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Quickly compare a range of comprehensive car insurance policies with our comparison tool, helping you easily filter and sort products.

Group Manager, Research & Ratings
Group Executive, Financial Services
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The initial results in the table above are sorted by Star Rating (High-Low) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

Canstar is Australia’s biggest financial comparison site*,
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Expert research

Our team of car insurance research experts crunch the numbers to rate car insurance based on value (price as well as features) to help you compare. Read the car insurance methodology.

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We rate and review car insurance policies from more than 50 brands which means you can compare and find car insurance products from both large and challenger brands, established and new.

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Our car insurance comparison tool allows you to filter your search results so it’s easy to find the right product for you. What’s more, you can click straight through to many of our online insurers, making it easy to apply instantly.

Car insurance guides and resources

Canstar’s car insurance guides can help steer you in the right direction when it comes to finding the cover you need on the road.

View all Car Insurance FAQs

What is car insurance?

Car insurance in Australia gives drivers some protection from financial loss if their car is involved in an accident, is stolen, is damaged in a weather event or another risk included on your policy. If your car is damaged or written off, or you damage someone else’s vehicle in an accident, the cost to you could be significant, and a car insurance policy is designed to cover the majority of that cost.

Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of car insurance coverage in Australia. It provides a level of financial cover for damage to other people’s cars and property in an accident, damage to your own vehicle caused by fire or theft, and accidental damage to your own vehicle, regardless of who caused the damage. It may also provide additional types of cover, such as damage to your car from storms or vandalism, depending on the insurer and policy you choose.

A comprehensive car insurance policy may also let you choose between market value and agreed value for your policy, meaning you could get a say in how much you’ll be paid in the event that your car is stolen or written off, depending on the policy. However, your choice may affect your premiums.

Note that comprehensive car insurance does not cover you for injury or death caused to other people in an accident – that’s where compulsory third party (CTP) insurance comes in.

Finding the car insurance policy that’s right for you could depend in part on what you can comfortably afford, so it may be worth considering the type of cover that suits your needs and your budget. For example, would you prefer the high level cover generally offered by a comprehensive policy, or would a lower level of cover be enough?

If you decide that comprehensive cover is right for you, you can start your search by comparing car insurance policies with Canstar or viewing our latest Car Insurance Star Ratings Report before getting a quote online.

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What does car insurance cover?

Car insurance covers policyholders for damage caused or costs incurred by unforeseen accidents or events involving the car they insure. The exact risks that are covered will depend on the level of cover that you have. For example, third party cover generally only covers costs if you damage someone else’s property in an accident, whereas comprehensive car insurance provides protection for a more extensive range of risks. Depending on the insurer and policy you choose, comprehensive car insurance could cover:

  • Accidental damage
  • Theft/vandalism
  • Storm/flood
  • Fire damage
  • Earthquake
  • Towing costs
  • Transport from an accident
  • Hire car costs following theft
  • Hire car costs following a no-fault accident

Types of car insurance available in Australia

There are four main types of car insurance available in Australia: compulsory third party (CTP), third party property damage, third party fire and theft, and comprehensive.

What is comprehensive car insurance?

Comprehensive car insurance policies have the highest level of policy coverage available in Australia and covers drivers for a range of risks, whether it’s the cost of damage you have caused to someone else’s vehicle in an accident, or damage or loss of your own vehicle due to an insured event.

Other forms of cover generally only cover drivers for damage they cause to other people’s property, or damage or loss of their own vehicle in limited circumstances (usually fire and theft). Comprehensive cover generally extends to other risks on top of these, such as damage caused to your own car by extreme weather or in an accident.

In addition, a comprehensive policy may cover you for some of the other costs associated with an accident or other insured event. For example, depending on the policy, it may cover the cost of a replacement vehicle like a hire car while yours is being repaired or replaced, or some insurers may let you purchase this as an optional extra.

What is third party, fire and theft insurance?

Third party, fire and theft insurance is a policy that covers damage to the property of others, and some limited cover for your own vehicle if it is damaged or lost because of fire or theft. It generally does not cover damage to your own car caused by a car accident.

What is third party property insurance?

Third party property insurance is a policy that covers the cost of repairing damage caused by your vehicle to other people’s property, such as their car. It generally also covers your legal costs if they sue you over that damage. It does not cover damage to your own car, however.

What is compulsory third party (CTP) car insurance?

Compulsory third party (CTP) car insurance is a type of policy that covers you if you injure or kill someone in a motor vehicle accident. The specific conditions on this type of cover are different from state to state, but no matter where in Australia you are, it is compulsory to hold CTP in order to register your vehicle.

What is excess in car insurance?

An excess is an amount of money you pay your insurer towards the cost of your claim. Different excesses might apply to different types of claims, so you should check your policy for details. You may be able to pay a lower premium if you agree to a higher excess, but you need to be sure that you could afford to pay the excess unexpectedly in an emergency.

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How do I compare car insurance quotes online?

Canstar’s Star Ratings are one factor you could use to help you compare comprehensive car insurance policies before getting a quote online. Our Ratings use a sophisticated and unique methodology that compares both price and features across products on our database. You can compare policies based on their Star Ratings using our comparison tables.

In addition, these are some of the other factors you may want to take into account when comparing car insurance policies:

  • The premiums being charged
  • The level of cover you are getting
  • Whether the risks most relevant to you are covered by the policy (e.g. if your area is prone to flooding, you may want a car insurance policy that covers this)
  • The level of service the insurer offers (e.g. its claims service)
  • Whether the insurer allows you to pay monthly at no extra cost
  • Any discounts offered by the insurer
  • Are there any additional inclusions, either complimentary or at at any extra cost (e.g. roadside assistance)

What’s the best car insurance for me?

The best car insurance policy for you will depend on your circumstances and the level of cover you are looking for. In assessing policies, you may like to ask yourself questions such as:

  • Are you looking to keep premium costs down or are you willing to pay more for a higher degree of cover?
  • How often do you think you’ll need to claim on the policy? Opting for a higher car insurance excess could save you some money on premiums, in exchange for leaving you with higher out-of-pocket costs should you have to make a claim.
  • How often do you drive your car? If you rely heavily on your car, you might want to prioritise a higher level of cover so you won’t be off the road for too long if your car is damaged.
  • Are there any particular risks that you want cover for? For example, is your area prone to flooding or car thefts?
  • Would it be better for your budget to pay your premiums monthly or annually, and would you be prepared to pay more overall for the convenience of monthly payments?
  • If you are looking for comprehensive cover, how have Canstar’s expert researchers rated the policies you are considering? This can give you an idea of which policies offer the best value for money overall, based on the factors considered.

Looking for the cheapest car insurance?

When you’re shopping around for cover, you may simply want to find the cheapest car insurance policy. It can be important to also keep in mind the level of protection you’re getting for your money. For example, with optional forms of cover, third party property may be the cheapest car insurance in most situations, but it won’t cover you if your car is damaged in an accident or stolen.

Even if you decide on a higher level of cover, like comprehensive, there may be ways to keep the cost down. Some insurers offer discounts if you pay your premium annually or take out the policy online as opposed to over the phone, or you could opt to pay a higher excess if you need to make a claim. It can also help to shop around and compare quotes online from a number of insurers. These techniques may help you get value for your money, while still getting a higher level of cover than the cheapest car insurance might offer.

How to save on car insurance?

If you’re looking to cut living expenses, now could be a good time to compare car insurance policies. If you’ve been with the same provider for a while, it’s possible you could save money or find cover that better suits your needs with a different policy.

 

About our car insurance experts


Steve Mickenbecker, Group Executive, Financial Services & Chief Commentator

Steve MickenbeckerBachelor of Economics, University of Queensland; Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Melbourne

Steve Mickenbecker is Canstar’s Group Executive, Financial Services & Chief Commentator, and sits on Canstar’s executive. As Canstar’s resident expert on car insurance, Steve’s insights on car insurance have been featured on leading evening TV news programs including Seven News, Nine News (9News), Sunrise, Today Show, Today Tonight, A Current Affair, and by some of Australia’s best-known media outlets and publishers, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The New Daily, Drive, the Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph and Domain.   

Steve has more than 40 years of experience working in the financial services industry, holding senior positions at NAB and one of Australia’s largest insurers, Suncorp. Steve joined Canstar in 2007, with his earlier responsibilities including managing operations and developing the future strategy for the business, as well as leading the ratings, PR and editorial teams. 

As a member of Canstar’s Star Ratings Committee, Steve plays a central role in shaping our Car Insurance Star Ratings methodology and strategy, which in turn empowers Australian consumers to compare their options with confidence. This role has seen him work closely with the car insurance industry to stay close to the changing needs of consumers for the past 10 years. Steve regularly speaks at leading finance conferences, and presented on the topic of innovation in the General Insurance industry at the RFi Mortgage Innovation Summit in 2020 and RFi Annual Insurance Workshop. 


Josh Sale, Car Insurance Ratings Manager

Joshua Sale, Ratings Manager

As Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Car Insurance Star Ratings and Awards. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last three years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right car insurance policy for them.

Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their car insurance, always reminding people who are considering purchasing car insurance of how competitive pricing can be between providers. Josh also developed and launched Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customer Awards for Car Insurance in 2019, which reveal how content customers are with their car insurance provider. These Awards are designed to complement Canstar’s Car Insurance Star Ratings and Awards, which are determined by Canstar’s expert researchers. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine on finance trends.

You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.

Car insurance tips from our experts

Effie Zahos, Canstar Ambassador & Money Expert Investsmart

Does paying your bills monthly cost you more?

Australians are often told that bill smoothing or paying monthly rather than annually can help you manage your cash flow. The trouble is when it comes to insurance there can be a cost to this convenience.

The good news is that 57% of the insurers on Canstar’s database offer a pay monthly option at no extra cost to you. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean they would be the cheapest but rather it’s a good reminder to do your research and shop around.

Agreed vs market value

Understanding the difference between agreed value and market value can be one way to lower your premium. With used car prices continuing to decline from their all-time highs hit during COVID now may be a good time to check what the value of your car is and then adjust your insurance.

Latest in car insurance

Recent Award Winners

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Please note that these are a general explanation of the meaning of terms used in relation to this topic. Your provider may use different wording and you should read the terms and conditions of your policy carefully to understand what you are and are not covered for. Refer to the product disclosure statement (PDS) and other documentation from your provider. You may wish to obtain advice from a suitably qualified adviser. 


How much does car insurance cost?

The cost of car insurance, known as the premium, is typically calculated by insurers based on the level of risk they associate with the driver and their vehicle, plus the level of cover offered by the policy. To calculate the risk, insurers generally take the policyholder’s personal circumstances into account – such as their age, gender, driving and claims history, and where they live – as well as details relating to the vehicle, including its make, model and age. Generally speaking, the greater the risk the insurer believes they are taking on by insuring a driver, the higher that driver’s premium will be.

The type of policy you are buying will also dictate the cost of car insurance. For example, a comprehensive car insurance policy will typically cost more than a third party property policy, but will generally offer a higher level of cover.

To give you an idea of cost, Canstar has calculated the average costs of comprehensive car insurance policies on its database.


 


How do I check if my car is insured in Australia?

This will depend on the type of car insurance. For CTP cover, because this is included with your registration, you would need to check with your state or territory government whether your vehicle is currently registered. Follow the links below to check your vehicle’s current registration status in your state or territory.

For other, non-mandatory forms of cover, you can check your policy documents for the start and end date of the policy, or contact your insurer to check if your vehicle is currently insured, for what events and for how much.


Can you insure a hail-damaged car?

When taking out car insurance in Australia, the provider will generally ask whether the car has been damaged by hail in the past. If it has, this may limit the insurance you can take out. For example, according to Queensland-based insurer RACQ: “most insurers won’t cover vehicles with existing hail damage, or at best, they’ll limit the cover”.

It’s important to disclose up front with the insurer if your car has hail damage, as it may refuse to pay out on a claim if it later discovers the car was already damaged when the policy was taken out.

As long as your vehicle is eligible to be registered in Australia, you will be able to get CTP insurance, even if your car has existing hail damage.


Which car insurance company is the best in Australia?

The car insurance company and policy best suited to you will depend on your circumstances and what type of cover you need. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some insurers only operate in certain states, so the best car insurer may be different depending on where you live.

One way of assessing car insurers is to look at the winners of Comprehensive Car Insurance Awards. Each year Canstar names national Outstanding Value Award winners, as well as winners in a variety of states.


Are there any exclusions with comprehensive cover?

While it offers a higher level of cover than other types of car insurance, a comprehensive car insurance policy still won’t cover all risks on the road. For example, below are some events and other exceptions that are generally not covered by car insurance.

  • Restricted drivers: For example, an accident where the driver of the insured vehicle does not have a licence or is otherwise not covered by the policy (e.g. some insurers charge a lower premium if you agree that your vehicle will not be driven by anyone under 25 years old, meaning cover wouldn’t extend to drivers under this age)
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Modifying your vehicle without notifying your insurer
  • Using your car for commercial reasons (unless you have disclosed this to your insurer and it has agreed to cover you for this kind of use)
  • Overloading your car with too many passengers or too large a load
  • Mechanical faults or gradual wear and tear to your vehicle

What does agreed value mean?

In car insurance, agreed value cover is where the amount a vehicle is insured for is fixed by agreement between the insurer and the policyholder. The other main option is to insure your vehicle for its market value (see ‘market value’ below).


What does market value mean?

Market value car insurance is when your vehicle is insured for what it would be worth on the market, or what it would cost to replace it with another car of the same make, model, age, and condition that your vehicle was in before the loss or damage. This is one option for your sum insured; the other option is to insure your vehicle for an agreed amount (see ‘agreed value’ above). Market value policies tend to be cheaper than agreed value ones, but the amount your car is insured for may not be as high.


What is a no-claim bonus?

A no-claim bonus is a discount on premiums that some insurers may offer drivers who haven’t made any recent car insurance claims. Some providers may offer a ‘protected no-claim bonus option’, where they will let you keep your no-claim bonus after you make your first claim in any one period of cover, under certain conditions.


What is a nominated driver?

When you sign up for a policy, you must advise the insurer who will be listed on your policy as being allowed to drive your vehicle (usually yourself and one or more family members). These people are the nominated drivers. Other people who drive your car but are not nominated drivers would be required to pay an additional excess if they are in an accident while driving your vehicle and you need to make a claim as a result. Alternatively, in some cases your claim may be refused if an unlisted driver was behind the wheel.


What is a premium?

A car insurance premium is a regular amount of money you pay for the cover your policy provides. Depending on your insurer, it may be paid once annually or more frequently (e.g. monthly or fortnightly). Your premium must be paid on time for your car to remain covered.

Important information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

Canstar may earn a fee from its Online Partners for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship or promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship or promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship/promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. If a product is sponsored or promoted, it’s an ad and it is clearly marked as such. An ad might appear in different places on our website, such as in comparison tables and articles. Ads may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The location of an ad doesn’t indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings. See How We Get Paid to find out more.

The Car Insurance Star Ratings were awarded in June 2023 and data in the table is current as at that date, updated from time to time to reflect product changes notified to us by product issuers. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Car Insurance Star Rating Methodology. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products.

The products and Star Ratings in the table might not match your exact inputs in the selector. Sometimes the methodology uses profiles with categories or bands (e.g. income, loan amount or monthly spend), but sometimes a single methodology, without any categories or bands, is applied. The results will show the products that most closely match your selection, based on our profiles. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. You may need financial advice from a qualified adviser. Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances. If you decide to apply for an insurance policy, you will deal directly with the provider, not with Canstar.   It’s important you check product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS and TMD. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure.

If you are seeking to replace an insurance policy, you should consider your personal circumstances, including continuing the existing cover until the replacement policy is issued and cover confirmed. Your current policy may have different features to products currently on the market. Please consider what features are right for you when comparing insurance products and refer to the provider for further details on a policy.

Companies listed in the table, or in ads, may use or be used by another company to arrange, issue, distribute or sell its insurance policies to customers. For more information on the issuer of the policy, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.