Best Road Side Assistance Credit Cards in Canada For 2024
Kevin Shahnazari
Author5 min read
Have you ever been on the road, suddenly your car breaks down, and you get stressed out because of the situation?
This has happened to me! I was on my way from Vancouver to Kelowna, and there were no gas stations for a very long part of the road, and without knowing that, I ran out of gas!
After going through all the stress of handling that situation, I decided to get a Credit Card out of Canadian credit cards with roadside assistance. Having the roadside assistance benefit gave me the peace of mind that if something similar happens, help is just a phone call away!
In this guide, I'm going to share what I have found, and we'll explore Credit Cards With Roadside Assistance Canada and help you choose the best one for your needs.
What is Roadside Assistance?
Roadside assistance programs connect drivers with emergency services like towing, fuel delivery, and lockout assistance, ensuring you're never stranded in a time of need.
Many people get roadside assistance through auto manufacturers, associations, or financial institutions, but another way to save money on it is to get a credit card that comes with Roadside Assistance.
Credit cards with roadside assistance partner with garages, mechanics, or service providers to offer timely and reliable roadside assistance services. These credit cards typically offer 4-6 emergency calls yearly and cover necessary services to get you the help you need!
And the four calls should be more than enough to cover you unless you get into too many accidents each year!
What are the Best Credit Cards with Roadside Assistance Canada?
To be honest because roadside assistance is such a great benefit and also costly benefit to provide for the credit card issuers, this is very rare benefit within credit cards.
There are only three credit cards in Canada that provide this benefit. And only one out of the three is Free!
1. Free Roadside Assistance Credit Card
The good news is that there is at least one Free roadside assistance credit card called Triangle World Elite Mastercard.
The bad news?
Qualifying for this card is difficult. You need an EXCELLENT credit score, and either you must make over $80K, or your household must make over $150K a year. And there have been some cases that people with these qualifications have been rejected.
Triangle World Elite Mastercard
3.5
Finly Rating
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
21.99% / 22.99%
Why we like it
Why we like it
This card is the only one with no annual fee that provides a roadside assistance benefit, which can be a lifesaver for people who travel on the road a lot. The main reason to apply for this card is to have free access to this benefit, given that the rewards are not great in most categories (except for Canadian Tire and grocery purchases).
Pros & Cons
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The only credit card in Canada that offers the highly valuable benefit of roadside assistance!
Cons
- This card has a very low acceptance rate based on prior user applications.
It's not a great option to have as your primary credit card, either in terms of rewards or benefits. However, it's a good card to complement your other credit cards.
Product Details
Product Details
Rewards
- 4% back in CanadianTire dollars on almost everything at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark’s, L’Équipeur, Party City, Pro Hockey Life, Atmosphere, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, L’Entrepôt du Hockey, and participating Sports Experts stores
- 3% back in CanadianTire dollars on Groceries (Max 360) Except Costco and Walmart
- 1% back in CanadianTire on all other purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
Up to 90 days.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
31 days
Benefits
Details
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Gas Discount
Save 7¢/L on premium fuel and 5¢/L on all other fuel types at Gas+ and Petro-Canada locations on gas.svg)
Concierge Services
Roadside Assistance
Roadside Assistance Gold Plan: With the Triangle World Elite Mastercard Roadside Assistance Gold Plan, you get towing distance of up to 250 km per service call to the destination of your choice (within Canada or the US)
Eligibility
Credit Score
ExcellentAnnual Income
$80,000 personal or $150,000 household
If you have these requirements, you can apply and see if you are accepted. The Free roadside assistance credit card (Triangle World Elite) comes with an additional Car Rental Collision/Loss and Damage insurance which is also nice because most free Credit cards don't have that.
Regarding cashback, this card is very average and is best used in Canadian Tire-related stores, and we don't recommend making it your main credit card, which you make all your daily purchases with.
Not let's dive into the paid cards with Annual fees that offer roadside assistance.
2. Paid Credit Cards With Roadside Assistance Canada
BMO Cash Back World Elite Mastercard:
With a waived annual fee for the first year, this card provides access to the BMO Roadside Assistance Program, covering services like battery boosts, emergency fuel delivery, and towing.
BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
4.2
Finly Rating
Welcome Bonus
Up to $200
Annual Fee
$120
Interest Rates
20.99% / 23.99%
Why we like it
Why we like it
If you're seeking a cashback credit card, the BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard® stands out for its excellent balance between rewards and benefits. It offers a robust rewards program and a comprehensive benefits list, making it a solid choice. The high first-year value is enhanced by the annual fee waiver, and those with a BMO Premium Chequing Account can enjoy continued fee waivers. While it's highly ranked for rewards alone, it may not be the absolute top choice if benefits are less important to you.
Pros & Cons
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Offers one of the highest cashbacks on groceries and gas, two of the most frequently spent categories, compared to other credit cards in Canada.
- Includes roadside assistance, a rare but valuable benefit for people on the road.
- Provides a comprehensive list of insurance coverage and benefits.
- High first-year value.
Cons
- Does not include restaurant purchases as a reward category, which is one of the most important spending categories.
Product Details
Product Details
Rewards
- 5% cashback on groceries (maximum $25 per statement)
- 4% cashback on daily transit (maximum $12 per statement)
- 3% cashback on gas (maximum $9 per statement)
- 2% cashback on recurring payments (maximum $10 per statement)
- 1% cashback on all other credit card purchases.
Insurance
Coverage
Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M up to 8 days per covered person
Travel Accident
$500,000
Flight Delay
$500 After 4 hours delay
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1000 maximumBaggage Delay
$500/person, $1000 maximum After 6 hours
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000Car Rental Damage & Theft
$65,000 up to 48 daysPurchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Pass only, complimentary visits not includedRoadside Assistance
Includes free battery boosts, flat-tire change, lockout service and towing
Car Rental Discount
25% off base rate of participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a CarGas Discount
Get up to seven cents off per litre on Shell® fuel
Hotel Booking Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookings
Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot
Eligibility
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
$80,000 personal or $150,000 household
The best thing about this card is that it actually has excellent reward rates and is generally regarded as one of the best cards in Canada, especially if you buy a lot of groceries, so a very solid choice just for the reward rates alone and an excellent card with the added benefits.
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card:
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card
3.3
Finly Rating
Welcome Bonus
Up to $245
Annual Fee
$139
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%
Why we like it
Why we like it
We actually don't recommend this card much. For an annual fee, the rewards earned are very mediocre, and the benefit coverage leaves much to be desired. The only notable benefit is the roadside assistance, which can be covered by an alternative, better credit card.
Pros & Cons
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The roadside assistance benefit is nice.
Cons
- Rewards have a low base reward rate for purchases in non-categorized categories and don't include restaurant purchases, which is a very important reward category.
- The travel insurance coverage is very basic for a card that has an annual fee.
Product Details
Product Details
Rewards
- 3% cashback groceries, gas (maximum $450 annually)
- 3% cashback on recurring payments (maximum $450 annually)
- 1% cashback on all other credit card purchases.
Insurance
Coverage
Emergency Out of province Medical
$2M, 10 daysEmergency Medical Over 65
$2M, 4 daysLost or Stolen Baggage
$1000Baggage Delay
$1000Car Rental Damage & Theft
Included
Mobile Device Insurance
$1000Purchase Protection
90 daysExtended Warranty
1 year
Benefits
Details
Extra points
Earn 50% more Stars at participating Starbucks storesConcierge Services
Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits
Roadside Assistance
Free Deluxe TD Auto Club membership (24 hour emergency Road services)Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car- Troon Rewards Golf benefits like discounts at over 95 resorts and courses around the world plus access to select private clubs across the U.S
Eligibility
Credit Score
Very GoodAnnual Income
$60,000 personal or $100,000 household
This card provides access to Visa Infinite services and includes roadside assistance. With an average cashback system, it's a very typical (Not great!) choice to go for.
BMO Cash Back World Elite vs TD Cash Back Visa Infinite:
First, BMO is from the Mastercard network, which allows you to use it at Costco and counts Walmart as a grocery store for reward calculations. In contrast, you can't use Visa at Costco, and Visa does not give you a grocery reward rate at Walmart because it counts Walmart as a department store.
Secondly, BMO reward rates are generally higher. Finally, the BMO credit card insurance coverage is very comprehensive, while the TD card's coverage is very basic.
So, in most cases, we recommend the BMO credit card over the TD card.
How do Roadside Assistance Services Work?
Credit cards that offer roadside assistance work by partnering with companies like Dominion Automobile Association (DAA) or Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance (CTRA) to provide roadside services to their cardholders. These service providers have garages across Canada and are available 24/7. Services offered include towing, lockout assistance, emergency fuel delivery, flat tire changes, battery boosts, and extrication and winching services.
It's essential to familiarize yourself with the specifics of the roadside assistance coverage offered by your credit card. While most programs cover services like towing, battery boosts, and fuel delivery, there may be certain limitations or exclusions to be aware of. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of your credit card's roadside assistance program to understand the extent of the coverage fully.
Conclusion
For Best credit cards with roadside assistance Canada there a very limited options. If you are looking for a free credit card there is only the Triangle World Elite Mastercard but it requires an Excellent Credit score and a high income. The rewards are not great so you can mainly use get it for the benefit of road side assistance.
If you don't have the qualifications for the Triangle World Elite Mastercard or want a card with better benefits, you can go with other Canadian credit cards with roadside assistance like the BMO Cash Back World Elite Mastercard. There is also the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card which we don't recommend because, in many ways, it is inferior compared to the BMO Cash Back World Elite.