Progressive Roadside Assistance: Powering Peace of Mind

Progressive roadside assistance pays for towing, winching, battery jumpstarts, fuel delivery, lockout services, and tire changes. See the table below for an explanation of when you might need each of these services and what you can expect.

Progressive offers a standard level of emergency services for drivers, but there are exceptions. These are shown in the table below. First, each policy has limits on how many roadside assistance calls you can make every six months. More importantly, you cannot access any of these services unless you’re driving a car that’s listed on your policy. That means you’re not covered when you rent a car or borrow a friend’s car.

Exceptions and rules:

Policy-specific caps on services

Each policy outlines limits for the number of times you can access roadside assistance services every six months.

Vehicles covered

You can only use roadside assistance services for vehicles listed on your insurance policy. You are not covered in rental cars.

Parts and tires

Parts, tires, or batteries required to get your car back on the road are not covered by your roadside assistance coverage.

Progressive offers its roadside assistance as an add-on to its standard auto coverages — meaning you can only get Progressive roadside assistance when you have Progressive auto insurance. In some states, you can only opt into roadside assistance when you already have Progressive comprehensive and collision.

If you already have Progressive auto insurance, call an agent at (800) 776-4737 or use Progressive’s online chat feature to add roadside assistance to your policy. If you don’t have Progressive auto insurance currently, start an online quote at Progressive.com. You’d opt into roadside assistance when you select the coverages you want. See our post on how long it takes to get car insurance.

When you need to use your roadside assistance coverage, call 800-776-2778. This line is staffed around the clock. The dispatcher will document your issue and send out a qualified technician to provide any covered services free of charge. You could also call a service provider directly. In that case, you’d pay for the services yourself and submit your receipts to Progressive for reimbursement.

The four most common reasons drivers need roadside assistance are flat tires, dead batteries, keys locked inside the car, and mechanical failure. Here’s how Progressive roadside assistance handles each.

Flat tire

If you have Progressive roadside assistance and you blow out a tire, your first step is to verify that you have a viable spare. Without a spare, you can’t get a tire change. Your vehicle would have to be delivered to the nearest repair facility on a flatbed truck. Alternatively, you can call around local repair shops and see if they’ll bring you a replacement tire and help you change it. If you go that route, you’ll pay the repair shop directly, and then submit your receipts to Progressive for reimbursement. Your coverage won’t pay for the tire, but you should get reimbursed for the tire change.

If you have a spare, call Progressive at 800-776-2778. They’ll dispatch a technician. Once the technician arrives and completes the job, you’ll sign for services received and be on your way.

Dead battery

You accidentally leave your lights on and your car battery dies. If you have Progressive roadside assistance, you can call 800-776-2778 for a free jumpstart — even if your car is stuck in your driveway. A technician will arrive and attempt to start your car. If the battery is not rechargeable, the technician can tow your car to the nearest repair shop.

Keys locked inside

It happens to the best of us. You pull the door handle, realize it’s locked, and then see your keys inside. Hopefully, you didn’t leave your phone in the car, too. Call Progressive roadside dispatching at 800-776-2778 and an agent will send a local technician out to help. The technician will attempt to gain entry into the car safely, so you can get back on the road.

Mechanical failure

Your car sputters, coughs, and then shuts off. You manage to navigate safely to the right shoulder. As far as you know, there’s still gas in the tank. Contact Progressive roadside assistance at 800-776-2778 and explain what happened. A local mechanic will be dispatched to you. He or she will troubleshoot and implement any fixes that can be done within an hour. Hopefully, the problem is as simple as a loose battery cable. If it’s something more serious, or an issue that requires parts, the mechanic can tow your car to the nearest repair facility.

Progressive roadside assistance usually costs less than $12 for each six month policy term, but in some cases can cost upwards $50 depending on state and applicant.

Timing varies based on where you are and how many service providers are nearby. You’ll generally wait 45 minutes or more.

You do not have to pay out-of-pocket for covered services, as long as you use Progressive’s dispatching line (800-776-2778) to arrange for services. If you call a service provider directly, you will pay for those services directly and then send your receipts to Progressive for reimbursement.

Can I get reimbursed if I pay for covered services myself?

Yes. You can submit your receipt to Progressive here for partial reimbursement. You can also mail your documentation to:

Progressive Reimbursements – PO Box 9147 – Medford, MA 02155

Progressive roadside assistance is likely a good choice when all of the following are true:

1. You already have Progressive auto insurance.

2. You’re not currently covered by another roadside assistance package, say through your auto warranty or dealership service program.

3. Desire to keep your costs low.

4. You don’t expect to need more robust services like trip interruption coverage.