What types of car insurance are available in South Australia?
There are three main types of optional car insurance available in SA:
Third party property damage insurance
Third party property damage covers you for damage you cause to other people’s vehicles or property in an accident.
Third party fire and theft insurance
Third party fire and theft offers the same coverage as third party property damage and also covers your own car if it’s damaged by fire or stolen.
Comprehensive car insurance
Comprehensive car insurance offers the highest level of cover, but is also usually the most expensive type of car insurance. It covers damage to other people’s property, plus damage to your car caused by various events such as fire, floods, storms, theft, and car accidents. You can compare comprehensive policies using the table above.
What is Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance?
CTP insurance is a compulsory form of car insurance that covers you if you injure or kill someone in an accident. It’s included as part of your South Australian vehicle registration and every approved SA CTP insurer provides identical cover. That said, there may be circumstances where coverage is limited or excluded (like if a claim arises due to a serious driving offence). More details can be found in a policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
What is the best car insurance in SA?
There’s no one ‘best’ car insurance provider or policy in South Australia. The best for you will depend on your coverage needs and personal circumstances. You can use the comparison table above to help find and filter comprehensive policies to suit your needs.
Looking at the winners of Canstar’s annual Car Insurance Awards could also be a good place to start. The awards recognise the providers offering outstanding value to customers nationally and by state.
Three providers topped the list nationally in Canstar’s 2026 Car Insurance Awards:
- Outstanding Value Award – Car Insurance Australia: AAMI, Bingle, and ROLLiN’ Insurance.Â
- Outstanding Value Award – Car Insurance SA: AAMI
What to look for in a car insurance policy for SA
Car insurance features may come as standard inclusions or as add-on cover at an additional cost. These features are usually present in comprehensive policies, rather than third party ones. Some features to consider are:
- New-for-old car replacement: If you have a new car and it’s written off during the first few years of owning it or under a certain number of kilometres, the insurer may replace it with a new one of the same or similar make and model.
- Rental or hire car cover: Provides cover for a temporary replacement car if you’re left without a working vehicle due to an insured event.
- Emergency accommodation and transport: Covers the cost of emergency accommodation and transport if you have an accident far from home and your car can’t be driven.
- Roadside assistance: Can help cover some of the costs of roadside servicing and towing if your car breaks down.
- Windscreen replacement and repair: Some providers may offer excess-free repair if your windscreen is damaged in an insured event.
- Choice of repairer: Some insurers may offer you the choice of who repairs your vehicle, rather than using one of its partner repairers.
- Key and lock replacement: May cover the replacement of keys if they’re lost or stolen, as well as the cost of recoding locks.
- Personal belongings: Covers the belongings in your car if they’re damaged or stolen in an insured event.
- Baby capsule and child seat replacement: Covers the replacement of baby capsules and child seats after an insured event.
- No-claim bonus protection: Can protect your no-claim bonus/discount after you make a claim in certain circumstances.
Policies and their features may be subject to limits, sub-limits, exclusions, and certain restrictions. Check the PDS for more information.
How much does car insurance cost in SA?
The average annual premium for comprehensive car insurance in SA is $2,145, according to Canstar Research. But the price you end up paying will depend on factors like:
- Your age, gender, and driving and claims history, as well as those of other drivers listed on your policy
- Your car’s make, model, and age
- The level of cover you take out
- Your excess amount (the amount you contribute when making a claim)
- Where you live, including where your car is parked during the day and at night
- How often you drive your car and at what times of the day
- The provider you choose and whether they offer any discounts
Canstar Research also found that you could potentially save up to $572 by taking out the average 5-Star Rated policy compared to the market average on our database.
Does my car insurance become cheaper as I get older?
Generally speaking, your car insurance premiums will decrease as you get older and more experienced as a driver — keeping in mind they will still be subject to inflationary pressures. This is because insurers often view older drivers as less likely to make a claim than younger, less experienced drivers.
How does living in SA affect your car insurance?
Insurers take into account where you live when determining your premium, including the state you reside in. If you live in an area with a higher crime or claims rate, you may pay more in premiums.Â
SA residents take out CTP and optional car insurance like Australians in most other states. CTP is tied to your vehicle’s registration and optional car insurance can be taken out with a provider, like the ones listed in the table above.
How can I get cheap car insurance in SA?
You may be able to save on your car insurance and find a cheaper policy by considering the following:
- Listing or restricting the drivers on your policy: Having younger, inexperienced drivers listed may increase your premiums. Some providers may also offer ‘named driver’ discounts for naming all of the potential drivers of your vehicle.
- Paying premiums annually: You may be offered a discount if you pay your premium annually rather than monthly or fortnightly. There may also be some providers that allow you to pay monthly at no extra cost.
- Securing your car: You may be offered a lower premium if you secure your car in a locked garage, particularly at night, rather than parking on the street.
- Driving safely: Safe drivers typically pay less in premiums than those who make claims often. Some providers may offer ‘no-claim’ discounts or bonuses for those who don’t claim often.
- Driving less: Depending on how much you drive per year, you may be able to save with a discounted low-kilometre or pay as you drive policy.
- Insuring your vehicle for its market value: Most policies will insure your vehicle for its market value (what it would sell for on the open market). This is usually the cheaper option compared to insuring your vehicle for a higher value agreed to by both you and the insurer.
- Online discounts and offers: Some providers offer deals and discounts for new policies taken out online, generally in the form of a percentage discount to your first year’s premium. If you have multiple insurances, you may be able to bundle them with the same provider to receive a multi-policy discount.
- Choosing a higher excess: Opting for a higher excess will generally mean receiving a lower premium in return. That being said, you’d need to be able to contribute this higher excess amount if you needed to make a claim.
- Choosing your extras carefully: Your premiums will generally be more expensive if you add optional extras to your policy, like windscreen cover, roadside assistance, and rental car cover.
- Shopping around: Due to inflation and operating costs, your premium can increase year-on-year, even if you stay with the same provider. Don’t just auto-renew your policy. Instead, compare your options and get quotes directly from both major and minor providers.
What should SA drivers look for when comparing comprehensive car insurance quotes online?
When comparing policies, some of the factors worth looking at include:
- The premium being charged
- The level of cover you’re receiving
- Whether the risks most relevant to you are covered (for instance, if your area is prone to flooding, you may want your policy to cover this. If you live in a rural area in SA, you may face different road risks to someone in an urban location)
- The level of service on offer (like the provider’s claims service)
- Any discounts or deals on offer
- Any extras, either complimentary or at any extra cost, like roadside assistance or car hire after an at-fault accident.
SA drivers pay the second-lowest average car insurance premiums in Australia, based on Canstar’s data on comprehensive policies considered in our 2026 Star Ratings and Awards. Although this cost isn’t as high as other states, it’s still important to compare your options and ensure you’re getting good value for money.
You can use Canstar’s comparison table above to compare comprehensive car insurance policies from our Online Partners and filter and sort products based on what features matter to you.
