‘You are far better off getting AAA’: Insurance expert says to avoid making this common mistake when car breaks down. You'll end up regretting it (2025)

An insurance expert is warning drivers to avoid calling for roadside assistance through their insurance provider when their car breaks down. Why? Because they might end up regretting it when they renew.

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TikTok user Cara (@friendlyneighborhooduw) indicates she has a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). A CPCU is a certification in property-casualty insurance and risk management. She recently posted a video with this “insurance fast fact” on April 7. It has since amassed 255,000 views.

“Using roadside assistance on your car insurance counts as a claim against your policy,” she says. “You are far better off getting AAA or some other roadside service and using that instead.”

Insurance fast fact on roadside assistance

In the comments, users disagreed over the veracity of this advice. Some users think it’s good advice, and others don’t think it’s accurate.

“Using insurance of any kind is bad on a policy and they all share that info,” wrote one user.

“From a former insurance agent: I’d definitely use AAA,” wrote a second user.

However, another person wrote, “This isn’t … true.”

Someone else said, “Roadside doesn’t affect mine. Probably depends on the company and policy.”

Does using roadside assistance impact your car insurance?

The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no. According to Insurance.com, companies generally don’t take roadside assistance claims as seriously as other claims. So if you use it once or twice over a period of years in real emergencies, you should avoid any additional charges.

It is important to note that filing too many claims in a short period of time could prompt your insurance provider to raise your rates or cancel your roadside assistance coverage altogether. “Roadside assistance claims usually aren’t severe,” the article states, “but if they’re frequent, it tells your insurance company that your car isn’t in great shape.”

If you’re not sure, Insurance.com recommends calling your company and asking what the rules are. If you’re allotted a certain amount under your policy without penalty, it might not make sense to pay for another service. Of course, that depends on the reliability of your vehicle. So it really just depends on your life circumstances and insurance company’s policies.

On this Reddit thread posted to r/PersonalFinance six years ago, several users backed this up. One wrote, “No, at the insurance company I work for, a major one, you need to file six roadside claims in a policy term for us to increase your premium non-renew.”

Is AAA the best deal?

So what about AAA? Is it worth it? Well, according to NerdWallet, AAA is hugely popular with drivers. The membership also comes along with discounts on car rentals and other services. Fees depend on your package and where you live, but it’s generally between $38-$164 for a membership.

Users on this Reddit thread posted to r/Frugal two years ago say that the service is more valuable the older your car is.

@friendlyneighborhooduw Insurance Fast Facts: Roadside Assistance #insurance #insurancetiktok #insuranceagent #carinsurance #autoinsurance #financialliteracy #fyi ♬ original sound – 🌟Cara🌟

The Daily Dot reached out to Cara via TikTok comment and direct message for comment.

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