GEICO advertises Emergency Roadside Service (ERS) for as little as $14 a year per car, as of September 2026. That’s GEICO’s own “starting at” figure, not a guaranteed price for your policy. What you actually pay depends on your vehicles, your state and your coverage choices, and the real number only shows up when GEICO quotes it to you.
GEICO offers roadside assistance that includes towing, battery jump starts, tire changes, lockout help, fuel delivery and winching. See everything GEICO roadside assistance covers for the full list. This page focuses on what the coverage costs and what still comes out of your pocket.
Key Takeaways
- $14 a year per car is GEICO’s current advertised starting price, not a guaranteed rate for every driver.
- Get your actual price by logging into your GEICO policy or calling for a quote. The advertised figure is a floor, not a personalized number.
- The price covers the service call itself. You still pay for the tire, fuel, replacement key or part, and any costs beyond the mileage or lockout limits.
- ERS is billed per car, so check your declarations page to see which of your vehicles actually carry it.
What GEICO Advertises, and What “Per Car” Means
GEICO’s Emergency Roadside Service page advertises the coverage “For as Little as $14 a Year Per Car,” and its car kit page repeats that it “starts at only $14 per year per vehicle.” Both are starting prices, not a flat rate everyone pays.
Hypothetical example: Adding ERS to two cars at the $14 starting price works out to roughly $28 a year combined, not $14 total, since the price applies per vehicle. Your actual per-car price could be higher than $14, so this only illustrates how the per-car pricing adds up, not what you’ll be charged.
How to See Your Actual Price
GEICO says to log in to your GEICO Auto Policy account online, or call to get a quote, for personalized pricing. Existing customers can also see which vehicles already carry ERS on their declarations page.
A declarations page, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, summarizes the vehicles and coverages on your policy, while the full policy document controls the actual terms. If you’re shopping for a new policy rather than adding ERS to an existing one, our guide to getting a GEICO quote online covers that process.
GEICO also notes that coverage details, which can affect price, “may vary slightly by state.” Two drivers in different states, or with different vehicles, shouldn’t expect to see the same number.
What’s Included at That Price, and What Still Costs Extra
| Service | What ERS Pays For | What You Still Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Towing | The tow to the nearest qualified repair facility | Mileage beyond the covered distance (up to 15 miles in most states) |
| Battery jump start | The jump-start visit | A replacement battery, if needed |
| Tire change | Installing your working spare | The new tire, or a repair, if you don’t have a usable spare |
| Lockout | Up to $100 for certain covered causes | Costs above $100, or a replacement key or fob |
| Fuel delivery | The delivery trip itself | The fuel you’re given |
| Winching | Freeing a vehicle stuck near a public road | Recovery from spots farther from the roadway |
A flat tire is a good example of the pattern: the $14-and-up price covers GEICO sending someone to install your spare, but not the cost of a new tire. For the exact towing distance and what happens once you’re past it, see our guide to GEICO’s towing mileage limit.
Towing itself doesn’t carry a separate fee each time you use it within that distance. For more on how that works, and what happens if you don’t have ERS at all, see whether GEICO towing is actually free.
Is ERS Worth Adding to Your Policy?
There’s no single right answer, but a few questions can help you decide. Do you already have roadside help through a manufacturer warranty, a cell phone plan, a credit card benefit or an auto club membership? Paying for ERS on top of one of those may be redundant. Our guide to roadside assistance coverage compares insurer add-ons with motor club memberships.
How often do you realistically deal with dead batteries, flat tires or lockouts? If you’re locked out of your vehicle without ERS, you’d cover that cost yourself. See our page on whether GEICO covers a locksmith for keys locked in a car for what’s covered when you do have the coverage.
Questions to Ask Before You Add or Drop ERS
- Does every car on my policy have ERS, or only some of them?
- What’s the exact price for each of my vehicles, not the advertised starting figure?
- Do I already pay for roadside help through a warranty, cell plan, credit card or auto club?
- How far will GEICO tow me, and what happens once I’m past that distance?