RACV Total Care

[Woolly]

Not sure if other RACV members are aware of this.
Until recently, Total Care covered you for roadside assistance, towing etc, for any car you were driving, which was handy because we have one “sensible” car and three others on club plates. I happened to look at our account today and noticed that under covered vehicles they had listed just one of the club registered cars. Further checking revealed you now have to list the cars you want covered, and more than three incurs an extra cost.
I may have missed some notification about this, but it was a bit of a surprise that could have caught us out if we were in the wrong car.
Just shows you need to keep your eyes open and not take anything for granted.
Cheers,
Woolly.

[gromit]

Not sure if other RACV members are aware of this.
Until recently, Total Care covered you for roadside assistance, towing etc, for any car you were driving, which was handy because we have one “sensible” car and three others on club plates. I happened to look at our account today and noticed that under covered vehicles they had listed just one of the club registered cars. Further checking revealed you now have to list the cars you want covered, and more than three incurs an extra cost.
I may have missed some notification about this, but it was a bit of a surprise that could have caught us out if we were in the wrong car.
Just shows you need to keep your eyes open and not take anything for granted.
Cheers,
Woolly.

Total Care used to cover you in any eligible vehicle plus you could have one nominated vehicle.
Typically you nominated the wife's car as you're covered in yours or anything you're driving.

Their website now states up to 5 cars owned by you or anyone nominated. You can nominate up to 6 family or friends to be covered in the 5 vehicles you so you could cover the wife and a few of the kids.

I have three Classic insurance policies with them and these vehicles were covered under the insurance policy.

***Just found that their Classic Insurance includes Extra Care cover not Total Care cover.

Seems some more investigation needed.....

Colin

[Fattima]

Thanks I'll check that out. I used Total Care about four months back when my partners care broke down (bad batch of diesel), it was not the listed car.

[Tins]

Hmm. A couple of years ago I was travelling with my son in his car back from SA. It broke ( Patrol). RACV towed it home on my policy. No questions. I'll have to check also, as that could be a nasty surprise. The tow would have been $thousands. The contractor talked them into exceeding the max distance for the tow.

[gromit]

Hmm. A couple of years ago I was travelling with my son in his car back from SA. It broke ( Patrol). RACV towed it home on my policy. No questions. I'll have to check also, as that could be a nasty surprise. The tow would have been $thousands. The contractor talked them into exceeding the max distance for the tow.

They dropped to 100Km max on Total Care some years back. It does state "or to the nearest RACV Service Centre" if your in a Regional Area but metro 100Km in any direction.

Its funny how these type of policies slowly get watered down.

Colin

[Roverlord off road spares]

Not sure if other RACV members are aware of this.
Until recently, Total Care covered you for roadside assistance, towing etc, for any car you were driving, which was handy because we have one “sensible” car and three others on club plates. I happened to look at our account today and noticed that under covered vehicles they had listed just one of the club registered cars. Further checking revealed you now have to list the cars you want covered, and more than three incurs an extra cost.
I may have missed some notification about this, but it was a bit of a surprise that could have caught us out if we were in the wrong car.
Just shows you need to keep your eyes open and not take anything for granted.
Cheers,
Woolly.

Hi Woolly yes I did know that which is great, I have mine also my son car that lives in Japan, as I use it to keep it running for when he comes home for a visit he has a car to run around in. I use RACV today my Ford Mondeo when my car broke down while I was in the middle lane at a set of light. They got a tow truck to me with in 6 to 8 mins. And tomorrow it will get towed to the mechanic.

[350RRC]

They dropped to 100Km max on Total Care some years back. It does state "or to the nearest RACV Service Centre" if your in a Regional Area but metro 100Km in any direction.

Its funny how these type of policies slowly get watered down.

Colin

They'll take you 100km in any direction metro or regional. RACV service centre is an option in either case.

[Tins]

They dropped to 100Km max on Total Care some years back. It does state "or to the nearest RACV Service Centre" if your in a Regional Area but metro 100Km in any direction.

Its funny how these type of policies slowly get watered down.

Colin

In our case we were on the GOR, between Princetown and Yuulong. It was dark when he got to us. The car needed to go to Lara. Contractor told the RA that he couldn't just dump us, and the trailer ( forgot about that, dog too )50 km from home. He also told them the car wouldn't be a simple fix. ( HG ). I guess he'd done it before. He'd come from Timboon to pick us up.

Maybe we were lucky that night. I guess it depends on who comes. He was a local towie with the RA contract for the area. I think he would have taken us to Lara anyway. If it had been to my place in Sassafras it would probably have been different.

[Roverlord off road spares]

My car was towed to home yesterday, and when I rang this morning to get it to the repair place, that was included in yesterdays job. So that job was still open under the 100k. But if I break down again after the repair next day or when ever, it is a new job of 100ks. That what's the lady told me from RACV today.

[Woolly]

I rang RACV today to cancel my wife's cover as she is no longer driving and asked a few questions about Total Care. The requirement to nominate vehicles was introduced earlier this year, apparently, but you can list up to 15 club plated vehicles for free, which seems extremely generous. They said they pay for the first 100km of towing, after that I assume you negotiate with the towie.
It has certainly changed since the early 2000's when we got towed out of the Bungle Bungles to Halls Creek with a couple of nights accommodation and a loan car while the local garage , a Toyota agent, sourced a Land Rover wheel bearing and fitted it.
I guess the only thing that is really constant is change, and it's not always for the better.
Cheers, Woolly.

[POD]

I'll have to check the details of our cover, we've always had the membership in my wife's name- she had it before we met- and the nominated vehicle as mine; that way she's covered whatever she is driving and my car is covered regardless of whether she's with it or not.
We upgraded our cover to 'total care' prior to a trip about 10 years ago, cost $15 pro-rata as there were only a couple of months remaining. Starter motor died in Alice Springs and we got a tow plus a hire car for the weekend- $15 well spent!

[Woolly]

Hi Pod,
Definitely check it out. I think you will need to nominate both your wife's and your cars (and any others you have), and also nominate your wife and your self as drivers, plus any kids or anyone else that drives your cars often. With modern cars full of electronics, it would be a brave and foolhardy husband who said he didn't need it, he could fix anything himself.
Cheers,
Woolly.

[350RRC]

The info about what total care covers is readily available if you goog it and download the pdf which covers all RACV's emergency roadside assistance packages.

The reality is somewhat different from what people think............. in a good way.

Yes, you have to nominate one vehicle, but cover is not limited to that vehicle with total care.

DL

[Tins]

It’s pretty good. Here. (https://www.racv.com.au/cars-transport/roadside-assistance/total-care.html)

[350RRC]

It’s pretty good. Here. (https://www.racv.com.au/cars-transport/roadside-assistance/total-care.html)

Thanks John.

I renewed my Total Care cover in Feb this year and the terms changed in March.

I'm still covered driving any vehicle till renewal next year then I need to nominate both the RRC and ute.........no probs.

The terms and conditions in the link you provided apply from March 2025.

DL