How Can You Get Your Car Towed for Free?

Last Updated on December 15, 2025

Need a tow but don’t want to get hit with a huge bill?

The good news: a “free” tow is often already hiding in benefits you pay for—your car insurance, new-car warranty, roadside membership, credit card, or even certain phone-plan perks. The key is knowing where to look and what limits apply (miles, dollar caps, number of calls per year, and whether you must use an in-network provider).

Below are the fastest, most reliable ways to get a tow covered (fully or mostly), plus what to do if you need a tow today.

Key Takeaways

Before you pay out of pocket, check towing benefits you may already have through car insurance, a manufacturer warranty, a roadside membership, or a credit card.
“Free towing” usually has limits—miles, dollar caps, destinations (like the nearest shop), and a max number of service calls per year.
Phone carriers and some memberships can help, but they often require an add-on plan and may offer smaller towing limits than an auto club.
If you need a tow today, use your insurer/membership dispatch when possible and confirm pricing (hook-up fee, per-mile, after-hours, storage) before the truck hooks up.

Table Of Contents

Best Ways to Get Car Towing Covered (Often for Free)
How “Free” Towing Usually Works
If You Need a Tow Today, Do This First
Is Roadside Assistance Worth It?
FAQs on Free Car Towing
Final Word

Best Ways to Get Car Towing Covered (Often for Free)

You may already qualify for towing at little to no out-of-pocket cost. Start with these options in order.

1) Call Your Insurer (Roadside Assistance or Towing & Labor)

Many insurers sell roadside assistance as an add-on, and some drivers already have it. If you do, towing is typically covered up to a limit—like a mileage cap (for example 20 miles) or a dollar cap—and then you pay the difference.

What to do: Check your policy documents or app, or call your insurer and ask whether you have towing/roadside coverage and what your limit is. Learn more about how towing works through your insurer.

Pro tip: Ask whether you must use their dispatch service, or whether you can arrange your own tow and submit a receipt for reimbursement.

2) Check Your Warranty (Manufacturer Roadside Assistance)

If your vehicle is relatively new and still under warranty, you may also have complimentary roadside assistance through the manufacturer. This can include towing to the nearest authorized dealer or service facility for covered breakdowns.

What to do: Look in your owner’s manual, your manufacturer’s app, or call the dealership with your vehicle identification number (VIN). This guide can help you see if you’re still covered.

3) Use a Roadside Assistance Membership (AAA and Similar Clubs)

Auto clubs like AAA are often the most dependable way to get towing benefits that follow the member (not just one vehicle). Towing limits vary by plan and region, but higher tiers usually include longer tows.

When this is best: Older cars, long commutes, road trips, households with multiple vehicles, or anyone who wants towing without tying it to an insurance policy.

4) Check Your Credit Card Benefits (Free, Reimbursed, or Discounted Tows)

Your credit card company may offer roadside assistance in one of three ways: (1) pay-per-use dispatch at a fixed fee, (2) reimbursement up to a set amount, or (3) a premium card perk that covers certain events each year.

Visa Roadside Dispatch: All Visa cardholders can use Visa’s pay-per-use dispatch program. It includes up to 5 miles of towing and charges a set service-call fee (fees can change). Details: Visa Roadside Dispatch benefit PDF.
Premium card credits (example): Some premium cards reimburse up to a certain amount per event, up to a set number of events per year. Always check your card’s “Guide to Benefits” so you know the dollar limit and what services qualify.

Tip: If you have multiple cards, check all of them—roadside benefits can differ dramatically by card network (Visa/Mastercard/Amex), card tier, and issuer.

5) Phone Carrier Programs (Not Always Free, but Sometimes Useful)

Some phone carriers offer roadside assistance as an add-on subscription (and occasionally as a limited-time perk). These programs can help in a pinch, but they often have tighter towing limits than auto clubs.

If you’ve already added one of these plans, review the details so you know the towing mileage/dollar limits before you need it:

Verizon Roadside Assistance
AT&T Roadside Assistance
Sprint Roadside Assistance (Sprint customers are now generally on T-Mobile—check what your current plan actually includes.)

6) Costco: Not a Membership Perk, But Your Costco-Linked Auto Insurance May Include It

Costco does not automatically give members free towing just for having a Costco membership. However, if you buy auto insurance through Costco’s insurance program, your policy may include (or offer) roadside assistance/towing coverage depending on your plan and endorsements. Here’s what to know: Costco roadside assistance.

What to do: Check your auto policy declarations page (or call your insurer) and look for “towing & labor” or “roadside assistance.”

7) Sell or Donate the Vehicle (Free Pickup/Tow in Many Cases)

If your goal is simply to remove an old, non-running vehicle from your driveway, “free towing” may come from the buyer—not a roadside plan. Salvage yards and many car donation programs will arrange pickup at no charge if they’re taking the vehicle.

How “Free” Towing Usually Works

Most towing benefits fall into one (or more) of these structures:

Free towing up to a mileage limit: Commonly 5–10 miles on basic plans, with higher tiers offering longer tows.
Free towing up to a dollar cap: The plan reimburses up to a certain amount per event (you pay anything above that cap).
Tow to the nearest qualified repair facility: Some programs tow you to the nearest service location rather than a destination of your choice.
Pay-per-use “member pricing”: You get dispatch and pre-negotiated rates, but the tow isn’t actually free.
Limited number of service calls per year: Many plans cap how many tows (or total service events) you can use annually.

If You Need a Tow Today, Do This First

Check your glovebox and phone: Look for an insurance card, roadside membership card, or your insurer’s app (many apps have a “Request roadside assistance” button).
Call your insurer before you call a random tow company: Using their dispatch may be required for coverage or full reimbursement.
Ask about reimbursement rules: If you arrange your own tow, ask what documentation you’ll need (invoice with date/time, VIN, pickup/drop-off, and amount paid).
Confirm the destination: Some programs only tow to the nearest repair shop, while others let you choose.
Get the price in writing before the truck hooks up: Ask about hook-up fees, per-mile fees, after-hours charges, storage fees, and “drop fees.”

Is Roadside Assistance Worth It?

Roadside assistance can be a bargain—or a waste—depending on how you drive and what you already have.

Roadside coverage is usually worth considering if you drive an older car, commute long distances, take frequent road trips, or don’t have a backup vehicle. It can also cover more than towing, including jump starts, lockouts, tire changes, and fuel delivery.

One important note: If your roadside assistance is attached to your auto insurance policy, ask your insurer how service calls are recorded and whether frequent use can affect renewal decisions or pricing. If you want towing benefits that are clearly separate from your auto policy, a standalone auto club membership can be a good alternative.

FAQs on Free Car Towing

Is there really such a thing as “free” car towing?

Sometimes, yes—but it usually means the cost is covered by a benefit you already have (insurance roadside assistance, a manufacturer warranty, an auto club membership, or a credit card perk). Most plans still have limits like a mileage cap, a dollar cap, or a maximum number of service calls per year.

Does car insurance cover towing?

It depends on your policy. Some drivers have roadside assistance or towing & labor coverage as an add-on. Towing after an accident may be covered as part of a claim in certain situations, but routine breakdown towing usually requires roadside/towing coverage. Check your declarations page or call your insurer to confirm your limit and whether you must use their dispatch.

Will using roadside assistance raise my insurance rates?

It depends on the insurer and how often you use it. Some companies treat roadside events differently than collision claims, but frequent service calls can still be a red flag for pricing or renewal with certain carriers. If you’re concerned, ask your insurer how roadside calls are recorded—or consider a standalone auto club membership instead.

How far will roadside assistance tow my car?

Plans vary. Some basic programs only include a short tow (often 5–10 miles), while higher-tier memberships can include longer distances. Other programs use a dollar cap per event, meaning the included miles depend on local tow rates. Always confirm the exact mileage or reimbursement limit before you request service.

Does my Costco membership include roadside assistance or towing?

A standard Costco membership doesn’t automatically include free towing. However, if you buy auto insurance through Costco’s insurance program, your policy may include (or offer) roadside/towing coverage depending on your plan. Check your policy documents for “towing & labor” or “roadside assistance.”

What should I do before the tow truck hooks up my car?

Ask for the total cost structure up front (hook-up fee, per-mile fee, after-hours charges, and any storage or drop fees). Confirm where the vehicle will be towed and whether your insurer/membership requires you to use their dispatch for coverage. If reimbursement is involved, keep the itemized invoice.

Final Word

You can often get a tow covered without paying full price—it just depends on what benefits you already have.

Start by checking your car insurance policy and manufacturer warranty. If those don’t pan out, look at a roadside membership, your credit card benefits, and any phone plan add-ons you’ve already enrolled in.