Does Costco Offer Roadside Assistance?
Last Updated on February 5, 2026
Costco is known for member perks—but roadside help can be confusing. In most cases, roadside assistance is not included just because you pay for a Costco membership.
Instead, “Costco roadside assistance” usually means one of two things: (1) a roadside dispatch benefit tied to the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi (you typically pay for the actual service), or (2) roadside assistance coverage available through Costco’s auto insurance partner (American Family Insurance), depending on your policy and state.
Below is what Costco members actually get, how it works, and who to call when you’re stuck.
- Membership Isn’t Roadside Coverage: Costco membership tiers don’t automatically include towing, lockout service, or jump-starts.
- Credit Card = Dispatch, Not Prepaid Service: The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi can dispatch help, but you typically pay the service provider’s cost.
- Insurance Roadside Depends on Your Policy: Roadside assistance through Costco’s insurance program varies by state, underwriting company, and endorsements on your declarations page.
- Verify Before You Need It: Save the right phone number and confirm limits/exclusions so you don’t find out at the roadside what isn’t covered.
- Costco Membership Does Not Include Roadside Assistance
- Costco Membership Tiers and Costs
- How to Access Roadside Help as a Costco Member
- How Costco’s Credit Card Roadside Dispatch Works
- How Costco Auto Insurance Roadside Assistance Works
- How to Check Which Roadside Benefit You Have
- Final Word on Costco Roadside Assistance
- FAQs on Costco Roadside Assistance
Costco Membership Does Not Include Roadside Assistance
If you’re a Costco member, you do not automatically have towing, lockout service, jump-starts, or other roadside help as a built-in membership perk.
However, Costco members may still have access to roadside help through other Costco-related products—most commonly the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi or Costco’s auto insurance program.
Costco Membership Tiers and Costs
Costco membership fees can change over time, so it’s best to confirm current pricing directly on Costco’s membership page: Join Costco (Current Membership Fees).
| Membership Type | Typical Annual Fee | Roadside Assistance Included? |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Star | Varies; commonly listed as $65/year (plus tax where applicable) | No |
| Business | Varies; commonly listed as $65/year (plus tax where applicable) | No |
| Executive | Varies; commonly listed as $130/year total (plus tax where applicable) | No (membership alone) |
Bottom line: Upgrading to Executive doesn’t automatically add roadside assistance to your membership. Where Executive status can matter is through certain Costco services (like insurance-related benefits), which vary by state and policy.
How to Access Roadside Help as a Costco Member
Here’s the simplest way to think about it: Costco doesn’t run a roadside fleet. If you’re getting roadside help connected to Costco, it’s coming from a third party—either Citi (card benefit/dispatch) or American Family Insurance (auto policy coverage).
| “Costco Roadside” Source | What It Is | Who It’s For | What You Usually Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | Roadside Assistance Dispatch Service (Citi arranges help) | Cardholders | Typically you pay the provider’s service cost (dispatch is a benefit, not insurance) |
| Costco Auto Insurance (American Family Insurance) | Roadside assistance/towing coverage as part of an auto policy or add-on | Policyholders (availability varies by state and underwriting company) | Covered up to your policy limit; you may pay beyond limits |
Quick tip: Before you pay out-of-pocket, check whether you already have roadside coverage through your auto policy, a vehicle warranty, or a credit card benefit—duplicate coverage is common.
How Costco’s Credit Card Roadside Dispatch Works
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi includes a Roadside Assistance Dispatch Service. That means Citi can help send a tow truck or other help—but you’re generally responsible for the cost of the service itself. For Citi’s benefit overview, see: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card Benefits (Citi).
How to request help: Call 1-866-918-4670 (24/7). Citi also publishes details in its “Your Guide to Protection Benefits” for the card: Costco Anywhere Visa® — Guide to Protection Benefits (PDF).
Dispatch programs commonly arrange services like:
- Towing
- Winching/extraction
- Jump-starts
- Flat-tire help (usually requires a usable spare)
- Lockout service
- Fuel delivery (the fuel itself is typically not included)
Don’t mix this up with rental car insurance: roadside dispatch is separate from collision coverage on rentals. If you travel frequently, review what Citi cards actually cover here: Do Citi Credit Cards Come With Rental Car Insurance?
If you’re researching “free roadside assistance,” read the fine print: many card programs advertise roadside “assistance,” but it’s often a dispatch-and-pay arrangement, not a prepaid membership plan.
How Costco Auto Insurance Roadside Assistance Works
Costco promotes auto and home insurance through a partnership with American Family Insurance (formerly CONNECT). You can start at Costco’s insurance page here: Costco Auto & Home Insurance Services.
If you have auto insurance through Costco’s program, roadside assistance may be included as a benefit for certain members/policies or available as an add-on (often tied to towing and labor coverage). Coverage details and limits vary significantly by state and underwriting company—so your declarations page and endorsements are the final word.
To learn more about how American Family’s coverages typically work, see our review of American Family Insurance and our guide to American Family roadside assistance coverage.
Need roadside help through the Costco/American Family program? American Family lists the roadside assistance phone number as 1-888-742-4572 on its Costco-member contact page: American Family (Costco) Contact Information. You can also find towing/roadside info here: Roadside Assistance (American Family/Costco).
Cost note: insurance-based roadside assistance usually has a per-occurrence limit and exclusions (for example, many plans don’t pay for replacement parts, the battery itself, or the actual fuel/fluids). When in doubt, confirm your limits and exclusions before relying on it.
How to Check Which Roadside Benefit You Have
- Check your auto policy declarations: look for “towing & labor,” “roadside assistance,” or a similar endorsement (wording varies by carrier/state).
- Check your card benefit guide: roadside dispatch benefits are usually listed under travel/emergency protections.
- Don’t assume membership = coverage: Costco membership tiers don’t automatically include roadside help.
- If you’re shopping rates through Costco: compare discounts and add-ons the same way you would with any carrier—see: Is auto insurance cheaper through Costco?
Quick tip: If you call roadside a lot, consider whether a membership plan (or a higher roadside limit on your auto policy) makes more sense—frequent service activity can sometimes affect renewal pricing or eligibility, depending on the insurer.
Final Word on Costco Roadside Assistance
Costco membership alone doesn’t include roadside assistance. If you’re a Costco member, your roadside options usually come from (1) the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi’s roadside dispatch service or (2) roadside assistance coverage tied to an auto policy through Costco’s insurance program (American Family Insurance), depending on your state and policy.
To avoid surprises, confirm what you have before you break down: check your policy declarations, read your card benefit guide, and keep the right phone numbers saved in your contacts.
