Does auto insurance cover a dead battery?

A Concise Overview

• Auto insurance does not cover or replace a dead battery 
• Unless you add roadside assistance to your auto insurance coverages, you can’t get your battery jumped by your insurance company
• Carrying jumper cables or a jump kit will help you start a dead battery

Cranking a car and finding it won’t start is inconvenient for any driver. This is when the question may arise of, “Does insurance cover battery replacement?” Unfortunately, basic auto insurance coverages won’t replace a dead battery as this is considered part of normal wear and tear.

Auto insurance will only help with a dead battery if you have add-on roadside assistance through your auto insurance company. Even then, insurance companies usually won’t replace a battery but jump it or tow your car to where you can get a new battery. Roadside assistance will also cover common incidents like running out of gas or being locked out of a car.

Read on to see which companies offer roadside assistance coverage, what to do if you don’t have roadside assistance, and how to prevent dead batteries in the first place.

Auto Insurance Companies That Offer Roadside Assistance

Nearly all auto insurance companies offer additional roadside assistance that you can bundle onto your regular auto insurance, such as Geico roadside assistance for a dead battery and other mishaps. The annual cost is usually less than $100 a year and sometimes can cost less than $20. 

If you want coverage for common emergencies like a dead battery, you can check if your company offers roadside assistance and add it to your plan. A few of the major insurance companies providing roadside assistance are below. 

• Allstate 
• Geico 
• Liberty Mutual 
• Progressive 
• State Farm 
• USAA

If you have a service like USAA roadside assistance, you can contact USAA if your car battery dies, and the company will come out and jump your battery. Keep in mind that not all roadside services will replace batteries — they will jump your battery, or tow your car if that fails. 

So if you are looking for USAA dead battery replacement or Geico battery replacement, your battery won’t be replaced by these companies. For those asking whether insurance covers battery replacement, the answer is usually no, even if they have roadside assistance through an insurance company.  

However, some services like AAA will replace your battery for a fee or free, depending on whether you purchased your battery from them and if it’s still under warranty. 

What should I do if I don’t have roadside assistance? 

If you don’t have roadside assistance, you can still jump your car. However, you will need certain items. The two main ways you can start your car include: 

• Jumper cables. You will need another car to help jump yours, but having a pair of jumper cables in the trunk of your car can help you get back on the road quickly. 
• Jumpstart kit. There are now jumpstart kits that you can charge beforehand and store in your car. You don’t need another car to jumpstart yours, so these can be useful if you get stranded somewhere remote. 

A way to jumpstart a car should be part of any driver’s car emergency kit. If you don’t have jumper cables or a kit on hand, you can call a friend who does or call a roadside assistance company to jump your car.

If your battery is completely dead and unable to be jump-started, battery replacements are usually under $200. Although there is no such thing as battery insurance, if your battery is still under warranty, you may be able to get it replaced for free. 

How to Prevent a Dead Battery in the Future

Dealing with a dead battery is never fun, especially if you have places to be, but there are a few steps you can take to help reduce the risk of your battery dying on you. 

• Keep your battery up to date. Most car batteries require replacement every couple of years. If your battery is at the end of its expected lifespan, it will be more likely to die on you.
• Don’t leave car lights on. One of the most common reasons batteries die is that a driver accidentally leaves a light on inside the car or forgets to turn off their headlights. Leaving car lights on quickly drains the battery, and you will come outside to a dead car.
• Don’t leave keys in the car. Some car owners will leave their car keys in their car when they park in a personal garage. Because key fobs continuously communicate with the vehicle, this can result in a slight drain on the  battery. (For more information, read our “Does auto insurance cover key replacement?“).
• Clean off corrosion. If your battery starts to become corroded, cleaning it off can help prevent it from dying. There are plenty of instructions on how to clean off your battery online. 

Following these steps will help your battery live as long as possible. If your battery is near the end of its life, it is best to replace it sooner rather than later to avoid a dead car.

Although auto insurance won’t replace your battery, if your battery dies, having roadside assistance or jumper cables will help you quickly get back on the road. If your insurance company doesn’t offer roadside assistance you can shop at different companies for a plan that fits your needs and budget or purchase roadside assistance through another company.

Compare roadside assistance for auto insurance rates to get the best deal around. Comparing rates not only saves you money, but you could find coverage that will include roadside assistance for a dead battery emergency. Enter your ZIP code to get quotes for car insurance that can help with a dead battery.