The National Automobile Club (NMC) is one of the largest independent motor clubs in the US. Compare what they offer.
The TRUTH about Acceptance Roadside Assistance
Acceptance Insurance began as a small group of insurance professionals in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1979. Since then, the company has grown to include seven hundred agents in seventeen states. Acceptance Insurance collaborates with a network of carriers to assist consumers in locating the most competitive rates for their insurance needs. They provide auto, home, and life insurance as well as roadside assistance.
Roadside assistance is available as an add-on package for current Acceptance auto insurance policyholders. Whether you are a current Acceptance policy holder or are interested in their products, this evaluation will educate you on their roadside packages and help you assess if they are the best provider for your needs.
How Much Does Acceptance Roadside Assistance Cost?
Acceptance offers two plans for their roadside assistance, which are detailed below. Their Towbusters plan is their standard plan and costs $13/mo. Their Towbusters Plus plan is more elaborate, and costs $15/mo.
What Is Included?
Acceptance offers towing coverage, lockout service, flat tire replacement, extrication, battery jump, and fuel delivery service in both plans.
| Acceptance Towbusters | Acceptance Towbusters Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Year | $156 | $180 |
| Incidents Covered Per Year | ? | 5 |
| Towing | ? | 25 miles |
| Fuel Delivery | √ | √ |
| Jump Start | √ | √ |
| Minor Mechanical Adjustment | √ | √ |
| Flat Tire Change | √ | √ |
| Lockout Service | √ | √ |
| Rental Car | ? | 10 days / $25 per day |
| Products/ Services Discounts | Extensive Discounts | |
| Ticket Reimbursement | $100 x2 | |
| Traffic School | $250 | |
| Legal Defense | $200 |
Towbusters:
With Acceptance Insurance Towbusters plan, the following is included:
- You will be given a jump start or a tow if needed.
- If you are locked out, a service tech will get you back in.
- A tech will replace your flat with your own spare.
- You can have gas or coolant delivered to you. You pay for the cost of fluids.
- These services apply to everyone who drives the vehicle covered on the plan.
Acceptance website also states you’ll have access to a slew of discounts and savings that can offset the cost of your membership.Unfortunately, they are not very specific regarding the number of incidents, tow miles, rental car coverage and product/ services discounts for this plan.
Towbusters Plus:
The Towbusters Plus provides more coverage than the Towbusters Plan. It includes:
- Up to a 25-mile radius for a tow
- Coverage for up to five incidents per year
- Up to 10 days of rental car reimbursement ($25/day)
- 100% lockout expenses covered
Towbusters Plus service also includes their TicketProof Service:
- $100, up to two times a year for ticket related expenses
- $200 in legal fees reimbursed for court costs
- $250 reimbursement for traffic school fees
Towbusters Plus even includes discounts on auto services, hotels, car rentals, prescriptions, computers, movie tickets, theme parks, campgrounds, and more.
How do I Contact Acceptance Roadside Assistance?
Quotes:
To get a quote you can do so directly through their website, or you can contact them at
1.877.405.7102.
Customer Service:
If you are already a customer and want to contact customer service, you can call 1.800.321.0899.
Claims:
If you need help to file a claim, call 1.800.779.2103.
How Does Acceptance Roadside Assistance Compare to Other Companies?
AM Best gives the carrier a B- rating, showing fair financial strength. However, according to reviews, Acceptance may struggle to refund policyholders in the event of a claim. The Better Business Bureau gave Acceptance an A+ rating, but they are unaccredited, and customer evaluations on various review sites lean towards a less favorable overall rating. In fact, the number of complaints against Acceptance is double the industry norm.
Although they offer industry standard roadside services, let’s see how they stack up against other, well known insurance carriers…
| Acceptance Plus | AllState Platinum Elite | AAA Plus | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Year | $180 | $139 | $129 | $23 |
| Incidents Covered Per Year | 5 | 5 | 4 | varies |
| Towing | 25 miles | Up To $250 | 100 miles | 15 miles |
| Fuel Services | Free delivery | Free delivery | Free delivery, Free fuel | Free delivery |
| Jump Start | Free | Free | Free | 1 hr |
| Minor Mechanical Adjustment | Free | Free | Free | 1 hr |
| Flat Tire Change | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Rental Car | 10 days / $25 per day | Discounted | Discounted | |
| Car Locksmith | Free | $100 | $100 | √ |
| Ticket Reimbursement | $100 x2 | |||
| Legal Defense Reimbursement | $200 | $100 – $1000 | ||
| Traffic School | $250 | |||
| Products/ Services Discounts | Extensive Discounts | Extensive Discounts | Extensive Discounts | |
| Winching/ Extrication | $100 | Covers a 2nd truck and operator for 1 hour | 100 ft | |
| Tire/Wheel Repair or Replacement | $250 | |||
| Trip Interruption Reimbursement | $1500 | $500 | ||
| CARFAX Vehicle Reports | 7 Free | 20% Discount | ||
| Emergency Electric Vehicle Charging | Free | |||
| New Battery Delivery & Installation | Free (retail price for battery) | |||
| Auto/Stereo Theft Information Reward | $1000 auto/ $400 stereo | |||
| Identity Theft Protection | Free | |||
| Passport/ ID Photos | Free | |||
| Bicycle Breakdown (transport of you & bicycle) | 100 miles |
When comparing Acceptance Insurance premium plan against Allstate, AAA, and Progressive, Acceptance is clearly the most expensive. This can be a difficult cost to justify, given their lack of customer support. Also, you can get basic services for a lot less from an insurance company like Progressive, although the services offered by Acceptance are more robust.
If you are a road tripper or someone who drives longer distances, it might be wise to go with a motor club level plan such as the AAA Plus package. With AAA, you can keep your current auto policy if you choose to use their roadside. They are also much more affordable than the Acceptance Plus plan.
Some good points to consider with Acceptance is that their plus plan covers the entire cost of a jump start, mechanical adjustment, or locksmith. Most plans usually cover only up to a certain monetary limit.
Which Roadside Assistance Should You Choose?
Acceptance offers a variety of discount alternatives that might help you save money on your insurance payment; however, they are still considered a high-risk insurance carrier. For high-risk drivers who cannot get coverage from major carriers, Acceptance insurance and roadside assistance may be a useful choice. Otherwise, you are more than likely better off with a different carrier.
Regardless, it is vital to get quotes from multiple providers to ensure you get the best bang for your buck. Although Acceptance partners with hundreds of carriers and has agents spread nationwide, this doesn’t mean they can get you the best rates. Insurance companies must go by their own algorithm and parameters when approving and pricing policies for their consumers. So, go through different channels when getting quotes.
