I haven’t checked myself (maybe Choice has), but I wonder if one living in one state can take out/become a member of the local motor asaociation in another state. This may be attractive if the other state’s association has better or more cost effective road side assistance packages.
If there are restrictions such as residency location of the member, this may limit one’s ability to shop around.
If there’s a better deal on offer, it would be good to be able to access it. I can’t see anything that would stop a person purchasing cover outside their state, but trying this tactic could mean complications when trying to use the service. While most roadside assistance services will still cover you when travelling interstate, they typically point out that this includes ‘basic cover only’. You might also have to go through a reimbursement process in you’re in another state, which could be a pain. If they really wanted to challenge the matter, they might be able claim that the cover only applies to ‘travellers’ and not residents of another state (although this would be a point to argue).
Here’s an example from RAC WA, but it’s not intended to be comprehensive commentary on the issue. If others have some insight through their own experience, please add it to thread.
For those not for profit motoring organisations that are state based, might it be a fair appraisal that the membership costs reflect the circumstances particular to their membership and state?
EG The RACT is down the list a little but hits it big time with a towing score of 100%. Something Queenslanders and West Aussies might only dream of on the way to Burketown or Leinster.
There are a number of lower cost options that are not state based, EG Allianz, although it’s not clear if they have state based limitations by considering only the Choice reviews?
The interesting assessment might relate to those who live close to a boarder, EG Gold Coast/Tweed Heads, living one side and working and shopping etc as needed on the other?
I would like to see a selection choice for State or national ie boxes to select a State and/or National providers so if say you live in NSW you could check across both those that are NSW State based and those national providers.
I thinks there may be…the RACQ T&Cs state…Roadside Assistance can be purchased by any permanent resident of Queensland, with a Queensland residential address.
I suspect that if one has done it, the others may have such limitations as well. If I get a chance, I’ll also check the others.
Choice may wish to make it clear in the review in such case that motoring association roadside assistance may be only available to residents in the state the motoring association is located.
AANT - It appears that the Automobile Association of the Northern Territory allows membership anywhere in Australia, providing that the member has a Australian Residential address. The T&Cs state ‘Premium and Plus benefits are not available if there is no fixed Australian residential address recorded.Premium and Plus memberships must be taken out directly with AANT and cannot be taken out through an interstate motoring association or club.’ There are no limitations in relation to state of residence.
It appears that the NRMA allows membership anywhere in Australia. The T&C also states ‘Premium Plus is only available to Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia or those that hold an Australian visa valid for over 12 months.’ There are no limitations in relation to state of residence.
RAA - It appears that the Automobile Association of South Australia allows membership anywhere in Australia, providing that the member has a Australian Residential address. The T&Cs state ‘Away from Home benefits are not available if there is no fixed Australian residential address recorded.
¡ Premium and Plus must be taken out directly with RAA in South Australia or Broken Hill and cannot be taken out through an interstate motoring association or club.’ There are no limitations in relation to state of residence.
RACT and RACV doesn’t have any information in relation to allowing interstate membership.
It appears that it may only be the RACQ which has limitations in relation to the place of residency to become a member and be able to use their roadside assistance.
Maybe Choice should make a note of this on the RACQ review.
Or maybe better add a general statement to suggest that consumers, they they plan to take out a roadside assistance package with one of the with the State Automobile Associations, they check with the association for the eligibility of the roadside package if one resides outside the state where the association is located. This general statement would also cover RACT and RACV which are silent in their T&Cs on eligibility.
Thanks for the feedback all, some really good notes here that I’ll be sure to pass on.
Hi folks,
NRMA roadside assistance, when I’ve needed it, has been good but I’m fed up with their membership fee structure. They expect a full membership fee of around $100 for each vehicle; in my case that’s $300 per year but of course I can only drive one vehicle at a time so I pay $300 to receive the same service as someone who drives only one car.
I need roadside assistance rarely so it’s becoming uneconomical and I could be keeping the $300 each year and just organising my own tow if and when required.
I’d be happy to pay a percentage extra for each vehicle to cover admin costs but NRMA is making too nice a profit from the current arrangements. I wrote to them asking why they can’t accommodate people in my position fairly but got gobbledigook in response. Clearly they consider themselves a pretty safe monopoly.
Any thoughts on alternatives?
One could argue that the $300 ($6/week or about one t’away coffee a week) for three vehicles is minor compared to the value of the vehicles, and costs of having vehicles such as insuring (compulsory third party and comprehensive), registration, maintenance/servicing, depreciation and running costs (inc. fuel). These other costs would run into many thousands, so the NRMA membership costs would be maybe 5% more or less the annual cost of owning the same vehicles covered under the membership.
The other option would be to find an insurer that offers breakdown service as part of their cover…noting that it isn’t free as one pays for such cover as part of the insurance taken out.
The other more expensive option is to buy a new car which comes with roadside assistance and to replace the car when the assistance is no longer offered due to the vehicles age.
The last option is to bank the money and hope that paid services over time don’t exceed the value of the membership (and add-ons or other membership benefits).
A comparison, not necessarily an option for NSW.
The RACQ offers members prior to any discounts Ultra Care $212pa and RACQ Ultimate $292pa.
Both options cover a nominated vehicle (Any driver) plus for one nominated driver any vehicle you are driving. If you are a collector of vehicles. Nominate the family vehicle your partner drives as the one only and the others are covered when you are the driver.
Yes, NRMA could do better, given basic single vehicle cover with RACQ is $99pa. Both the RACQ memberships mentioned include many extras. For a two car family Ultra Care is only $15pa more than two single vehicle memberships and much better value. For more than two vehicles between two it costs no more. The driver condition is the only restriction.
Assume you have looked at.
RACV has one similar plan (Total Care, $255 pa before member discounts). I drive my partners from time to time but she never drives mine. The plan covers hers as the nominated vehicle for anyone driving it, and I am covered for whatever vehicle I am driving at the time.
It is curious NRMA does not have anything similar, however $300 p.a. for 3 is not so much different from the RACV and RACQ plans.
In addition to the Choice page @mark_m linked, this Finder page might help you understand other options via the links.
RACV are the same, unsure of others …
Join the RAA where you are the member, not your vehicle. I have a number of registered vehicles, all covered under the one membership that by the sounds of it would cost me $700 a year in NSW - I’ve had RAA in three states, just changed address. If you love the local magazine then that’s a downside, but I rarely read it anyway and I believe you can opt out of it and save a tree - and the ‘show your card and save’ offers from what I understand are Australia wide (ie Repco discount etc).
The only advantage of the per-vehicle method (as I understand it from the RACV) is that anyone who drives the vehicle is covered …
excepting their top plan is ‘kinda like’ OK.
While it is not as visible as it might be,
The Member or their representative who is over 18 years of age and whose identity has been agreed with RACV, must be with the Vehicle or at a pre-determined meeting point when an RACV Service Provider arrives
It’s possible I had that wrong all along, but I wonder if it did change at some point? Either way, I’ll stick with the RAA 
Thanks everyone for the feedback and suggestions. @draughtrider RAA looks like the best option where they simply cover the driver not the car for a comparatively modest cost, it’ll save quite a bit in the long run over NRMA.
Also very happy to not receive those magazines and save a tree, they go straight into the bin.
You might need to push the point - when I called them some 15 years ago to change my address to outside of SA they pushed back saying ‘you should join xxxx’ - I simply said I don’t want to - please just chance my address. I don’t believe it is a condition of membership that you live in SA, but if you take this path please update - I hope it all works fine !!
I’ve been with the NRMA off and on since 1971. I am finding the annual cost increases getting to be a real PITA, on the other hand I do get a free vehicle rego check every year and have it serviced at the same time… its more expensive to get them to service it, but at least it seems to be done properly, which at my local… well, they were getting very sloppy. The one thing I have noticed in the past 3 or 4 years of getting NRMA service is that they are into upselling. The first year, they did what was needed but presented me with a list of work which was (apparently) necessary to keep the vehicle going and roadworthy, and said I should probably get it done before the following year. I didnt. The following year, the same thing happened… except the list was completely different to the first one, with not one of the items repeated. Again, I did nothing. Same thing happens every year. I did get a new battery year before last, and flattened it late last year. The fellow that came got me jump started and swore blind that I should not drive anywhere, because now the alternator needs attention. He said it would be likely to fail completely even in the next week or two. That was 6 months ago, and it hasn’t missed a beat ever since. Even during these Covid-19 times, when the car is getting hardly any use at all (I try to remember to drive round the neighbourhood once every couple of weeks) the battery and alternator are doing as they must.
I’ll keep my membership going, but will maintain my scepticism about work needing to be done on the car.
A post I made under this topic in January 2019.
In WA RAC offer personal cover. Where you pay a $260 per year fee and are covered for any car you drive or are a passenger in, plus your nominated car with anyone driving. Shame more insurers don’t do stuff like that.
Excepting for the ‘are a passenger’ that plan is similar to RACV’s $255 Total Care. I could not imagine a passenger ringing RACV for roadside service since they are driving - right? 
