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RAC Car Insurance

RAC is one of WA’s leading car insurers, offering WA residents a range of car insurance options. Read our review to learn more about its products!  

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, updated on February 16th, 2024       

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The Royal Automobile Club of WA (RAC) is a purpose-led member organisation founded in 1905 that provides a number of products and services to Western Australians, including car insurance. With more than 1 million members, it is one of the state’s most trusted organisations and has won numerous awards for its car insurance services.

In this review, we take a look at RAC’s car insurance products so you can understand your options. Find out what is and isn’t covered and the optional extras you can add today!

Disclaimer: all coverage offered by RAC is subject to the terms and conditions of your policy. Limits and exclusions apply. Please refer to your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or contact RAC if you’re unsure about what is and isn’t covered.

Please note that Savvy does not represent RAC for its car insurance products. All listed policies, inclusions and limits are correct as of June 2023.

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What car insurance policies are available through RAC?

RAC offers the following types of car insurance to Australian drivers:

Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive car insurance offers the most extensive level of coverage. RAC’s Comprehensive Car Insurance has the following inclusions:

  • Coverage for accidental loss/damage, malicious damage, fire and theft, attempted theft, and damage by an uninsured vehicle
  • Open driver cover allowing other licensed drivers to use your car with your permission
  • Temporary cover for new cars, insuring your newly purchased car from the delivery date if you inform RAC within 14 days
  • Agreed value coverage
  • Hire car provision after fire, theft or attempted theft, including payment for standard daily hire fees
  • Towing service for damaged cars, covering the reasonable cost of towing to an approved repairer or safe location
  • Coverage for repair or replacement of your trailer, up to $2,000, if stolen or damaged while in your possession or attached to your car
  • Windscreen or window glass repairs with no excess (a $100 excess applies for replacements, with no impact on your no-claims bonus)
  • Coverage for lost or stolen keys, including replacement of locks up to the value of $2,000
  • Coverage for stolen, damaged or lost personal belongings in a car incident covered by your policy, up to $500 in value
  • Replacement of child car seat with a new one of similar standard, even without apparent damage, if your car is involved in a collision
  • New car replacement for cars less than two years old and owned by the first registered owner if they are written off
  • No-claim bonus discount, offering a policy discount for each claim-free year, with the option to protect the no claim bonus once reaching the maximum discount
  • Accidental death benefit of $15,000 to the deceased driver’s estate if their death results from an incident involving the insured car within 12 months
  • Coverage for emergency accommodation (more than 100 km from home), essential temporary repairs and completion of your journey
Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance

This level of coverage is not as extensive as comprehensive insurance and does not cover accidental damage to your vehicle, but does protect against damage sustained due to theft and fire, as well as damage to other vehicles and property. RAC’s Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance offers the following inclusions:

  • Coverage against fire and theft, attempted theft, and damage by an uninsured vehicle (up to $5,000)
  • Your legal liability is protected in accidents involving your car, trailer or caravan, with a maximum coverage of $25 million
  • Open driver cover allows other licensed drivers to use your car with your permission
  • When purchasing a new car while already insured with RAC, you can get temporary cover from the delivery date if RAC is notified within 14 days of purchase
  • Choose the agreed value of your car, which can be adjusted higher or lower than market value
  • Hire car provided and paid for in the event of fire, theft or attempted theft
  • The reasonable cost of towing to an approved repairer or a safe location if your car is damaged and deemed unsafe to drive
Third Party Insurance

The most basic form of optional car insurance in Australia, RAC’s Third Party Insurance is designed to cover damage caused by your vehicle to other people’s property, but not damage to your own vehicle. This policy offers the following inclusions:

  • Damage caused by an uninsured vehicle, up to $5,000
  • Accidental incidents involving your car, trailer or caravan, with a maximum coverage of $25 million
  • Open driver cover allows other licensed drivers to use your car with permission
  • Lifetime guarantee on repairs
  • Temporary cover for new cars if your existing car is insured with RAC and you notify RAC within 14 days of purchase

Are there any optional extras available through RAC?

Yes – RAC’s Comprehensive Car Insurance offers the following optional extras:

  • Hire car after an accident until your car is fixed or the claim is settled
  • Safeguard your maximum no-claim bonus by paying an additional fee

What are some of the pros and cons of buying car insurance through RAC?

  • Covers trailer damage: if your trailer is damaged or stolen when in your possession or attached to your vehicle, RAC will pay for repairs or replacement.
  • Agreed value cover: under RAC’s comprehensive and TPFT policies, you can insure your car for an agreed value so you know exactly how much you will get if your car is written off.
  • Choice of repairer: RAC gives policyholders the option to nominate a repairer of their choice if their vehicle requires repairs.
  • Open driver cover: any licensed driver can use your car with your permission (age/inexperienced driver excess may apply). 
  • Only available in Western Australia: as a state-specific organisation, only drivers living in Western Australia can take out car insurance with RAC.
  • Hire car after accident only an optional extra: if you are in an accident, a hire car will only be provided if you have added this as an optional extra on your policy.

Common questions about RAC car insurance

Is RAC car insurance available Australia-wide?

No – RAC provides car insurance only for residents of Western Australia, so if you live elsewhere in Australia you will be unable to take out a policy. However, if you are a Western Australia resident travelling to other parts of Australia, you will be covered by your RAC car insurance for interstate travel.

Does RAC offer CTP insurance?

No – in Western Australia, Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance is provided by the Insurance Commission of Western Australia and is paid at the same time you register your car. There is no choice of provider in WA for this type of insurance.

Does RAC provide roadside assistance?

Yes – RAC offers a separate roadside assistance service that can be purchased independently of your car insurance. RAC offers four levels of roadside assistance that cover you Australia-wide: Standard, Classic, Ultimate and Ultimate Plus.

Can I get any discounts on my car insurance with RAC?

Yes – RAC has a number of ways to save on car insurance costs:

  • If you buy comprehensive insurance online, you can save up to $100 in the first year of the policy, and up to $30 for third party fire and theft and third party cover.
  • If you buy comprehensive cover and have a low emissions car, you could save up to 25% on your policy.
  • If you are an RAC member, you can save up to 10% on your comprehensive car insurance.

 

You can also save money by maintaining your no-claim bonus or increasing your excess to reduce your premium.

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Savvy (ABN 78 660 493 194, ACR 541 339) provides readers with a variety of car insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from our partnered insurers each time a customer buys a car insurance policy via our website. All purchases are conducted via our partners’ websites. The integrity of our comparison service is unaffected by our partnerships with those businesses and our effort remains to bring further brands that do not already use our comparison service onboard.

Savvy’s comparison service includes selected products from a panel of trusted insurers and does not compare all products in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy. We always recommend readers to consult the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of different policies before purchasing your car insurance.

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