RAA Roadside Assistance WARNING. You May Not Be Covered for What You Think You Are Covered for

tunzafun001 on 18/05/2016 - 10:55

How many customers realise that the 100km or 200km towing allowance (depending on your level of cover) in the country is counted as a round trip from the RAA designated depot? Not the distance from where you break down.

For example,
If you break down 51km from a RAA determined agent and you have 100km cover, then effectively you have no towing allowance (as it is more than 100km round trip).

Even if an RAA agent exists within a 50km radius, you may not be able to use them as they are zoned, or predetermined by the RAA "sytem" and will not be sent to assist you with towing.

I found out the hard way and was only offered 20km of towing towards a repair centre 40km away!

Apparently it all comes down to the word 'designated RAA agent'. I thought there were designated RAA mechanics all over the state (in distinct from non RAA mechanics), and if I was within (in this case 39km of one), then I should be able to access them. But apparently the RAA believe that the word 'designated' is the same as 'predetermined by their computer system' and they will send the agent that the RAA wants to send, even if they cant help. Even after the agent who couldn't help said I would need to get to the town 39km away for the replacement part, the RAA still would not send their RAA agent from there because 'the system would not allow it'.

I ended up being stuck on the side of the road for 6 hrs, fabricating my own temporary repair and limped into the town 39km to get the proper repair.

I feel like I have been mislead, paying for cover over the years I never had. Not sure if there are any alternatives to the RAA, as I feel they have a monopoly on roadside assistance?

Automotive

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Comments

  • redvaldez on 18/05/2016 - 11:04

    RAA's Road Service Guide is available here - http://www.raa.com.au/documents/raa-road-service-guide

    Your comments in relation to the 'return' trip are interesting though - see the below excerpt from page 7:-

    Country
    For breakdowns outside of the Metropolitan area, free service and towing benefits will be calculated from the location of the designated RAA Country Service Depot.
    Road Service will be provided by the designated RAA Country Service Depot for that location.
    ‘Free’ service is limited to breakdown locations within the following distances from the designated RAA Country Service Depot:
    ¡ Premium: 200 km (400 km round trip).
    ¡ Plus: 100 km (200 km round trip).
    ¡ Standard: 40 km (80 km round trip).

    • tunzafun001 on 18/05/2016 - 11:20

      Just interested in your interpretation of the service guide. If there was a mechanic in a town 39km away designated as an RAA mechanic do you think I should be able to use them? (I'm an RAA Plus Member, no prior claims).

        • tunzafun001 on 18/05/2016 - 23:48

          I got total attitude and dismissal from the RAA, so I'm posting here and on the RAAs Facebook site for social media awareness. But I think they have a total monopoly on roadside service? Need a Uber Roadside!

  • StewBalls on 18/05/2016 - 11:20

    Wow, must be a SA thing…many years ago I broke down in country NSW & NRMA sent out a tow truck, I only had to pay the difference between my allowance & the actual distance, which was very reasonable IIRC.

    I can't believe RAA totally left you in the lurch, that's really poor, I can understand why you're pissed, in that case I would be too!!!

  • tunzafun001 on 18/05/2016 - 11:35

    They sent out an agent from the opposite direction that had no parts to assist me. He said you need to get to the agent in the town 39km away and offered to tow me there for $100. This through me as I thought I was covered, and I was lucky enough to have my wallet stolen on the weekend and had a grand total of $60 on me. So I was stuffed. Thankfully I have some automotive skills.

  • fruit on 18/05/2016 - 12:20

    100km or 200km towing allowance (depending on your level of cover) in the country is counted as a round trip from the RAA designated depot? Not the distance from where you break down.

    Sounds misleading to me

    • tunzafun001 on 18/05/2016 - 23:49

      I think so. Same as their use of designated depot.

  • MITM on 18/05/2016 - 12:27

    Sounds like the perfect ACA story.
    - Robbery Victim
    - Loyal and premium club member
    - Abandoned for 6 hours (duty of care)
    - Ultimately had better skills than the "service" man

    If ACA use you - ask for a donation to your favourite charity to make it all worthwhile to someone.
    Don't bother with RAA complaints department - as if they'd be interested being a computer driven organisation.
    They sound humanless.

    • tunzafun001 on 18/05/2016 - 23:57

      Haha, true story. But again, not much to gain as if you go anywhere else you are still ultimately paying the RAA (I think?) Possibly a class action for taking premiums under false or misleading pretense. The round trip part threw a few peole I know and the not sending an agent in range as it isn't allowable in their system is just ridiculous.

      • ntt on 19/05/2016 - 00:34

        I found the services in Australia almost terrible, especially whet it comes to automobile

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