If you already have State Farm auto insurance, you might be wondering whether it’s a better idea to add roadside coverage to your policy or get a separate plan from AAA. In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will compare the insurance provider and roadside company on coverage options, cost, reviews and more. We’ve reviewed the best roadside assistance plans and will compare State Farm and AAA head-to-head.
Key Takeaways
- When comparing State Farm vs. AAA roadside assistance, State Farm is cheaper but AAA offers more perks.
- State Farm roadside assistance costs about $30 per year while AAA can cost between $64 and $124 per year.
- Both options cover 24/7 towing, battery jump-starts, flat tire assistance, fuel delivery and locksmith services.
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The MarketWatch Guides Team is committed to providing reliable information to help you make the best decision possible about insuring your vehicle. Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. After 800 hours of research, the end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.
State Farm vs. AAA Roadside Assistance
Here’s a high-level comparison of State Farm roadside assistance and AAA roadside assistance in the five rating categories we used in our review.
| Category | Our State Farm Ratings | Our AAA Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Industry standing | 9.7 | 8.7 |
| Availability | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Coverage | 8.4 | 9.5 |
| Cost | 8.7 | 9.5 |
| Customer experience | 8.4 | 8.4 |
| Overall rating | 8.8 | 9.0 |
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What Is the Difference Between AAA and State Farm Roadside Assistance?
There are some major differences between AAA and State Farm. For starters, State Farm is an insurance company that offers basic roadside assistance as an add-on plan. AAA is an auto club federation that offers multiple roadside plans and extra perks. AAA is made up of 32 auto clubs nationwide, so you may find slightly different customer service experiences at each. Here’s a quick summary.
| State Farm | AAA | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of plan | Insurance policy add-on | Three stand-alone plans to choose from plus two RV plans |
| Cost | About $30 per year (varies) | $64 to $124 per year depending on plan level |
| Coverage | Standard roadside assistance coverage | Multiple levels of roadside assistance plus additional benefits |
| Coverage applies to | Your car only | Any car you drive or ride in as a passenger (some vehicles excluded) |
| Best for | State Farm customers who want affordable roadside assistance | Drivers who want roadside assistance in a variety of situations |
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State Farm vs. AAA Roadside Assistance: Customer Reviews
State Farm has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). AAA, on the other hand, has different ratings and customer satisfaction levels depending on the specific auto club in your region. For this article, we included ratings for AAA Carolinas, which serves North and South Carolina, as an example.
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State Farm Roadside Assistance Reviews
There are few reviews on the BBB for State Farm’s roadside service compared to its car insurance. We did find a few negative reviews that mention customers waiting multiple hours for roadside service. When we reached out to State Farm for comment on its reviews specific to roadside assistance, we received the following response:
“State Farm utilizes a third-party vendor to provide roadside assistance to our customers, servicing approximately 2.5 million requests annually. While there have been instances when an individual customer has a negative experience with a towing need, it is not the norm. It is our intention that all our customers have a favorable towing and roadside assistance experience.”
AAA Roadside Assistance Reviews
Generally speaking, the vast majority of customers have positive experiences with AAA. Each auto club has its own page on the BBB, so it can be a good idea to look up the ratings for your local club. The Oregon and Idaho AAA will have a different rating than the Southern California AAA and so on.
In this article, we considered ratings for AAA Carolinas. The auto club has an A rating with accreditation from the BBB but a 1.3-star rating from customers. That said, it has about 100 customer reviews, which is a small fraction of its customers. In one negative review, the customer waited over three hours for a tow truck before calling their friend and canceling the tow. In another review, the customer had to wait four hours for lockout services.
Our team reached out to AAA Carolinas for comment on its BBB ratings but did not receive a response.
State Farm vs. AAA Roadside Assistance: Coverage
State Farm and AAA cover the main roadside assistance services. Below, you can see how State Farm compares to AAA’s three roadside plans.
| State Farm | AAA Basic | AAA Plus | AAA Premier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towing | Towing to the nearest repair facility | Four tows per year with restrictions | Four 100-mile tows per year | One 200-mile tow and three 100-mile tows per year |
| Battery jump-start | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Flat tire change | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fuel delivery | ✓ | ✓ | Includes free fuel | Includes free fuel |
| Lockout service | ✓ | Up to $50 | Up to $100 | Up to $100 |
| Winching | Not guaranteed | One truck/driver | Two trucks/drivers | Two trucks/drivers |
| Mechanical labor | Up to one hour | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| RV coverage | Available on RV insurance policies | Partial services | Full services available for a fee | Full services available for a fee |
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AAA’s Basic plan covers towing back to the responding truck’s station, to an AAA Car Care shop within 10 miles or to another repair shop within three miles. The Plus plan covers towing up to 100 miles and the Premier plan covers one 200-mile tow per year.
The only thing that differentiates State Farm’s roadside assistance is that it covers one hour of mechanical labor at the site. This can be used to fix minor issues with the engine, electrical system, leaks and more. It can also cover the labor to replace a battery (you’ll pay for the battery itself).
AAA can provide battery replacements depending on availability. And if you purchase a battery from AAA, it comes with a three-year warranty against defects.
State Farm vs. AAA: What’s Covered?
There’s another distinction in what roadside assistance covers from both companies. The State Farm roadside assistance plan follows your car just like insurance coverage. In other words, you can get a tow or jump-start as long as you’re driving the insured vehicle on your policy. Most roadside assistance plans from insurance companies operate this way.
In contrast, AAA covers you as a driver or passenger. You could be driving a friend’s car or riding in a rental car and still get service. This is one of the most significant differences between AAA and State Farm and it adds value to a AAA plan. Note that some vehicles are excluded from AAA service including limousines, loaded commercial trucks and taxis.
State Farm vs. AAA: Added Benefits
Roadside assistance plans may come with extra benefits beyond things like towing and battery jump-starts. We’ll compare State Farm vs. AAA roadside assistance benefits below.
State Farm Roadside Assistance Added Benefits
State Farm’s plan doesn’t come with additional coverage perks beyond the core roadside assistance services — but that makes sense since it’s an add-on to your insurance policy. State Farm offers trip interruption and rental car coverage separately but options like these won’t come with your roadside plan.
AAA Roadside Assistance Added Benefits
AAA, on the other hand, offers a wide variety of benefits beyond roadside assistance. These include trip interruption, auto theft rewards and legal defense reimbursement. Perks like these might not always be applicable to your situation, but they’re nice to have just in case. Here are the details.
- Trip interruption: If your car is disabled after an accident or has been stolen, you can get reimbursement for food and lodging up to a limit. Trip interruption can cover the cost of transportation back to your home up to a limit as well. Premier members can also get trip interruption after a mechanical breakdown. Limits are $250, $500 and $1,500 for the Basic, Plus and Premier plans respectively.
- Auto theft reward: AAA offers a reward to anyone who supplies information leading to a conviction if your car or stereo is stolen. Rewards apply to other parties, not yourself or your family. Reward limits for the three plans are $500, $1,000 and $1,500.
- Legal defense: If you plead not guilty to certain traffic violations, AAA can reimburse you up to a limit for attorney fees. Limits for the three plans are $300, $1,000 and $2,000 depending on the case and whether you appeal to the State Supreme Court.
- Travel accident insurance: If you book travel through a AAA Travel agency, the company covers accidental loss of life, limb or sight up to $100,000 for basic members or $300,000 for Plus/Premier members.
- Car rental reimbursement: If you’re a Premier member, you can get reimbursed for one rental car day per year if you have to use a rental after a tow.
- Travel concierge: The travel concierge can help you book restaurants and experiences away from home if you’re a Premier member.
- Home lockout service: Premier members can get reimbursed up to $100 for home locksmith services once per year. This can go toward labor to unlock your door or the cost of making new keys if your lock has to be drilled.
- Discounts: AAA members can access discounts at over 100,000 business locations across the country. Discounts include travel, entertainment, dining and more.
State Farm vs. AAA Roadside Assistance: Mobile App
AAA and State Farm offer mobile apps you can use to call roadside assistance, and both apps have good ratings.
| State Farm App | AAA App | |
| Apple App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Google Play rating | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| Features | Digital insurance card, call roadside assistance, pay your bill, file an accident claim, find repair facilities, manage financial accounts | Digital membership card, AAA discounts, travel booking, request roadside assistance, TripTik® travel planning, find repair facilities |
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AAA vs. State Farm: Cost
How much roadside assistance costs varies greatly between the two companies. When comparing State Farm vs. AAA roadside assistance costs, State Farm is cheaper by far. Our research shows State Farm’s roadside assistance add-on can cost about $30 per year (though prices vary depending on your vehicle). Compare that to AAA’s pricing, which ranges from $64 to $124 per year depending on the plan and regional auto club.
However, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. The State Farm add-on provides basic roadside assistance coverage but not much more. AAA offers useful perks like trip interruption and trip planning into the mix.
You also have to be a State Farm car insurance customer to get roadside assistance from the company. If State Farm charges higher auto insurance rates than your current insurance company, it wouldn’t make sense to switch just for roadside assistance.
The Bottom Line: State Farm vs. AAA Roadside Assistance
At the end of the day, you can get reliable roadside coverage from both State Farm and AAA. State Farm is cheaper, but you’ll get more perks from AAA. State Farm may make sense if you already have an auto insurance policy or you found cheaper car insurance rates from the company. Otherwise, AAA is a great choice with three coverage levels to choose from.
Top Alternatives to AAA and State Farm Roadside Assistance
It’s always a good idea to compare multiple roadside assistance programs to find the best option. You can get roadside assistance from a variety of auto insurance companies like Progressive and Allstate, as well as from other auto clubs like Better World Club.
- Better World Club: Better World Club is a carbon-neutral roadside assistance company that offers slightly cheaper rates than AAA. It wins our Editor’s Choice award for roadside assistance.
- Allstate: Allstate offers a thorough roadside assistance plan that you can get whether or not you’re an Allstate policyholder. The car insurance company also offers a pay-per-use plan that doesn’t cost anything until you need to use it.
- Geico: Geico offers some of the cheapest roadside assistance coverage out there — you can get it for as low as $14 per year according to the company. It covers towing, battery jump-starts, tire changes, lockout services, fuel delivery and winching.
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FAQ: AAA vs. State Farm Roadside Assistance
State Farm roadside assistance is a good option if you want basic coverage for an affordable price. But if you want more towing allowances and extra add-ons, consider AAA.
State Farm roadside assistance covers towing to the nearest repair facility, fluid delivery, locksmith services and one hour of mechanical labor. This can cover battery replacement, spare tire installation and minor electrical or mechanical repairs.
AAA covers towing, battery jump-starts, flat tire change, fuel delivery, lockout services and winching. Individual allowances for each depend on which plan you get: Basic, Plus or Premier.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Cost: Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
- Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Reputation and experience: Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Availability: Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
- Customer experience: This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
Our credentials:
- 800 hours researched
- 45 companies reviewed
- 8,500+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
