Compare Breakdown Cover and Roadside Assistance
Many drivers pay twice for roadside assistance without knowing it. Check what your car insurance, vehicle warranty or bank account already gives you before comparing standalone cover.
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- Call-outs per year
- Towing distance
- Car or driver based
- Response commitments
- Extras that matter locally
- What is excluded
What should I compare on breakdown cover?
Compare the number of call-outs allowed a year, the towing distance included, and whether the cover follows the car or the driver. Then check response-time commitments and the extras that matter in South Africa, such as roadside security at night and getting you home when the car cannot be fixed. Check your existing car policy first, because many comprehensive policies already include assistance.
What to compare on breakdown cover
Call-outs per year
Most plans cap them. Know the limit and what happens once you exceed it.
Towing distance
Free kilometres included and the rate per kilometre after that, which matters on long trips.
Car or driver based
Whether cover follows a specific vehicle or you personally in any car.
Response commitments
Stated response times, and realistic coverage outside major centres.
Extras that matter locally
Roadside security escort, accident scene assistance and a trip home if the car is stranded.
What is excluded
Off-road recovery, unroadworthy vehicles, repeated call-outs for the same fault, running out of fuel.
How to compare breakdown cover properly
- Check what you already have: comprehensive car insurance, a vehicle warranty, a bank account or a fuel card may include assistance.
- Decide whether you need cover for the vehicle or for yourself in any vehicle.
- Compare towing distance against the trips you actually take, especially long-distance travel.
- Look at the call-out limit against the age and reliability of the car.
- Read the exclusions, particularly around unroadworthy vehicles and off-road recovery.
- Check coverage away from big cities if you travel rural routes.
What moves the price
- Vehicle age and reliability
- Whether cover is vehicle or driver based
- Towing distance included
- Number of call-outs
- Extras such as security escort or trip home
- Whether it is bundled with another product
Mistakes that make a cheap policy expensive
Paying twice
Roadside assistance is bundled into many comprehensive car policies and bank accounts. Check before buying a standalone plan.
Assuming unlimited towing
Most plans include a set distance and charge per kilometre after it, which is expensive on a long-distance breakdown.
Missing the roadworthy condition
Cover can be refused where the vehicle was not roadworthy, for example on bald tyres.
Forgetting rural coverage
A plan that performs well in a metro can be slow on a quiet road at night. Ask about coverage on your routes.
Breakdown cover guides
What Does Breakdown Cover Include? The Complete South African Breakdown
Read guide →Breakdown Cover Cost: What Factors Affect Your Premium?
Read guide →How Roadside Assistance Works: A Step-by-Step Guide
Read guide →Towing and Recovery: Protecting Your Vehicle When Roadside Repair Fails
Read guide →Breakdown Cover for Older Cars: Why It Matters More Than Ever
Read guide →Is Breakdown Cover Worth It? Deciding What's Right for You
Read guide →Frequently asked questions
Is roadside assistance included in car insurance?
Does breakdown cover include running out of fuel?
Is cover per car or per person?
What happens if my car cannot be repaired at the roadside?
Compare breakdown cover in minutes
Tell us what you need once and we help you compare cover from South African insurers. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details.