As you prep your car for the winter, it’s time to think about your credit card for a very special perk. Add “roadside assistance” to the list that includes a plunger, first-aid kit and a screwdriver small enough to fix your sunglasses: “Things you don’t realize you need, until you need them.” But this credit card perk can feel like you won the lottery when you’re stranded on the highway during a good ol’ Canadian snowstorm or on a steaming hot long weekend on the road to cottage country.
Featured credit cards
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card
BMO CashBack World Elite MasterCard
CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card
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Best credit cards with roadside assistance
| Category | Roadside Assistance Credit Card |
| Best cash back card | TD Cash Back Visa Infinite |
| Best instant-approval card | Triangle World Elite Mastercard |
| Honourable mention | BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard |
Best cash back credit card for roadside assistance
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card
Annual fee: $139 (waived first year)
- 3% cash back on gas, grocery and recurring bill payments
- 1% on all other purchases
Welcome offer: Earn up to $500 in value, including 10% in cash back during the first three months (up to $350 in cash back). Conditions apply. Account must be approved by January 6, 2025.
Card details
| Interest rates | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers |
| Income required | Personal income of $60,000 or household income of $100,000 |
| Credit score | 680 or higher (recommended) |
- You might not expect a bank to offer roadside assistance with its credit card, but TD does through AXA Asistance. Its Deluxe Auto Club membership comes along with the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite credit card. Roadside assistance coverage is 24/7, and the service calls are unlimited (to personal use only, of course).
- The max towing distance is up to 200 kilometres to the nearest appropriate service centre. Also included are emergency tire changes, battery boost, lost key lockout assistance, emergency fuel delivery (five litres), and even stolen vehicle emergency services and claims (accommodations, transportation, personal necessities, etc.).
- Get up to $200 in meals and/or accommodation reimbursement when you’re stranded due to an auto incident. And, if you’re in need of legal advice for an automotive incident, in certain circumstances, you can receive up to $300 toward the fees you paid. Travel planning and emergency car rental reimbursement are also part of the package.
Best instant-approval credit card with free roadside assistance
Triangle World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee: $0
- 4% per $1 at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark’s/L’Équipeur, Atmosphere, Party City, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts and L’Entrepôt du Hockey
- 3% per $1 at grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Costco), up to $12,000 per year
- 1% per $1 everywhere else
Welcome offer: None
Card details
| Interest rates | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances (21.99% for Quebec residents), 22.99% on balance transfers |
| Income required | Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000 |
| Credit score | Not specified |
| Point value | 1% in Canadian Tire Money is worth $0.01 when redeemed at participating retailers. |
- The Triangle World Elite Mastercard includes a Roadside Assistance Gold Plan that is worth $115 (65 for a secondary member) annually. The program includes towing for distances up to 200 kilometres per service call, with a flatbed or specialty equipment, and unlimited tows to Canadian Tire locations. Plus you get battery boosts, flat-tire changes, lockout service, fuel delivery (up to $5 of gas) and, should you get stuck in a ditch, extrication and winching. You’ll also have 24/7 service .
- This package is perfect for frequent road-trippers and people with long commutes. Also, cardholders receive exclusive discounts and offers on oil changes, car washes, entertainment, shopping, travel, hotels, attractions and more
Honourable mention
BMO CashBack World Elite
Annual fee: $120
- 5% cash back on groceries
- 4% back on transit
- 3% back on gas and electric vehicle charging
- 2% on recurring bill payments
- 1% back on everything else
Welcome offer: earn up to 10% cash back in your first 3 months and the $120 annual fee waived in your first anniversary
Card details
| Interest rates | 20.99% on purchases, 23.99% on cash advances, 23.99% on balance transfers |
| Income required | Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000 |
| Credit score | 760 or higher |
- With the BMO CashBack World Elite credit card, you get basic coverage access to the roadside assistance program with Dominion Automobile Association (DAA) for free—it costs $99 annually on its own. Coverage is 24/7, and you get up to four service calls per year.
- The maximum distance for towing is 10 kilometres. The service includes emergency tire changes, winching, battery boost, lost key lockout assistance and emergency fuel delivery. Coverage is free for additional cardholders.
Is roadside assistance worth it?
You likely know credit cards can earn you travel points or cash back, but roadside assistance is an underrated perk. It’s worth looking at when when considering which credit card you want in your wallet. Roadside assistance could cost $75 or more a year, if you pay directly for a membership from Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) or another provider. Depending on where you live, the price of a tow can vary, but without a membership plan, some Canadians have been gouged $4,000 in fees for a single tow. When you have roadside assistance built in as a perk on your credit card, you can get emergency towing, gasoline delivery when you’ve stuck, your dead battery revived, your flat tires fixed, access to your car when you’ve locked the keys inside, and much more. The value of those emergency services makes the annual fee on the credit card worth paying, plus some cards waive that cost the first year, so it’s a win-win for this kind of perk.
