For me, the value in roadside assistance has historically been the convenience of being able to call a single 800 number I always have on hand and have someone immediately dispatched wherever I am. If you don't go out of town ever, that would be of less value. And now that phone data is reaching farther and wider, a lot of people can look up a local tow truck. But if you're in an unfamiliar area without data coverage, I still think it's nice to be able to just call your insurance 800 number of AAA or something. If your goal is to cover the expense of the tow, then yeah, it's pretty much an installment plan. Like dental insurance.