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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
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:
The dispatcher will ask you about the problem and initially attempt to help you resolve it over the phone.
If phone-based advice fails to resolve the problem, your provider will send a mobile mechanic to your location.
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.
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.
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.
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:
| Company | Cost per year | Joining fee | Callout limits | Need to hold a policy with them? | Lockout / Lost key | Out of fuel | Breakdown towing | Get quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Included with a comprehensive policy | $0 | First 2 included | Yes | $150 | 10 litres | 50km in the city, 20km in rural areas | Get quote |
 | $89.95 | $0 | Unlimited | No | $125 | $15 | Up to 20km in metro and up to 50km in remote areas | Get quote |
 | $83/year | $0 | Unlimited | Yes | $150 | Enough to reach next petrol station | 20km in the city, 50km in rural areas | Get quote |
 | $113 | $0 | Unlimited | No | Yes | Yes | 20km in the city, towing to nearest NRMA centre in rural areas | More info |
 | $86 | $0 | Unlimited | Yes | $250 | $10 | 20km in the city, 100km in rural areas | More info |
 | $99 | $0 | Unlimited | Yes | $200 | Yes | 20km in the city, 50kms in rural areas | More info |
 | $95 | $0 | Unlimited | Yes | $250 | $10 | 20km in the city, 100km country | More info |
 | $95 | $0 | Unlimited | Yes | $250 | $10 | 20km in the city, 100km country | More info |
 | $84 | $0 | Unlimited | Yes | $250 | $10 | 20km in the city, 100km in rural areas | More info |
| Company | Cost per year | Get Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Included with a comprehensive policy | Get quote |
| $89.95 | Get quote |
| $86 | More info |
| $99 | More info |
| $84 | More info |
| $95 | More info |
 | $113 | More info |
| $95 | More info |
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.
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:
Roadside assistance is normally limited to small-scale mechanical problems that immobilise your car.
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