Should I Use My Insurance Policy Road Service or AAA?

Imagine you’re driving down I-75, and all of a sudden, your tire blows!

What if you came out of the grocery store and your battery is dead?

Maybe you think it’s too cold to fill up your gas tank right now and choose to play a game to see if you can make it to your destination before you run out of gas? And….you lose and run out of gas.

If you have car trouble on the side of the road, you want fast and reliable service. Does it matter if you use your road service coverage on your insurance policy or is it worth your money to go ahead and AAA service?

Keep in mind, ANY TIME YOU USE YOUR INSURANCE POLICY, IT IS VIEWED BY THE INSURANCE CARRIER AS A CLAIM. Even if it’s only a $70 road service claim or a battery jump, it will show up on your auto insurance claim history. Now of course, it doesn’t affect your rates or insurance score in the same way that an at-fault accident will, but it will still be included in your claim history. An insurance carrier can use excessive road service claims as part of the reason to non-renew your policy.

If you have several vehicles, especially ones that aren’t in perfect shape, you may want to consider purchasing a road service/towing plan through AAA or another auto club service. Depending on the age and condition of your vehicle, you may not be able to purchase the coverage through your policy and will need AAA for this service anyway.

Many new vehicles have road service through the manufacturer/dealer as well, so that would be another way to get assistance if needed, without using your insurance policy.

Think of your insurance policy as a way to pay for expensive accidents, injuries, etc. and think about the smaller claims being handled a different way.