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Compare roadside assistance
Compare standalone and add-on roadside assistance options in Australia.
Roadside assistance comparison
Roadside assistance can be purchased 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.
Roadside assistance - standalone products
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How we picked theseCar 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.
| Brand | Call outs | Joining fee | Fuel replacement | Locksmith | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Budget Direct Comprehensive | Unlimited within fair use policy | No joining fee | Up to $15 | Up to $125 | Get quote |
 Youi Comprehensive | First two included, then pay per call-out | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $250 | Get quote |
 Qantas Comprehensive | Unlimited within fair use policy | No joining fee | Up to $15 | Up to $125 | Get quote |
 ahm Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $150 | More info |
 Club Comprehensive 4x4 Insurance | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $250 | More info |
 Coles Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Enough to reach the nearest petrol station | $125 | Get quote |
 Huddle Black Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $150 | Get quote |
 Virgin Comprehensive | Unlimited within fair use policy | No joining fee | Up to $15 | Up to $125 | |
 Stella Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $0 | More info |
 PD Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $250 | More info |
 Real Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $50 | Get quote |
 Australian Seniors Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $50 | Get quote |
 AAMI Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $250 | More info |
 Apia Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $250 | More info |
 GIO Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $250 | More info |
 Suncorp Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $250 | More info |
 Everyday Comprehensive | Not mentioned | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $250 | More info |
 Shannons Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to $10 | $350 | More info |
 ING Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to $15 | Up to $125 | Get quote |
 NRMA Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Enough to reach the nearest petrol station | $200 | More info |
 RAA Premium Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Enough to reach the nearest petrol station | $150 | More info |
 RAC Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to 5 litres | $200 | More info |
 RACQ Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $300 | More info |
 RACT Comprehensive | Unlimited | No joining fee | Up to 10 litres | $165 | More info |
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:
Getting locked out of your car
Running out of fuel
Failure to start
Flat tyres
Towing
Finder survey: How many Australians have called 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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Is there an Ultimate cover Roadside assist which covers all states when travelling? We are with RACQ at the moment and just found out once we leave Qld our Roadside assist is only covered by the lowest assistance package ie: for breakdowns for batteries, fuel etc. this is NOT good if your travelling between every state.
Hi Mal,
Yes there are a number of providers for nation-wide coverage, such as National Roadservice Australia. It may also be possible to add roadside assist to your car insurance policy. This guide may be helpful as you sort through your options.
Hi Mal, As a rule of thumb, for broader coverage you’d need to look at standalone insurers (e.g. Budget, Allianz) rather than ones who originated with state-based roadside assistance providers (e.g. RACQ, NRMA). With that said, even providers who offer cross-border coverage generally impose limits on how far their crews will travel from major population centres and whether they’ll access 4WD-only roads – so while roadside assistance can be worth having, you’ll also need to budget for potentially paying some costs yourself.
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,