Compare roadside assistance: motoring clubs and insurer add-ons
Roadside assistance gets you moving after a breakdown, a flat battery, a flat tyre, a lockout or an empty tank, or tows the car somewhere it can be fixed. You can add it to some comprehensive and third party car insurance policies, or join your state's motoring club.
It is a service, not insurance, and it does not pay for repairs. What separates one plan from another is in the terms: how many call-outs you get, how far you are towed in the city and the country, how soon cover starts and what happens with an electric car or a caravan. This page compares the entry-level club plans and the insurers' add-ons on those points, as at 2 October 2026.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
Entry-level motoring club plans compared
Each state's motoring club sells several tiers. The table compares the cheapest tier in each state on the terms that decide whether it gets you home. Higher tiers add longer towing, more call-outs and travel benefits.
| State and plan | Call-outs | Towing in the city | Towing in the country | When cover starts | Electric vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW and ACT: NRMA Everyday Care | Unlimited, subject to an excessive-use clause | First 25km free | Free to the attending NRMA country service centre | 48 hours after joining; a join-and-go fee applies to breakdowns before or during that time | Tow to the nearest accessible charging station or your destination, whichever is closer |
| VIC: RACV Roadside Care | Unlimited, under a fair use policy | First 20km free | Back to the attending service centre | 24 hours after purchase, if there is no pre-existing condition | Tow to the nearest accessible charging station or your destination |
| QLD: RACQ Everyday Lite | No set number, under an excess use program | Not included: towing is at your cost (RACQ Everyday adds up to 20km) | Not included (RACQ Everyday adds up to 50km to the service provider) | 48-hour waiting period; problems that existed before purchase are not covered | Towing can be arranged at your expense |
| SA: RAA Standard | Up to 4 a year, then a fee | 10km | 40km back to the depot (80km round trip) | A service fee applies within 48 hours of buying, or for a breakdown that existed before | Tow to your home or the nearest accessible charging station |
| WA: RAC Standard | Unlimited, under a fair use policy | Up to 25km | Up to 80km round trip | 48 hours; join on the road for a fee, without extended benefits | Tow to the nearest accessible charging station, your home or your destination, at RAC's option |
| TAS: RACT Roadside Advantage | Up to 6 a year, then a fee | Up to 15km | Up to 32km out to you and 32km back towards the depot | 48 hours; a breakdown before joining needs extra service fees | Not stated in the terms |
| NT: AANT Standard | Up to 8 a year, then a fee | 8km | 32km back to the regional depot (64km round trip) | A service fee applies within 48 hours of joining | Tow to your home or the nearest accessible charging station |
Can you add roadside assistance to third party insurance?
With some insurers. Most insurers that sell roadside assistance with a policy offer it only with comprehensive cover, and some sell it as a separate membership you can buy whatever insurance you hold. The table shows what each insurer's own site said on 2 October 2026.
If your insurer will not add it to a third party policy, a motoring club membership works with any level of cover, including none.
| Insurer | Comprehensive | Third party, fire and theft | Third party property damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAMI | Optional extra | Not offered | Not offered |
| Suncorp | Optional extra on its three comprehensive levels | Not offered | Not offered |
| Youi | Included | Cannot be added | Cannot be added |
| Real Insurance | Optional extra | Optional extra | Optional extra |
| ING | Sold alongside as ING Roadside Assistance | Sold alongside its third party policies | Sold alongside its third party policies |
| NRMA Insurance | Not included; NRMA roadside is a separate membership (in SA, Everyday Care SA is included free for the first year with any NRMA motor policy) | As for comprehensive | As for comprehensive |
| Allianz, Budget Direct | Separate membership, bought with or without their car insurance | Same | Same |
| Bingle | Not offered as an optional extra | Not offered | Not offered |
Does using roadside assistance count as a claim?
A roadside call-out under a membership is a service, not an insurance claim. Budget Direct, for example, says a roadside-assistance callout is not a car insurance claim and will not raise your premium the way a claim can. If your roadside cover is an add-on to a car insurance policy, check the PDS for how call-outs are treated.
Is roadside assistance worth it?
It depends on what you already have and how far you drive. Moneysmart lists free roadside assistance among the extras some car insurance policies include, notes that insurers sometimes add free roadside assist to win new customers, and suggests dropping extras you could get elsewhere. So first check you are not already covered, then avoid paying twice.
If you mostly drive in town, an entry-level plan with a short metro tow may be enough. If you drive in the country, the country towing distance is the figure that matters, and it ranges from a tow back to the attending service centre to 32km back to a depot on the entry plans above.
Electric vehicles
Most entry plans treat a flat EV battery like an empty tank: NRMA, RACV, RAA, RAC and AANT will tow an electric car to the nearest accessible charging station (or your home or destination, depending on the club). RACQ's entry tier arranges towing at your expense, and RACT's terms do not mention EVs, so ask before relying on it.
Caravans and trailers
Entry-level plans rarely tow a caravan or trailer. RACV's Roadside Care, RACQ's Everyday Lite, RAC's Standard and RACT's Advantage plans do not cover them, and NRMA points members who tow to its Complete or Ultimate Care. RAA and AANT will attend a caravan that breaks down, but on their Standard plans they do not tow the car and caravan if the car breaks down while towing. If you tow, compare the next tier up.
Emergency fuel, taxis and accommodation
All seven entry plans help when you run out of fuel, but on most of them you pay for the fuel itself. RACV's Roadside Care includes up to 5 litres free in Victoria. RAC provides up to 5 litres and RACT up to 10 litres, both at your cost.
Taxi, hire car and accommodation benefits are mostly reserved for higher tiers. The exception among the entry plans is RACV's Roadside Care: within 100km of home it includes one taxi trip up to $80, and more than 100km from home it covers accommodation up to $150 a night and a rental car up to $88 a day, to a total of $750.
The limits that catch people out
Read these four things in any plan's terms before you buy:
- Call-out caps: RAA, RACT and AANT limit their entry plans to 4, 6 and 8 call-outs a year. The unlimited plans still have fair-use or excessive-use rules.
- Waiting periods: cover usually starts 24 to 48 hours after you join, and a breakdown that happened before you joined costs extra or is not covered.
- Country towing: city allowances are generous next to what you get on a highway. Check the country figure before a long trip.
- What it never does: roadside assistance does not pay for the part that failed or for the repair itself.
What to watch for
- Check the country towing distance, not just the city one. On entry plans it can be as short as 32km back to a depot.
- Cover usually starts 24 to 48 hours after you join. Buying it while already broken down costs extra.
- Some entry plans cap call-outs: 4 a year on RAA Standard, 6 on RACT Advantage, 8 on AANT Standard.
- Entry plans rarely tow a caravan or trailer. If you tow, compare the next tier up.
- Do not pay twice. Check whether your car insurance already includes roadside assistance before you buy a membership.
Common questions
Is roadside assistance insurance?
No. It is a service that gets you moving or gets the car towed. It does not pay for the repair itself, which is why it sits alongside a car insurance policy rather than replacing any part of one.
Does using roadside assistance count as a claim?
Not under a membership. Budget Direct, for example, says a roadside-assistance callout is not a car insurance claim and will not increase your premium the way a claim can. If roadside is an add-on to your policy, check the PDS.
Can I get roadside assistance with third party insurance?
With some insurers. Real Insurance offers it as an optional extra on third party policies and ING sells its roadside product alongside them, while AAMI, Suncorp and Youi offer it only with comprehensive. A motoring club membership works with any level of cover.
Is roadside assistance worth it?
If you are not already covered through your car insurance, usually yes for a car you rely on, but match the plan to how you drive. City drivers can choose an entry plan; country drivers should compare the country towing distance first. Moneysmart suggests dropping extras you could get elsewhere, so do not pay for it twice.
Does roadside assistance cover electric cars?
Yes, on most club plans: NRMA, RACV, RAA, RAC and AANT tow a flat EV to the nearest accessible charging station or to your home or destination. Check the terms of your plan, because the details differ.
Does roadside assistance cover running out of fuel?
Yes, every club plan helps with an empty tank, but on most entry plans you pay for the fuel itself. RACV's Roadside Care includes up to 5 litres free in Victoria.
