Millions of Aussies call family over roadside assistance – but does it really make sense?
Roadside assistance starts at around $7 a month, yet a third of drivers would still rely on friends or family if they broke down.
Who would you call if your car suddenly broke down and you were left stranded by the side of the road? Well, according to a new Finder survey, millions of drivers trust family or friends to step in and save the day.
Out of 1,007 respondents, 16% said they would call their spouse or partner if they broke down, a further 11% would call a family member and 5% would call a friend. However, the reliance on our loved ones might not be the best decision.
While some issues can be fixed fairly easily, there are plenty of car problems which require expert help - including lock-outs, rescues, and electrical faults.
In fact, NRMA technicians attended 61,347 vehicle lock-outs and 98,180 electrical faults in the 12 months leading up to September 2017. The recovery service also rescued 3,767 children and pets from vehicles in the same time period.
Of course, many people rely on friends or family because it's the cheaper option - but just how convenient is it for you and them? Would they be able to drop everything to get you out of a tightspot without delay? Would you want them to?
Considering how cheap a roadside assistance policy can be, it's an inconvenience most Aussies can afford to avoid. Finder research shows a standalone roadside assistance policy can start at less than $7 a month.
It's also fairly common for car insurers to offer roadside assistance as an optional extra, while some even include the perk as standard in their comprehensive policies.
Find roadside assistance for less than $7 a month
See car insurers which offer roadside assistance
The table below features Finder partners which offer roadside assistance as an optional extra or built-in perk.
