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.
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
How we picked these
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.
Best car insurance with roadside assistance: Coles Comprehensive
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.
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
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:
Dead battery
Getting locked out of your car
Running out of fuel
Failure to start
Flat tyres
Towing
How to get roadside assistance
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.
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:
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.
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."
Depending on the level of plan you choose, roadside assistance can cost anywhere from around $90 - $250+ annually. You can compare options using our table above.
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.
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
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.
Finder
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.
Finder
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.
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.
Finder
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,
Living in the ACT? Here’s all you need to know about car insurance.
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Budget Direct Comprehensive
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,