Roadside assistance can be purchases as a standalone product or as an add-on to car insurance. Provider's vary greatly with pricing and inclusions so it's always good to compare your options.
Car insurance providers who offer roadside assistance
Many car insurance providers will offer roadside assistance as an inclusion or optional extra in their comprehensive car insurance policies. If you're after a comprehensive policy with the option to have roadside assistance then see the table below.
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:
Dead battery
Getting locked out of your car
Running out of fuel
Failure to start
Flat tyres
Towing
Finder survey: How many Australians have callled roadside assistance?
Response
Yes
60.93%
No
35.49%
I don't own a car
3.58%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1006 Australians, December 2023
How to get roadside assistance
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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FAQs
Roadside assistance is a fairly cheap product — it can cost about $6 per month. However, the cost of your roadside assistance will depend on which level you choose, the provider and more. The cost can vary a lot between providers so it's worth comparing a few options.
Yes, you can call NRMA for roadside assistance even if you're not a member. You will have to pay an On-Road Join and Go fee to get roadside assistance without having to wait the usual 48hr period.
No, you can have your roadside assistance and your car insurance with seperate providers. Some people choose to have both sit with the same provider for less admin, cheaper fees or other reasons but this is not mandatory.
Budget Direct, Allianz and NRMA all offer 24/7 roadside assistance. To know if your provider offers 24/7 service, check their website.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
I have a 2008 Ford Falcon egas wagon registered in Qld. I would like you to find me the cheapest quote for a third party insurance with road side assistance, p n tq.
You can review some options for third-party car insurance here. We don’t currently have the option to search for included roadside assist, but we’re working on it! For now,
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I have a 2008 Ford Falcon egas wagon registered in Qld. I would like you to find me the cheapest quote for a third party insurance with road side assistance, p n tq.
Hi Jim,
You can review some options for third-party car insurance here. We don’t currently have the option to search for included roadside assist, but we’re working on it! For now,