Need roadside help? It’s closer than you think

YOUR car sputters to a stop on a remote road far from home. Who ya gonna call?

For many travelers, the answer is AAA, which marks its 100th anniversary this year. From a nine-club alliance in 1902, it has grown into a network of 79 auto clubs in the United States and Canada with more than 45 million members. About one in five U.S. adults belongs to it, officials estimate.

In car-crazy Southern California, home to AAA’s biggest affiliate (with more than 5 million members), the auto club is only slightly less an icon than the Hollywood sign, and probably better loved. Locals rely on it for everything from emergency tows to navigating the state Department of Motor Vehicles bureaucracy.

But if AAA is the 800-pound gorilla of roadside assistance, it’s not alone in the jungle. In fact, you may already have access to free emergency tows, whether you belong to AAA or not. You just have to know where to look. Among organizations offering such services are car makers, credit card companies, auto and travel insurers and various independent groups.

“Almost anybody who drives ought to have roadside assistance,” says consumer advocate Ed Perkins, former ombudsman for the American Society of Travel Agents. The question is, what kind?

When evaluating a program, it’s useful to ask:

Is there a cap on the distance or on the number of tows?

Am I limited to a particular dealer or towing company?

Is my car covered in my driveway, or only away from home?

Are other household members covered?

Am I covered when traveling in any car, not just my own?

Belonging to more than one plan may be worthwhile because different plans cover different circumstances. Many memberships include maps, trip planning, hotel discounts and other extras. This sampling deals only with roadside service:

Motor clubs: The not-for-profit AAA is by far the biggest motor club network. (In the interest of full disclosure: I’m a member.) It draws on about 13,000 towing services. Costs and benefits vary by club.

Basic annual memberships range from $38 to $76 per year, including free towing for several miles. For $15 to $52 more, you can become an AAA Plus member, with tows up to 100 miles. Extra household members cost more. The Automobile Club of Southern California charges $44 for basic membership (plus a one-time $20 initiation fee). You get four free tows a year; basic members are limited to seven miles per tow. The plan covers you in any vehicle you’re in. AAA Plus membership costs $27 more. (800) 222-4357 (for emergency service; nonmembers can join on the spot), www.aaa.com.

There are other, smaller clubs. GE Financial, a subsidiary of GE, operates several, including the BP Motor Club (formerly Amoco’s motor club, dating to 1966) and Signature’s Nationwide Auto Club. Together they serve more than 4 million members and draw on more than 6,000 towing services, spokesman Gene Ullrich says. Signature’s annual membership is $79, including one additional household member, and includes free towing up to five miles. (800) 323-2002, www.autoclub.com.

The new, for-profit Better World Club bills itself as “the only environmentally friendly roadside assistance and travel club.” It promises to donate 1% of revenue to environmental cleanup. Founded in July, it has 1,500 members but has been growing at 100% a month, says BWC President Mitch Rofsky. Basic annual membership is $49.95; for $15 more, it covers the household. Four tows up to five miles each per year. (866) 304-7540, www.betterworldclub.com.

Auto makers: About 80% of new vehicles are covered for 24-hour road service under the warranty, but only half of owners are aware of it, J.D. Power and Associates found in a 2000 survey. Typically you’re covered only for your own vehicle, and it must be serviced by a dealership. Ford and Mercury, for instance, include such service for 36 months or 36,000 miles. Honda and some others offer it in optional service contracts.

Some of these programs are highly rated. Cadillac was No. 1 and Mercedes-Benz No. 2 in customer satisfaction rankings of emergency roadside assistance by nearly 8,000 car owners in another J.D. Power and Associates survey in 2001. (Nos. 3 and 4 were networks that provide service to a variety of car makers and groups. AAA was No. 5.)

Credit cards: Some cards’ contracts refer to travel or emergency aid, but generally you pay for services they arrange. Last month American Express began offering free roadside assistance with its Rewards Green and Gold credit cards. Annual memberships begin at $65 for the Green card. The service uses more than 30,000 towing stations. Distance limits are liberal and there’s no cap on tows, but you’re not covered in your driveway or for routine commuting.

Insurers: Many car insurers will add roadside assistance to your policy for less than $15 per year, including an unlimited number of tows--handy for AAA members who have exceeded their annual limit. But you typically have to pay for the towing yourself, then get reimbursed.

At Allstate, the amount is generally capped at $25 or $50 per call, a spokeswoman said. At State Farm, my agent quoted a $3.52 annual premium, including an unlimited number of tows to the nearest garage and mechanical labor up to one hour. Travel Guard International wraps road assistance into some of its travel insurance plans. (800) 826-1300, www.travelguard.com.

Who’s the speediest among these various groups? It’s AAA, with an average response time of 35 minutes per call, J.D. Power and Associates reported last year.

Jane Engle welcomes comments and suggestions but cannot respond individually to letters or calls. Write Travel Insider, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, or send e-mail to jane.engle@latimes.com.