As a classic vehicle owner, you have different insurance needs than someone who has a non-collectible vehicle. As such, it’s critical that your insurance company knows how to evaluate and handle your car appropriately. Not only does American Collectors Insurance cater to your specific demographic, but they have been in business for decades and have the experience needed with classic cars. This also applies to roadside assistance and the coverage they offer to their insureds. Continue reading for everything you need to know about American Collectors’ roadside assistance coverage.

How Much Does American Collectors Roadside Assistance Cost?

American Collectors offers four different options for their customers through their C.A.R.E program. C.A.R.E is an acronym for Collector Auto Reimbursement Endorsement and is American Collectors’ roadside assistance coverage. The four options offered are Titanium, Platinum, Gold, and Silver. Each option is a different cost and offers various levels of coverage.

The Silver option is the least expensive at $9.95 annually but is more limited in what it offers. The Gold is the next step up and is $24.95 annually. The Gold option offers slightly more coverage than the Silver. The next option is Platinum, which costs $34.95 and provides even more coverage than the Gold and Silver. Lastly, the Titanium option is the most comprehensive in coverage but also the most expensive at $79.95 a year.

What is Included in American Collectors Roadside Assistance?

American Collectors defines roadside assistance as flat tire repair, dead battery charge, and fuel delivery. Each plan offered by American Collectors provides this roadside assistance coverage, as well as towing and emergency lockout coverage for up to 3 incidents per policy term, with different limits. The Silver plan provides you with the least coverage with a $100 limit for towing, $50 for roadside assistance, and $50 for emergency lockout. But this is where the coverage ends for Silver plan members. Silver is the most basic of plans, only offering towing, roadside, and lockout coverage. 

Gold provides customers $150 for towing, $100 for roadside, and $50 for emergency lockout, while the Platinum options offer $250, $150, and $50 respectfully. Titanium offers the most coverage with $350 for towing, $200 for roadside assistance, and $100 for emergency lockout. However, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium plan also offer additional coverages such as emergency travel expense, car show expense, a theft reward, personal effects coverage, accidental death and dismemberment, and ambulance assistance. Platinum and Titanium plans also extend coverage for bail bonds, legal defense, hit and run information rewards, and trailer guard with various limits, depending on the plan you choose.

What is unique about American Collectors is that their coverage is tailored specifically for the classic car owner. With coverages such as the car show expense, American Collectors will reimburse your non-refundable car registration fee and any hotel expenses if you miss your car show due to a mechanical breakdown or accident. Their emergency travel expense limits are also higher than traditional insurers due to classic car owners’ higher frequency of travel, making it a great option for those with these specific needs.

What is NOT Included in American Collectors Roadside Assistance?

As with most roadside assistance programs, American Collectors will not pay for the cost of materials. This means that while the cost to charge a dead battery or deliver fuel is covered, the cost of a new battery or for the fuel itself is not. The cost of additional labor or general maintenance of your car is also not covered under this policy.

How do I Contact American Collectors Roadside Service?

Unlike other insurance companies where you can call a number and request roadside service, American Collectors does not have this option. Rather, you must pay out of pocket for these expenses and submit a claim for reimbursement. To do this, call American Collectors at 877-847-5954 and press 2 to select the claims option on the IVR. If you need to submit reimbursement for towing, you can send the towing bill directly to the claims department without speaking to anyone first. Just be sure to include the date of the tow, where the car was towed from, your name and your policy number. You can either fax it to the claims department at 856-779-7289 or email to claims@americancollectors.com. For any other types of claims, you will want to speak to a claims representative to confirm how to be reimbursed.

How Does American Collectors Roadside Assistance Compare to Other Providers?

Since American Collectors is an insurance company specific to classic vehicle owners, there is no fair comparison to other standard carriers. While AAA’s roadside program is the most comparable in price and services, it is still not as comprehensive as American Collectors’ Titanium option. They do offer similar benefits such as trip interruption, auto theft reward, and legal defense reimbursement, in addition to basic roadside assistance. However, AAA is far more expensive and covers less than any of the options offered by American Collectors.

For example, American Collectors offers a $750 limit for trip interruption, while AAA only offers $500. There is no personal property limit offered by AAA except for $400 for theft of a stereo only, whereas American Collectors offers up to $1,000 for their Titanium customers. The auto theft reward offered to American Collectors with the Titanium option is $5,000, rather than the $1,000 AAA offers.

AAA is more comparable to American Collectors’ Platinum option in coverage but more expensive. At $129 a year, AAA will provide up to 4 incidents a year, $100 for a locksmith, and $500 for trip interruption. This is similar to the Platinum option, where only three incidents are allowed per year, $50 for a locksmith and $500 for trip interruption.

Hagerty’s 1st Gear plan is similar to American Collectors platinum level. While it costs about $10 more per month, it also allows for unlimited tows, which is a substantial benefit. Unfortunately Hagerty lacks multiple insurance coverages that American Collectors policy owners will enjoy at a lower price per month.

Which Roadside Assistance Should You Choose?

To decide which roadside option you should choose, it is recommended that you first consider your lifestyle and how frequently your classic car is on the road. For instance, if you only take your car out for local car shows every once in a while, the Gold option with American Collectors may be all you need. At $9.95 a term, it is the most economical option and gives you the basic roadside coverage you need to get back on the road. Conversely, if you routinely drive back and forth to car shows or events, the Titanium option may be more ideal.

You should also consider the roadside options offered by similar companies. Other classic vehicle insurers may offer roadside assistance but with an additional cost. For example, Hagerty requires their insureds to purchase a driver’s club membership to get any roadside benefits. While this membership includes additional perks similar to a AAA membership, it’s imperative to weigh the pros and cons of each to determine what is the better option for you. Lastly, it’s always a good idea to consult friends and family, especially other classic car owners, to get their recommendations.

You have most likely spent countless hours and money on your classic car. Don’t take any chances with your roadside options, and do your research beforehand to ensure you aren’t left stranded!