Roadside assistance plans offer coverage that will help you during roadside emergencies. Such emergencies might include dead car batteries, flat tires, and even empty gas tanks. Many roadside assistance plans even offer extra coverage such as emergency transportation and assistance with travel plans.

As you're shopping for roadside assistance coverage, it's easy to look past basic coverage options and get swept up in all the perks various coverage plans might offer. While these perks often come in handy too, it's important to remember that first and foremost you need coverage that's going to directly help you when you find yourself in the middle of a roadside emergency.

Before you start shopping, make sure you're familiar with what many emergency roadside assistance plans usually include as “basic coverage”; once you're clear on basic coverage, you'll be better prepared to choose which – if any – kinds of extra coverage you need.

Basic Coverage With A Roadside Assistance Plan

The purpose of an emergency roadside assistance plan is pretty clear-cut: It gives you assistance when a roadside emergency happens. Therefore, it's important to make sure the roadside assistance plan you choose offers coverage for the most common kinds of roadside emergencies.

Look for roadside assistance coverage that will help you when:

•You have a flat tire.

•Your gas tank is empty.

•Your vehicle's battery needs charged.

•You lock your keys in your vehicle.

•Your vehicle needs towed.

Fortunately, these kinds of coverage are generally offered as standard features with most emergency roadside assistance plans; however, you'll still want to talk with a representative from the company to make sure you know exactly the kind of coverage you're getting and for what price. The middle of the night in unfamiliar territory isn't the time to find out your plan doesn't offer key-retrieval services.

Perks With A Roadside Assistance Plan

Some emergency roadside assistance plans offer perks that aren't directly related to the mechanics of your vehicle (like an empty fuel tank, flat tire, or smoking engine). Such perks might include providing:

•Directions and assistance with planning your trips.

•Emergency transportation when you can't let auto troubles keep you from your destination.

•Emergency personal assistance when you need to relay messages to your family members, friends, loved ones, or employer/employees about your situation.

•Roadside assistance for your bicycle.

•A certain amount of financial assistance (such as with citation- or accident-related legal fees or emergency room visits).

•Discounts on hotels and other travel accommodations.

Keep in mind these perks are just examples and not standard benefits; each individual company will offer its own assortment of extras. Whether these perks will benefit you will depend on factors such as how often and how far you travel.

Once you're ready to purchase an emergency roadside assistance plan, make sure the plan covers the basics first; after that, you'll be ready to determine which extras you'd like with your plan and how that extra coverage works with your budget.