Compare roadside assistance

Compare standalone and add-on roadside assistance options in Australia.

Car Insurance

Roadside assistance comparison

Roadside assistance can be purchased as a standalone product or as an add-on to car insurance. Providers vary greatly with pricing and inclusions so it's always good to compare your options.

Roadside assistance - standalone products

Product Joining Fee Call-outs (Unlimited/4 per year) Locksmith Fuel Replacement Cost per Year
Budget Direct Roadside Assistance logo
No joining fee
Unlimited
Up to $125
Up to $15
$89.95
15% discount on your first year's membership when you buy online and use the code SOLVED15. T&Cs apply.
NRMA Roadside Assistance logo
No joining fee
Unlimited
$200
$323.88
From $26.99 per month.
View details
RAA Roadside Assistance logo
No joining fee
Unlimited
$150
$259
View details
RAA Roadside Assistance logo
No joining fee
4 call outs a year
$50
$119
View details
RACQ Roadside Assistance logo
No joining fee
Unlimited
$300
$344
View details
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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.

BrandCall outsJoining feeFuel replacementLocksmithApply
Budget Direct ComprehensiveUnlimited within fair use policyNo joining feeUp to $15Up to $125Get quote
Youi
Youi Comprehensive
First two included, then pay per call-outNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$150Get quote
Qantas Insurance
Qantas Comprehensive
Unlimited within fair use policyNo joining feeUp to $15Up to $125Get quote
Picture not described
ahm Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$150More info
Club 4x4
Club Comprehensive 4x4 Insurance
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$250More info
Coles insurance
Coles Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining fee$15$125Get quote
Huddle
Huddle Black Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$150Get quote
Virgin money
Virgin Comprehensive
Unlimited within fair use policyNo joining feeUp to $15Up to $125More info
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Stella Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to $10YesMore info
PD Logo
PD Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$250More info
Real Insurance
Real Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to $10$50Get quote
Australian Seniors Logo
Australian Seniors Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to $10$50Get quote
AAMI Logo
AAMI Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to $10$250More info
Apia
Apia Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to $10$250More info
GIO Logo
GIO Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to $10$250More info
Suncorp logo
Suncorp Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to $10$250More info
Picture not described
Everyday Comprehensive
Not mentionedNo joining feeUp to $10$250More info
Shannons Logo
Shannons Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to $10$350More info
Picture not describedING Home Insurance Logo
ING Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to $15Up to $125More info
NRMA Logo
NRMA Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeEnough to reach the nearest petrol station$200More info
RAA Logo
RAA Premium Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeEnough to reach the nearest petrol station$150More info
RAC Insurance
RAC Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to 5 litres$200More info
RACQ Life Insurance Logo
RACQ Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$300More info
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RACT Comprehensive
UnlimitedNo joining feeUp to 10 litres$165More info

Best car insurance with roadside assistance: Coles Comprehensive

Coles car insurance

Our top pick for the best car insurance with Roadside Assistance is Coles Comprehensive. This policy stands out mostly because it's already a really good value comprehensive insurance policy.

You will pay an extra fee of $89.95 to get it, but here's the thing - Coles Comprehensive is a really good value base policy. At the time of writing, it has the highest Finder Score across the entire market. So much so that even when we added the cost of the roadside option, Coles still came out above other policies that include it as standard.

Also, the roadside you get with Coles is a more robust policy than some of the other offerings out there. Also also, if you do your shopping at Coles, then you're likely to get even more value through your policy, in the form of sign-up Flybuys points.

Get a quote

Finder survey: How many Australians have called roadside assistance?

Response
Yes60.93%
No35.49%
I don't own a car3.58%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1006 Australians, December 2023

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

Roadside assistance can be purchased as an optional add-on to your car insurance policy. Typically, this is offered with Comprehensive policies but there are some providers who will let you add it to a Third party policy.

  • Pro tip: It's always good to see what your car insurance quote looks like with roadside assistance and without it. If you're being charged more than $100 to have it, you might be better off looking at a standalone policy.
mechanic

As a standalone policy

There are a few standalone roadside assistance providers available in Australia. This means you can hold your car insurance policy with one provider and your roadside assistance with another, if that makes more sense financially.

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.

Peta Taylor's headshot
Our expert says

"Roadside assistance is a non-negotiable part of owning my car. I save on costs by looking at plans that cover a little less and therefore cost less. For example, I don't have to pay extra to have a policy that covers me for locking my keys in the car because my car doesn't actually let me lock the car if my keys are inside. Prices vary a bit so it's well worth checking the options, especially if you're looking to save some cash."

Associate publisher

FAQs

Peta Taylor's headshot
Written by

Publisher of Insurance

Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio

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5 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    MalDecember 17, 2024

    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.

      AvatarFinder
      SarahDecember 30, 2024Finder

      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.

      AvatarFinder
      AngusDecember 30, 2024Finder

      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.

    Default Gravatar
    JimJanuary 12, 2024

    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.

      AvatarFinder
      SarahFebruary 14, 2024Finder

      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,

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