What types of car insurance does Qantas offer?
Qantas Insurance offers the following types of car insurance, at the time of writing:
- Comprehensive car insurance, the most extensive form of optional car insurance. It covers accidental loss or damage to your own vehicle in a range of situations, as well as damage to another person’s car or property you cause in an accident.
- Third party fire and theft, covering your vehicle if it’s damaged by fire or stolen, as well as damage you cause to other people’s vehicles and property in an accident.
- Third party property damage, which only covers your legal liability for damage done to other people’s vehicles and property in an accident.
What does Qantas comprehensive car insurance cover?
Qantas’ comprehensive car insurance policy covers the following as standard, at the time of writing:
- Damage to your car as a result of a road accident. If you’re found to not be at fault for the accident, you’ll receive coverage for a hire car.
- New car replacement, in which you’ll receive a new vehicle if your current one is written off within a specified timeframe/mileage.
- Damage to your car caused by fire. This can be as a result of a collision, arson, or from a bush fire.
- Damage to your car caused by a storm, such as flooding and hail damage.
- Theft of your car.
- Loss or damage of up to $750 worth of stolen or damaged personal contents after an accident or theft.
- Hire car coverage following theft (up to $1,500 over 21 days).
- Malicious damage to your car, including vandalism.
- Damage to other vehicles and property that you caused in an accident, as well as your legal liability if you’re sued as a result.
- The towing of your car to a repairer, holding facility or similar, as nominated by your insurer, if it can’t be driven after an accident.
- If your damaged car is undriveable, the policy will cover your transportation to the address where the car is normally kept at night, or pay for the cost of your temporary accommodation (limits apply).
- Replacement of stolen keys/remotes (up to $1,500).
- Damage to your caravan or trailer (up to $1,000).
- Removal of your car debris after an accident.
What optional extras does Qantas offer?
Qantas Insurance offers car hire cover for accidents where you were at fault, reduced window glass excess cover, choice of repairer, and roadside assistance as optional extras you can add to your policy at an additional cost. You may need to pay a window glass-only excess.
What's not covered by Qantas car insurance?
The following scenarios and issues are generally excluded, even in comprehensive car insurance policies:
- Damage, loss, theft or other events caused by reckless behaviour, including racing
- Unlicensed, unlisted or restricted drivers
- Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Unregistered vehicles
- Vehicles used commercially (e.g. Uber or for food delivery)
- Vehicles in an unroadworthy or unsafe condition
- Vehicles with undisclosed modifications.
Insurance may not cover the costs of repairs for normal wear and tear, engine failure, or other mechanical breakdowns. For more details on what is and isn’t covered by Qantas car insurance, read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
Does Qantas let you nominate a higher or lower excess?
Qantas Insurance lets eligible policyholders nominate a higher or lower basic excess amount. It offers a range of amounts to choose from when you first purchase a policy. You can also change your basic excess at any time, either online or over the phone.
Is it better to nominate a higher or lower excess with Qantas car insurance?
This will depend on your personal circumstances and preferences. If you have a higher excess, your premiums will typically be lower, but you’d contribute more when making a claim.
If you opt for a lower excess, your premiums will usually be higher, but you’ll have lower out-of-pocket costs when making a claim.
For example, if you don’t think you’ll be able to pay the excess when and if you have to make a claim, it might be better to reduce your excess and pay higher premiums instead.
What other excesses apply on Qantas car insurance policies?
Qantas Insurance’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) states that in addition to the basic excess that’s applied, there could also be:
- An age excess, if a driver under the age of 25 was using the car at the time of the incident.
- An inexperienced driver excess, if a driver involved in a claim has not held a full or open Australian licence for two or more years.
- An unlisted driver excess, if a driver using the car at the time of the incident was not listed on your insurance certificate.
- A window glass-only excess if you selected this optional cover.
If applicable, these excesses would be paid in addition to any basic excess, and are typically not negotiable.
Does Qantas Insurance let you choose between market and agreed value?
Most Qantas Insurance policies will insure your car for its market value (what it's worth at the time of loss or damage) taking into account factors like its make, model, age, kilometres travelled, and overall condition.
In some cases, you may be able to insure your vehicle for an agreed value. An agreed value is an amount you and Qantas Insurance agree to insure your car for.
Whether your vehicle is insured for its market value or an agreed value, and how much, will be shown on your insurance certificate and in your online account.
Does Qantas car insurance include car hire after accidents?
Qantas Insurance offers car hire after accidents where you weren’t at fault on its comprehensive policies. To be covered for accidents where you were at fault, you’ll need to purchase the ‘Accident Hire Car’ optional benefit.
Does Qantas Insurance have roadside assistance?
Qantas Insurance offers a 24/7 nationwide roadside assistance service you can purchase as a standalone policy or as an add-on feature to your car insurance. Qantas Insurance claims it has a network of more than 2,700 service providers across Australia. You can also earn 1 Qantas Point per dollar spent on this membership. See Qantas Insurance’s website for more details.
