Free roadside assistance is a pretty big deal when stranded with no money to spare and a car that just won’t move an inch.
You never know when your vehicle is going to betray you. So, it is better to have a backup for such a problematic occurrence, especially the problems you can’t fix yourself. This is where roadside assistance swoops in and saves the day.
Fortunately, you don’t always have to pay for roadside services. If you want them for free, this article is the one for you. These services include flat tire repairs, jump-starts, and providing a tow vehicle.
Want to know how you can take advantage of free road assistance in Canada? Keep reading.
Free Roadside Assistance Canada Options
We are starting off with the roadside assistance services you can get without paying a dime. Later, we will compare them to paid roadside assistance services and see how they differ from each other.
1. Birchwood Roadside Assistance
You can be eligible for this free roadside assistance coverage that lasts up to 3 years with any tire purchase or installation at the Birchwood Automotive Group. In addition, they provide coverage for 6 months after your service at any dealership belonging to Birchwood.
All of these perks are completely free. Also, their customer service reps are known for quickly responding to inquiries and complaints.
Features and Benefits
- Round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance benefits
- Towing service
- Mechanical first aid
- Tire change service
- Emergency delivery service
- Emergency battery service
- Lost key service
- Rental car discounts
- Map routing
- Theft and hit-and-run protection
- They are not connected to any credit card product
2. TD Roadside Assistance
TD provides free roadside assistance via the TD Deluxe Auto Club. This auto club is courtesy of AXA Assistance Canada.
You should know that the TD Cashback Visa Infinite Card provided by TD comes with free membership in the TD Deluxe Auto Club. At the moment, there is a free promo and a 10% cashback on purchases for the first 3 months within the first year. The total spend is $2000 max.
Features and Benefits
- Unlimited tows of your vehicles
- Tows of your vehicles of up to 200 km per service call to any destination
- Flatbed and reimbursement option up to $250 at a go
- Battery boost of your vehicle
- Flat tire change
- Auto coverage includes winching service
- Lockout services have a reimbursement option of up to $100
- Fuel delivery of up to 5 liters or more
- Personal transportation of up to $25
- Traffic accident services
- Stolen car emergency services
- Accident towing of your car up to $200
- Transportation or rental vehicle (up to $200)
- Accommodation and meals during waiting times of up to $200
- Returning your vehicle to repair location service (up to $200).
- Personal emergency needs up to $50
- Motorist legal services of your car
- Trip planning services for your vehicle
Cons
- You do not have to deal with drawbacks
3. BMO Roadside Assistance
This is a service that should definitely be on your consideration list. You can get free roadside assistance in Canada through the BMO Cashback World Elite Mastercard which gives you free membership in the Dominion Automobile Association. The membership also allows you to get basic BMO roadside assistance coverage.
They run promotions often and you can get the annual fee waived every year if you have a Premium Chequing Account with BMO. However, it has a monthly fee of $30.
Features and Benefits
- Get four service calls/year
- Towing of the car because of a mechanical breakdown for up to 10 km
- They offer a battery boosting service
- You can get a flat tire change
- Winching service
- Lockout coverage
- Fuel delivery of up to 10 liters.
Cons
- Coverage is not wide enough
- You can only get basic coverage
4. Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance
Getting free roadside assistance is as easy as signing up for the Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard. Keep in mind that this card requires a yearly personal income of $80,000 (or a household income of $150,000) to be eligible. Owning the Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard requires that you register online.
With Canadian Tire, you can choose to have roadside assistance for a vehicle in particular or for you as a driver. Their Gold Member Plan, which is their most attractive, costs $99.95
For more, check out our article on Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance.
Features and Benefits
- 24-hour roadside assistance in Canada
- Services include towing, changing a flat tire, boosting a battery, extrication, and lockout service
- Coverage for roadside assistance begins after a 24-hour period starting from when you registered
- To activate a plan, it is necessary to be a primary holder
- Tows vehicles to Canadian Tire service centers within towing limits of 250 km.
- You get 5 service calls/year
Cons
- Sometimes, it can take 24 hours to be verified as an active user after registration.
5. Home Trust Roadside Assistance
This service is run by Home Trust Preferred Visa. The Home Trust roadside assistance is a less known option, but it could also provide an alternative in times of need. There are no annual fees and you also get a 1% cashback on anything you buy. In addition, you will not experience surcharges for foreign currency exchange.
Currently, Home Trust’s roadside assistance service is on hold, but there’s no telling when it could become active again. We will keep an eye out and let you know if anything changes.
6. Auto Dealer Roadside Assistance
Recently, auto dealers around Canada have been giving auto insurance free of charge. This is when people are buying used and new vehicles alike.
Auto dealer roadside assistance often lasts for about a couple of years. They come with services like towing, battery boosting, tire changing, winching, and fuel delivery. Pretty much standard stuff.
Your coverage is simply dependent on what is being offered by your dealer. It is worth mentioning that some vehicle warranties include roadside assistance these days. This roadside could cover you for five years.
An auto dealer service can be really useful as long as your usage term for using it is still valid and has not run out.
Paid Roadside Assistance Membership in Canada
Now that we know all about free roadside assistance in Canada, it’s time to check out the paid ones and see how they both stack up.
1. Costco Roadside Assistance
This service offers Standard Plus Emergency Roadside Assistance at the cost of $54.99. Keep in mind that this roadside assistance only has coverage for a vehicle that is below 12 years of age.
Costco Roadside Assistance also includes service calls that are limited to 4 every year. As expected, you get towing, jump-start, tire service, gas delivery, winching, and lockout services.
Features and Benefits
- Four service calls per year
- Towing of cars
- Get jump start service
- Offers tire service
- Gas delivery
- Lockout service
- Winching service
Cons
- You only get four service calls per year
- It is cheap when compared to CAA roadside assistance
2. CAA Roadside Assistance
CAA roadside assistance is yet another service you can consider if you’ve got the bucks to pay for paid roadside assistance.
With their gold plan, you will pay $119 per year. Some of the advantages include their CAA Bike Assist program, Canadian passport photos free of charge, and coverage for motorcycles.
Their CAA Plus Membership costs $115. Its features include roadside assistance with no charge, towing distance of up to 160km, fuel delivery for free (up to 10L), roadside assistance calls (up to 4), road trip interruption coverage, and coverage for locksmiths.
Features and Benefits
- 24/7 service all year round
- Mobile battery service
- Towing distances up to 160km
- Flat tire change
- Emergency fuel delivery (up to 10L)
- 4 roadside assistance calls a year
- Road trip interruption service
- Locksmith coverage
- Assistance for bicycle
- Accident reimbursement
Cons
- Expensive when compared to Costco
Final Thoughts on Free Roadside Assistance
Free roadside assistance is something that could be helpful to you when you least expect it. Whether you eventually choose to go for the free kind or not, just make sure you are making an informed decision.
Sure, there are some things paid road assistance can get you that the free services will not, but it is always important to consider how deep your pockets are and how much you can spare.
With extra perks like higher limits, motorcycle coverage, free passport photos, and special bike assist services, the paid roadside assistance services may lure you in. Hopefully, this article will help you make a decision suited to your needs.
FAQS on Free Roadside Assistance
What Is the Best Free Roadside Assistance in Canada?
It’s all about what you want. Find what suits your circumstances and your pockets.
If you are going for a free roadside assistance service, then BMO, TD, and Canadian Tire are undoubtedly the biggest and most reliable in Canada.
For paid roadside assistance, Costco and CAA should be your go-to. Keep in mind that Costco generally costs less than CAA.
Is Paid Roadside Assistance Better Than Free Roadside Assistance?
As with many paid services, you get extra perks for your money’s worth when you sign-up. So, the extra stuff you will get from paid roadside assistance definitely raises the bar.
Also, the service provided by paid roadside assistance is generally expected to be more effective. As expected of any paid service, they need to set themselves apart from the free ones.
What Is the Difference Between Breakdown Cover and Roadside Assistance?
Roadside assistance is a basic level of breakdown cover. It simply means you get help by the side of a road in the event of your vehicle breaking down. Roadside assistance covers you if you are stranded a certain distance from where you live (at least a quarter of a mile, in most cases).
If your car can’t be repaired where it broke down, it will eventually be towed to any of the following:
- A nearby garage
- A garage approved by your paid or free roadside assistance service
- A place of your choice (as long as it is not farther than a garage that’s approved)
Hi, I'm Adeola Adegoke. I am a licensed Insurance Broker in Manitoba, and I hold a master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences (with a major in Financial Modeling) from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Tanzania.
Also, I have a second master's degree in Statistics from the University of Regina, and I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Manitoba.
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