# M-T04-M-P11: I want to be able to call someone when my car has a problem. Which NZ car insurers should I look at? Collected 11 October 2026 [Car insurance study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/insurance/car-insurance) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 5bdf5f21-bc20-4fcb-8b0d-431f32b105b2 If you want to be able to call someone when your car breaks down, has a flat battery, or won't start, I'd look for car insurance in New Zealand that includes roadside assistance, or an insurer that offers it as an optional extra. The key distinction is that ordinary car insurance generally covers specified events such as accidents, theft and damage, while roadside assistance is the service that helps you when you're stranded with a mechanical or battery problem. There are two things worth comparing: - Roadside assistance included with your policy — convenient, with fewer separate services to arrange. - Roadside assistance as an add-on or separate membership — gives you more flexibility to choose the level of help you want. ## NZ insurers I'd compare first 1. AMI Insurance — best starting point for included help Roadside Rescue is included with comprehensive car insurance. It offers 24/7 nationwide help, including jump-starts, flat tyres and lockouts, with unlimited callouts advertised. It can also be purchased separately. [AMI Roadside Rescue Coverage](https://www.ami.co.nz/car-insurance/roadside-rescue)[AMI Car Insurance | Online Quote](https://www.ami.co.nz/car-insurance) [AMI Roadside Rescue](https://www.ami.co.nz/car-insurance/roadside-rescue) 2. State Insurance — good low-cost add-on Roadside Rescue costs $39 a year and provides up to five callouts, 24/7 around New Zealand. Help includes flat batteries, flat tyres, breakdowns and running out of fuel. Additional callouts cost $50 each. [State Roadside Rescue](https://www.state.co.nz/car-insurance/roadside-rescue) [State Roadside Rescue](https://www.state.co.nz/car-insurance/roadside-rescue) 3. Tower Insurance — another flexible option You can add RoadWise to a Tower car insurance policy. It covers common problems such as flat batteries, flat tyres and running out of fuel, and can arrange towing if needed. The published benefits include three free callouts per year. [RoadWise® Roadside Assistance](https://www.tower.co.nz/car-insurance/roadwise/)[Roadside Assistance NZ: What Options Are There?](https://www.canstar.co.nz/car-insurance/roadside-assistance-nz/) [Tower RoadWise](https://www.tower.co.nz/car-insurance/roadwise/) 4. MAS — worth checking for comprehensive cover Eligible comprehensive motor policies include roadside assistance provided by AA Roadservice, with no extra charge for standard roadside assistance services. Check eligibility and the applicable policy terms. [Motor Vehicle, Bike and Car Insurance](https://www.mas.co.nz/insurance/motor-vehicle-insurance/) [MAS Motor Vehicle Insurance](https://www.mas.co.nz/insurance/motor-vehicle-insurance/) ## Another option: roadside assistance without changing insurers AA Roadservice is worth comparing if you mainly want someone to call when your car breaks down. Its personal membership covers you as a driver or passenger, rather than being tied to one specific vehicle. The AA advertises 24/7 breakdown assistance and has an app for requesting help. [AA Roadservice](https://www.aa.co.nz/membership/roadservice-breakdown-assistance/) - [AA Roadservice membership and pricing](https://www.aa.co.nz/membership/roadservice-breakdown-assistance/) ## What I'd choose - Want help included with your insurance? Start with AMI and MAS. - Want a low-cost add-on? Check State's $39-a-year option. - Want cover regardless of which car you're in? Compare AA membership with AMI's roadside assistance options. Before buying, check whether towing is included, how many callouts you get, whether mechanical breakdowns are covered, and whether the cover follows you or the car. One question that would help me narrow this down: Do you want roadside help included in your car insurance, or are you happy to pay a small extra fee for it? ## Gemini Answer ID: 948d7a61-79fb-405e-8a9b-99f97f6498b6 When looking for a New Zealand car insurer that allows you to easily call for help if your car breaks down, you will want to look at insurers that offer **integrated roadside assistance** either bundled into their comprehensive cover or available as a low-cost add-on. Several prominent New Zealand insurance providers stand out for this type of support: ### 1. AMI Insurance * **The Deal:** AMI includes roadside assistance **free** with their Comprehensive car insurance policies. * **Key Perks:** Unlike many policies that tie assistance strictly to a single vehicle, AMI’s roadside rescue covers *you* when driving any eligible car, as well as anyone else driving your insured car. It features unlimited callouts for mechanical breakdowns, flat batteries, flat tyres, lost keys, and running out of fuel. ### 2. State Insurance * **The Deal:** State offers **Roadside Rescue** as an affordable optional add-on to any of their car insurance policies for a small annual fee (typically around $39 a year for up to five callouts). * **Key Perks:** Their rescue service covers the vehicle itself, meaning whoever happens to be behind the wheel at the time of a breakdown can call for help. They provide 24/7 nationwide support for towing, flat batteries (including EVs), flat tyres, lockouts, and emergency fuel. ### 3. ASB Bank (Insurance) * **The Deal:** ASB offers **Roadside Rescue** as an optional add-on that can be attached to any of their private motor vehicle policies—even basic Third Party policies. * **Key Perks:** Similar to State, the cover stays with the car regardless of who is driving. For a low annual cost, you get 24/7 nationwide access to emergency towing, jump-starts, fuel delivery, and lockout services. ### 4. NZI * **The Deal:** NZI provides comprehensive motor vehicle policies with options for robust roadside assistance packages (such as *NZI Roadside Assist*), featuring unlimited 24/7 nationwide callouts. * **Key Perks:** Designed to get you moving quickly, it covers whoever is driving your vehicle and often packages well with other premium policy benefits like alternative transport limits. --- ### Alternative Option: Standalone Provider (The AA) If you prefer flexibility or choose an insurer that doesn't bundle roadside assistance, you can also join the **New Zealand Automobile Association (AA)** independently. * Unlike insurance add-ons that typically follow the *car*, an **AA Membership** follows *you*. * This means you are covered whether you are driving your own car, a friend's car, or even sitting as a passenger when a breakdown occurs anywhere in New Zealand. ### What to check when comparing: * **Vehicle vs. Driver Cover:** Check whether the roadside assistance covers the *specific car* (meaning anyone driving it is covered) or *you personally* (meaning you are covered in any car). * **Callout Limits:** Some providers offer unlimited callouts, while others cap it at a set number (e.g., 3 to 5 per year). * **Stand-down Periods:** Be aware that if you buy a roadside package *after* taking out your policy rather than at the same time, some insurers enforce a 24-hour stand-down period before you can use it. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 704b30ca-7ddb-44be-aed1-c64424521175 To have someone to call immediately when your car breaks down, you should look for New Zealand insurers that offer **24/7 Roadside Assistance** , which covers non-accident issues like flat batteries, flat tyres, running out of fuel, or mechanical failure. Most major NZ car insurers offer this either **automatically built into comprehensive policies** or as a **cheap optional add-on** (usually between $30 to $50 a year). The primary NZ insurers to evaluate include: 1\. AMI Insurance * **How it works:** AMI Roadside Rescue is automatically **included for free** if you buy their Comprehensive Car Insurance policy. If you have a different level of cover with them, you can add it for $49/year. * **Key perk:** It stands out because it offers **unlimited callouts** per year. It also covers you while driving any car, as well as anyone else driving your insured car. 2\. State Insurance * **How it works:** State offers "State Roadside Rescue" as an optional extra for about $39/year for their policyholders. * **Key perk:** It allows up to **5 free callouts per year** (which is higher than most other add-on policies, which usually limit you to 3). 3\. Tower Insurance & Westpac * **How it works:** Tower Insurance offers an optional benefit called **RoadWise®**. Because Westpac NZ car insurance is underwritten by Tower, they offer a very similar version (sometimes called Auto Assist) for a small monthly premium add-on. * **Key perk:** It covers the vehicle rather than the driver (meaning anyone driving your car is covered). However, it is capped at **3 free callouts per policy year**. 4\. AA Insurance (Important Distinction) * **How it works:** While AA Insurance is one of NZ's largest car insurers, **standard car insurance policies do not automatically include breakdown roadside assistance**. * **Key perk:** To get roadside assistance through the AA, you need an AA Personal Membership. This is a separate subscription (around $89+ per year). The major benefit of AA Membership is that it **covers you personally as a driver or passenger in any vehicle** , regardless of who owns it. * * * Quick Comparison Table Insurer / Provider| Cost for Roadside Help| Callout Limits| Coverage Type ---|---|---|--- **AMI Insurance**| **Free** with Comprehensive| **Unlimited**| Covers the driver _and_ the vehicle **State Insurance**| ~$39 / year add-on| 5 callouts per year| Covers the vehicle **Tower Insurance**| Small monthly add-on| 3 callouts per year| Covers the vehicle **AA Membership** (Separate from insurance)| ~$89+ / year| 6 callouts per year| Covers you personally in _any_ car What to Keep in Mind If you sign up for roadside assistance as an add-on to an insurance policy, most companies enforce a **24-hour to 48-hour stand-down period** before you can make your first call. If you need emergency help immediately today, you will usually have to pay an instant joining fee. If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know: * Do you want **comprehensive insurance** (covering accidents too), or just a **cheap breakdown service**? * Does **more than one person** drive your car? * Do you frequently **drive other people's cars**? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: c5ebdce3-d297-465b-8663-303ee7bfae3a If you want to be able to call someone for a tow, a jump-start, or a flat tyre when your car breaks down, you need an insurer that bundles or offers **24/7 roadside assistance**. In New Zealand, major insurers handle this either by including it directly in comprehensive policies, offering it as a cheap add-on, or via partner networks like First Rescue or the AA. Top NZ car insurers to look at for roadside support include: * * **AMI Insurance** : Highly rated for roadside cover (recognized by Consumer NZ). 24/7 nationwide Roadside Rescue is **included free** with their Comprehensive Car Insurance policies. It covers the vehicle regardless of who is driving and includes towing, flat batteries, flat tyres, and lockout/taxi benefits. [AMI Insurance] * **AA Insurance** : Famous for roadside support, though note that their roadside assistance is tied to an AA Membership rather than automatically being a free component of every base policy. However, pairing their car insurance with an AA membership gives you direct access to the country's most prominent dedicated rescue fleet. [AA Insurance] * **State Insurance & NZI**: Like AMI, these major insurers offer roadside assistance options (often powered through partnerships with dispatchers like First Rescue) that can be added to your policy or bundled in to make sure you have a 24/7 number to call when stranded. [Canstar NZ] * **Tower Insurance** : Offers straightforward add-on roadside assistance that you can attach to your standard motor vehicle policies for 24/7 breakdown, towing, and flat battery help. [Canstar NZ] * **Bank-branded insurers (e.g., ASB, BNZ, Westpac, ANZ)** : If you prefer banking and insuring in one place, most of their car insurance policies (underwritten by major partners) allow you to opt-in or add a 24/7 roadside rescue package for a small annual fee or bundled cost. [Canstar NZ] * If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know: * Is your car **older or recently purchased**? * Do you already have a **membership with the AA** or a specific bank? I can help you figure out whether it's cheaper to bundle with an insurer or get standalone cover.