Frequently asked questions about RAA car insurance
What’s covered under an RAA policy?
It’s important to have a good idea of what’s covered by your policy so that you can make successful claims. Here are some of the main things covered by your RAA comprehensive policy:
- Roadside assistance
- A new car if yours is written off
- Personal property cover
- Emergency repairs without assessment (up to a certain amount)
- Towing costs
- Travel and accommodation costs in an emergency
- Replacement car after theft
- Accidental death for the driver
Remember that modifications, the cost of a rental car after an accident and rental car liability are all things you can add to your cover as an optional extra.
What isn’t covered?
Even a comprehensive car insurance policy doesn’t cover everything - your policy is mainly designed to cover you for accidents and vandalism, not breakdowns or natural depreciation. Here are some of the exclusions from your RAA policy that you should keep in mind:
- Mechanical breakdown
- Normal wear and tear or aging
- If you’re using your car to make money (eg. as an Uber driver, or delivery driver)
- Your tyres being cut or bursting
- If your car is unsafe or unroadworthy at the time of an accident
Can I choose what excess I pay?
Absolutely. Most car insurance policies come with the choice of paying high or low excess and RAA is no different. Might sound like a no brainer, but here’s the catch - if you choose to pay low excess, you’ll pay a higher premium upfront. And if you want to lower your premium, you can do so by opting for a higher excess.
You’ll need to decide what’s better for your budget.
What discounts are available?
Discounts can really help to keep your car insurance costs low - so make sure you know which ones you’re eligible for. RAA discounts you might be able to snag include:
- No claims discount
- Multi-policy discount (when you have 3 or more policies)
- Loyalty discount (if you hold the policy for more than 5 years)
- A discount if you have an aftermarket alarm or engine immobiliser installed
- Seniors discount
How is my premium calculated?
Generally speaking, car insurance premiums are calculated depending on your risk factor - the more likely you are to need to make a claim, the higher your premium will be. But how does RAA work out how risky you are? Well, a heap of factors go into the decision, including:
- your driving history
- age
- the type of car
- where you live
- where the car is kept
- what you use your car for
How is RAA car insurance rated by customers?
We figure RAA must be doing something right by its customers - after all, it did win a Mozo 2016 People’s Choice Award for its car insurance policies. Want to find out why? You can read all about it in our customer review section.
How to make a claim
If you need emergency assistance, you should contact RAA over the phone. If you’ve had an accident but it’s not an emergency, you can get in contact either over the phone or online for most claims.
When you make the claim, it will be faster and easier if you have a few things ready, including:
- Your car registration details
- Details and contact information of any other people involved
- Contact details of any witnesses
- The police report number if there is one
