverage; you pay for the part. Labor for the swap is usually included or low cost.
Flat tire
The roadside technician will install your spare tire on the road. If you do not have a usable spare (many newer vehicles ship without one), roadside arranges a tow to the nearest tire shop. The tow is covered up to your policy limit; the tire replacement at the shop is not.
A driver on a highway shoulder called roadside for a flat tire. The technician arrived in 35 minutes, installed her donut spare, and directed her to the nearest tire shop. The labor and the dispatch were covered; the tire replacement was not. She was back on the road in under two hours.
Out of fuel
Roadside delivers a small amount of fuel (typically 1 to 3 gallons) to get you to the nearest station. Whether the fuel itself is free or billed varies by carrier. Confirm before you accept delivery if cost matters to you.
Mechanical breakdowns
For mechanical issues that cannot be fixed on the road (transmission, engine, electrical), the service is to tow you to a qualified repair shop. The repair work itself is not covered by roadside or by your auto policy unless you have mechanical breakdown coverage as a separate endorsement. Roadside gets you off the road; the rest is on you.
How to call efficiently
Save your carrier's roadside number in your phone now, before you need it. When you call, provide your policy number, describe the issue, and confirm what is covered before authorizing the technician. Many carriers have a mobile app that lets you request service and track the dispatch; that is the easiest way if you are already a customer.
Want to verify your roadside coverage limits?
Send your declarations page. We will tell you how many calls per year you have, what is covered per call, and whether your coverage covers the driver or just the vehicle.
Free Coverage Review