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Roadside assistance: Compare and save

Compare roadside assistance from $6 a month or get it included with car insurance.

Compare roadside assistance from $6 a month

Standalone roadside assistance options

1 - 1 of 1
Name Product Call-outs (Unlimited/4 per year) Joining Fee Fuel Replacement Locksmith Cost per Month
Budget Direct Roadside Assistance
Unlimited
No joining fee
$125
$6.37
15% discount on your first year's membership when you buy online and use the code SOLVED15. T&Cs apply.
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Compare car insurance policies with roadside assistance cover built in

1 - 3 of 3
Name Product Roadside assistance Accidental damage Choice of repairer Agreed or Market Value
Budget Direct Comprehensive
Optional
Optional
Agreed or Market
Finder's summary: The 2023 winner of our Best Value Car Insurance award. It's cheaper than most, plus you can lower costs by adding age restrictions.

⭐ Current offer: 15% off your first year's premium when you take out a policy online. T&Cs apply.

Who it might be good for: Anyone who wants a good value policy.
Youi Comprehensive
Optional
Agreed or Market
Finder's summary: The 2023 winner of our Best Features Car Insurance award. Plus, it's one of the only insurers to automatically include roadside assistance.

Who it might be good for: Those who want good customer service with lots of inclusions.
Qantas Comprehensive
Optional
Optional
Agreed or Market
Finder's summary: You need car insurance so why not get one that lets you earn Qantas Points? It's good value too (it's underwritten by the same insurer as Budget Direct). .

⭐ Current offer: Earn up to 50,000 Qantas Points with every Qantas Car Insurance policy you take out by 5 December. T&Cs apply.

Who it might be good for: People who want more bang for their buck with Qantas Points.
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What does roadside assistance cover?

Roadside assistance is a type of car insurance that protects you if you get stranded because of an issue with your car. It is sometimes called breakdown cover, and it generally covers the following situations:

car battery

Dead battery

car keys

Getting locked out of your car

Fuel dispenser

Running out of fuel

bonnet

Failure to start

flat tyre

Flat tyres

tow truck

Towing

How to get roadside assistance

car insurance

With your car insurance policy

Youi and Huddle are the only 2 insurers to include roadside assistance for free if you take out car insurance with them. However, only your first 2 callouts are free per year with Youi. After that, you're still covered but you'll pay for additional callouts as you use them.

Many other insurers offer them as an optional extra that you can pay for on top of your standard car insurance policy. It's usually only offered with comprehensive cover. You can find it for as little as $6 per month so it shouldn't bump up the cost of your cover that much.

mechanic

As a standalone policy

A small handful of insurers will let you buy roadside assistance insurance on its own, for example NRMA and Budget Direct. That means you can have your standard insurance with someone else. If you buy it with one of these insurers, you don't have to have comprehensive insurance or even any other insurance at all.

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2022 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards

Winner: Roadside Assistance

Youi

Our Finder Customer Satisfaction Award winner is one of the only car insurers on the market to automatically include roadside assistance with its comprehensive car and motorcycle cover.

How do roadside assistance policies compare?

As you can see, the joining requirements, cost and benefit limits can vary a lot between insurers. Here's what we found when comparing roadside assistance policies:

  • None of the following policies require a joining fee, although only a few will let you purchase roadside assistance as standalone cover.
  • Towing limit can vary by as much as 30km in urban areas and 50km in rural areas.
  • Cost can vary by more than $30 per year.
CompanyCost per yearJoining feeCallout limitsNeed to hold a policy with them?Lockout / Lost keyOut of fuelBreakdown towingGet quote
Youi logo

Youi

Included with a comprehensive policy$0First 2 includedYes$15010 litres50km in the city, 20km in rural areasGet quote
NRMA

NRMA

$121$0UnlimitedNoYesYes25km in the city, towing to attending NRMA centre in rural areasMore info
budget direct car insurance logo

Budget Direct

$89.95$0UnlimitedNo$125$15Up to 20km in metro and up to 50km in remote areasGet quote
coles logo

Coles

$83/year$0UnlimitedYes$150Enough to reach next petrol station20km in the city, 50km in rural areasMore info
AAMI car insurance logo

AAMI

$86$0UnlimitedYes$250$1020km in the city, 100km in rural areasMore info
Allianz car insurance logo

Allianz

$99$0UnlimitedYes$200Yes20km in the city, 50kms in rural areasMore info
gio car insurance logo

GIO

$95$0UnlimitedYes$250$1020km in the city, 100km countryMore info
Suncorp car insurance logo

Suncorp

$95$0UnlimitedYes$250$1020km in the city, 100km countryMore info
Apia car insurance logo

Apia

$84$0UnlimitedYes$250$1020km in the city, 100km in rural areasMore info

How much does roadside assistance cost?

CompanyCost per yearGet Quote
Youi logo

Youi

Included with a comprehensive policyGet quote
budget direct car insurance logo

Budget Direct

$89.95Get quote
AAMI car insurance logo

AAMI

$86More info
allianz car insurance logo

Allianz

$99 More info
Apia care insurance logo

Apia

$84 More info
gio car insurance logo

GIO

$95 More info
NRMA

NRMA

$121 More info
Suncorp car insurance logo

Suncorp

$95More info

How does roadside assistance work?

If you get stranded on the road, all you need to do is call your roadside assistance provider for help. The process will usually go something like this:

Number 1

You'll have a phone consultation.

The dispatcher will ask you about the problem and initially attempt to help you resolve it over the phone.

Number 2

They'll send a mobile technician.

If phone-based advice fails to resolve the problem, your provider will send a mobile mechanic to your location.

Number 3

They'll give you a tow

If the technician can't get you back on the road, you'll be covered for a tow to the mechanic's workshop for repair. A surcharge will usually apply if you need to be towed further than a specific distance spelled out in your policy. Your policy may cover minor repairs to things like hoses and drive belts but you will be responsible for paying for major repairs.

How can I find the cheapest roadside assistance policy?

To find the cheapest roadside assistance policy, you have to look at more than just the cost per year. Here's what we found from looking at all insurers on our panel.

  • Youi and Huddle are technically the cheapest. However, you need to have a comprehensive car insurance policy with Youi and Huddle, and you have to pay for your additional callouts with Youi. This might not be worth it unless you drive a new car that you want top cover for.
  • Budget Direct and NRMA are the only 2 that don't require you to have standard car insurance. In both cases, this would be cheaper for you if you had no intention of buying additional cover or switching your insurer. Budget Direct then looks like the obvious option, but it won't tow your car nearly as far regionally which could add up if you're in a regional area.
  • You may want more than just roadside assistance. When you get roadside assistance through automobile clubs like NRMA, you become a "member" with access to a bunch of additional discounts on flights, dining, petrol and car hires.

Where can I find the best road assistance policy?

The best roadside assistance policy will be different for everyone since everyone's needs are different. Here is how to find the best policy based on your situation:

  • You are happy with your current insurer and just need basic roadside assistance. If you have a comprehensive policy that you are happy with and just want basic roadside assistance, your best bet is to get cover with your current insurer if it's offered. This will save you all that time comparing prices on a product that is already relatively inexpensive, plus you might be able to score a discount.
  • You want all the bells and whistles. If you want a higher-end product, membership services like NRMA and RACV offer different levels of cover, some of which offer premium services like emergency accommodation cover and taxi cover. These will come in handy if you often travel far from home.
  • You don't want to be locked in. If the thought of another yearly membership or premium payment drives you crazy, your best bet is probably a standalone service that charges per callout. Examples include Youi, which offers 2 free callouts with your comprehensive cover (and charges for every callout thereafter), and an app-based service like Road Angels, which charges per callout without requiring any other cover.
  • You like perks. If you like getting member discounts, the best policy for you would be with a membership service like NRMA and RACV. These providers offer a wide range of discounts on products like petrol, flights, movie tickets, entertainment and more.

What kinds of exclusions are there?

Roadside assistance is normally limited to small-scale mechanical problems that immobilise your car.

  • You will not be covered for damage caused by an accident.
  • If your battery needs to be replaced, you will normally be expected to pay for the new one.
  • Some providers will not offer roadside assistance for vehicles that are older than a specified age.
  • There are limits on how far your vehicle will be towed if the mechanic is unable to get you going again.
  • Some providers will charge extra if your car breaks down due to a pre-existing condition.
  • You will not receive assistance if your vehicle is unattended.
  • Standard roadside assistance does not apply to taxis, limousines and similar commercial vehicles.
  • Limits are usually stipulated for the maximum size and weight of vehicles that can be covered.
  • If your car is bogged, most providers will only help you get it unstuck if they can safely do so from a solid substrate, such as an adjacent sealed road.
  • A surcharge may apply if you are stranded in a remote area.
  • You might not be able to obtain roadside assistance in extreme environmental conditions.

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Roadside assistance frequently asked questions

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