While it’s easy to assume that your regular roadside assistance membership (for your car) will also cover your caravan, that’s not always the case.
Here we cover everything you need to know about caravan roadside assistance so that you won’t find yourself caught out in the case of breakdown, accident or emergency on the road.
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Caravan Roadside Assistance
Why Do You Need Caravan Roadside Assistance?
The most important reason to make sure you’ve got a good level of roadside assistance to cover your caravan is in the event of needing a tow.
If your tow vehicle breaks down or you have an accident where your whole set-up needs to be towed, it’s far easier (and cheaper!) to have them both towed to the same location together.
Let me set the scene for you…
You’re in the middle of the outback somewhere when your car breaks down. There’s no chance of you fixing it on the side of the road, so you need to get it to a mechanic in the nearest town… which is 100km away. You ring your roadside assistance provider (luckily you’re with Telstra and manage to find a rare pocket of phone reception hiding on a dirt patch).
Here’s how the conversation goes down:
Roadside Assist Provider: “Hi there, how can I help you today?”
Breakdown Victim: “My car has just broken down in the middle of bumchuck nowhere and I need a tow to the next town please.”
Roadside Assist Provider: “Not a problem, we’ll have someone out to you within the next hour or so (maybe longer, since it is beyond no-mans land) to get you towed into town.”
Breakdown Victim: “Great! So, they can hitch up my caravan to the back of the truck and get that in there for me too, right?”
Roadside Assist Provider: clicking away on keyboard somewhere in Sydney… “Sorry sir, unfortunately you haven’t got the premium membership, which covers caravan towing. Is there anything else I can help you with today?”
It’s all well and good to have the car taken care of, but what about the caravan?
I mean, you could just sleep in your van on the side of the road and spend the entire night praying that a road train doesn’t accidentally take you out.
However, I wouldn’t recommend it and there’s probably some law against it anyways. The local police officer who shares a building with the mechanic that’s fixing your car would let you know, I reckon.
I think you get my point, so let’s move on to the details.
What Does Caravan Roadside Assistance Cover?
Depending on the level of membership, here are some of the things that can be covered with caravan roadside assistance. You’ll notice that most, if not all of these things are also covered in regular vehicle roadside assistance, so you really don’t need extra cover for them.
However, remember that it’s the towing of the caravan, which is the extra thing you need to be covered for.
Towing:
- If you can’t get back on the road, a tow will be organised
- Will include both car & caravan (depending on your membership)
- Capped amount of kilometres (or dollar amount) for free
- Often a shorter distance allowance for metropolitan areas & longer distance allowance for rural
Battery Assistance:
- Jump-start flat battery
- Check alternator
- Install new battery if required (additional cost for battery)
- Tow the set-up if battery issue can’t be fixed (if you’ve got car + caravan membership)
Flat Tyre Change:
- Change of flat tyre on the caravan with your roadworthy spare
- If there’s no suitable spare, a tow will be organised
Emergency Fuel:
- If you’ve run out of fuel, they’ll provide 5 – 10L or enough to get to the nearest petrol station
- If you’ve used the wrong fuel or have an LPG or electric car, they’ll organise a tow
Lockout Assistance:
- For keys that are lost or locked inside car/ caravan
- Locksmith assistance to help gain access
Taxi Cover:
- To help transport you and your passengers if the car needs to be towed
- Capped at a dollar amount
Car Hire:
- If the car has broken down & isn’t immediately fixable
- Capped at 2 – 5 days or a set dollar amount
Accomodation:
- If you’re over 100km from home
- If the car has broken down & isn’t immediately fixable
- If the caravan is not able to be safely towed and used
- Assistance with emergency accommodation (caravan park/ motel fees)
- Capped at 2 – 5 days or a set dollar amount
Will Vehicle Roadside Assistance Cover the Caravan?
Some regular motor roadside assistance memberships will also include the caravan. Quite often it’s just a matter of selecting the premium membership to make sure that your caravan is included. Always read the fine print and take extra care to make sure that the policy will include towing of the caravan in case of breakdown.
Caravan Roadside Assistance Providers [Comparison Table]
Here I’ve compiled the information from all of the caravan roadside assistance providers that I could find for an easy comparison.
NOTE – Before signing up for a roadside assistance membership, always check if there are weight or height limits for the car and caravan. Example, some companies will only cover caravans under 2.5T and cars under 3.5T.
| PROVIDER | TOWING | EXTRA FEATURES | PRICE (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 Road Services | 20 – 50 km (Metro) 50 – 100 km (Rural) | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Lockout ($70 – $100) • Taxi cover (2 x $50 p/a) • Ambulance (max $100) • Car hire (max $700) • Accommodation ($300 – $700) | Caravan Only $69 – $149/ yr Car + Caravan $180/ yr |
| AAMI | Up to 100 km | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Lockout (max $250) | $86/ yr with AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance |
| Awin Caravan Roadside Assistance | To nearest suitable repairer | • Flat tyre • Lockout (max $65) • Towing ($600 – $1,000) • Accommodation ($300 – $400) | ? |
| GIO | Up to 20 km | • Battery assistance • Lockout (max $250) | $95/ yr with GIO Platinum or Comprehensive Car Insurance |
| National Roadservice Australia | Caravan only $250 – $500 limit | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Lockout ($100 – $160) • Accommodation ($100 – $200) | ? |
| NRMA Roadside Assistance | Caravans up to 2 tonnes 50 – 100 km | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Lockout ($100 – $200) • Care hire, accommodation & transport ($3,000 – $4,000) | Car + Caravan $214 – $270/ yr |
| RAC Roadside | 100 – 200 km (Metro) 200 – 300 km (Rural) | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Lockout ($165 – $200) • Taxi ($55 – $100) • Passenger transport • Car hire ($110 – $150/ day, max 5 days) • Accommodation ($550 – $1,260) | Car + Caravan $195 – $335/ yr |
| RACQ | 20 – 100 km | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Lockout (optional) • Taxi (optional) • Car hire (optional) | Car + Caravan $106 – $310/ yr |
| RACV Total Care | Up to 100 km | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel (5L) • Lockout (max $350) • Car hire, accommodation & transport (up to $2,400) | Car + Caravan $280/ yr |
| Trailer Roadside Assist | Up to 100 km | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel • Off road recovery (max $750) • Pre-purchase inspections • Repair & service discounts | Caravan $199/ year |
| Youi | 20 km (Metro) 50 km (Rural) | • Battery assistance • Flat tyre • Emergency fuel (10L) • Lockout (max $150) Taxi (max $50) • Bogged recovery (with 2WD access) | Standard with Youi Comprehensive Car Insurance |
Caravan Manufacturers Who Offer Roadside Assistance From New
Below are all of the caravan manufacturers that I’m aware of that offer complementary caravan roadside assistance when customers buy a brand new van in Australia.
| MANUFACTURER | FREE ROADSIDE ASSIST (on brand new vans) |
|---|---|
| Avida | First 2 years |
| Coromal | First 3 years |
| Jayco | First 3 years |
| New Age Caravans | First 1 year |
| Windsor Caravans | First 3 years |
To find out what other expenses you’ll need to budget for, here’s the Full Breakdown of Caravanning Costs, including Caravan Insurance and Caravan Rego.
If you’re keen to keep track of your caravan maintenance and make sure you van is always in roadworthy condition, check out the downloadable Caravan Maintenance & Service Log below.
Caravan Maintenance & Service Log
Keep track of your caravan servicing schedule, plus all additional maintenance items.
7-page Digital & Printable Planner
- Caravan Service History Log
- Checklists
- Pre-filled Maintenance tasks
- Add in extra items
- Record dates
Travel Planning Tools
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I think it is worth noting on the NRMA and RACQ the trailer towiing with roadside coverage is for upto 2T trailers only.
GIO state;
“In the event that your car is towed after a breakdown, and it had been towing your caravan or trailer, we’ll cover costs to transport your caravan or trailer to the same location as your car or to the nearest place of safety. You should tell us when you first call for help if this applies to you, as the towing provider may be unable to tow both the car and the caravan/trailer in one callout. If further callouts are required, you might be liable for related costs.”
Thanks Damien, that’s a very important caveat to consider. It’s always worth telling them exactly what you’ve got both when you call to take out a policy, plus if you’re ever in a situation where you need to use it.