What does the Mastercard roadside assistance cover?

You need roadside assistance if you have an older car, commute or travel long distances, or simply want peace of mind. Vehicles that are at least 10 years old are four times as likely to need a tow, according to research by AAA. Plus, 1 in 3 Americans experience a vehicle breakdown every year, according to Agero—the largest provider of wholesale roadside assistance in the U.S.

On the other hand, if your car is...

Visa roadside assistance covers standard towing and tire changes, along with jumpstarts and other services for eligible Visa credit card customers. Visa Roadside Dispatch, as the program is officially known, costs $79.95 per service call. The amount must be charged to your Visa card. However, there is no fee or registration required for access. Also, there’s no limit to how many times you can use this service. If you need roadside assistance, you may call (800) 847-2869 anytime. This...

One of the best credit cards with free roadside assistance is Chase Sapphire Reserve® because it offers coverage for towing, flat tires, dead batteries, lockouts, and empty gas tanks, up to $50 per service call. Cardholders can use the roadside assistance benefit up to four times per year.

Credit card roadside assistance – sometimes called roadside dispatch – is a service offered by certain cards that gives cardholders a dedicated phone line to call for help...