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Comprehensive car insurance offers greater protection, covers repair and replacement costs for your vehicle and others and includes more features than any other car insurance option.
Learn moreWith full comprehensive car insurance cover, all drivers of your car are covered if they cause an accident (even learner drivers) for any damage to your car and anyone else’s. You may need to list them as an additional driver on your policy.
Learn moreA comprehensive policy offers a range of optional extras and benefits to suit your driving lifestyle and make the most of your car insurance.
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Our car insurance expert, Adrian Taylor, has some helpful tips for finding the right comprehensive car insurance policy for you.
Adjusting your excess payment will change what premium you pay upfront. Choosing a higher excess will lower your premium and is worth considering if you’re comfortable with a higher excess in the event of a claim.
Known by some insurers as a ‘safe driver discount’, many insurers will honour your no claims discount if you change insurance providers, making it easier to compare and switch to a better deal for you.
Look for the new price change section when your policy is up for renewal. All car insurance renewal notices must clearly state the difference in price compared to what you paid last year – though it might not be on the front page.
A comprehensive car insurance policy provides the highest level of protection of the available types of cover in Australia. It could cover you for damage to your vehicle as well as damage to other drivers’ vehicles or their property.
Furthermore, it can cover damage to your vehicle caused by fires, storms and hail and replacement costs if your vehicle is stolen. A comprehensive policy can cover the reasonable cost of repairs regardless of which party is responsible for the damage. Depending on your policy, it could also include features like windshield replacement and a hire car while your own car is getting repaired.
The table below is illustrative of what a comprehensive policy will generally include and what is considered an optional extra to add to your policy.
Included | Optional extras |
---|---|
Car accident and collision damage | Reduced/no excess on windscreen damage |
Theft (also covers damages from vandalism) | Accident hire car cover |
Legal liability for damage or loss to a third party’s property | Choice of repairer |
Personal effects cover | Roadside assistance |
Emergency transport and accommodation | – |
Fire, hail, storm, flood and other weather-related damages | – |
Towing costs | – |
You can view the full terms and conditions of coverage and optional extras in the policy documents. |
This table highlights the general differences in cover between a comprehensive policy and other car insurance policies:
Insurance type | Collision damage to own vehicle | Damage to another person’s car or property | Damage or loss caused by fire or theft | Injuries or death to other people in an accident |
---|---|---|---|---|
CTP/ Green Slip | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Third Party Property Damage (TPPD | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
Third Party Fire and Theft (TPFT) | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Comprehensive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
N.B.: Collision damage to your own vehicle may be included in TPPD and TPFT covers under certain conditions. Read your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to see full coverage. |
Exclusions can be found in the finer details of an insurance policy. Make sure you’re aware of common exclusions in your policy so your cover isn’t void when it’s time to claim.
Typical exclusions to look out for include:
If you’re unsure about any specific details of your car insurance policy, always check your PDS or contact your insurer.
A comprehensive car insurance policy insures your vehicle – not you.
Therefore, if you cause damage while driving someone else’s vehicle, you won’t be covered by your own policy. The policy covering the vehicle that you’re driving should provide cover for the accident.
Full disclosure to your insurer is always encouraged to avoid any confusion.
Third Party Property Damage (TPPD), Third Party Fire and Theft (TPFT) and comprehensive car insurance can all cover learner drivers. Check with your insurance provider or your policy’s PDS to see if you need to list a learner driver when under supervision.
Multiple variables can influence the average cost of comprehensive car insurance, and your insurer will calculate your premium based on these.
Common factors that are likely to impact the cost of your premium are:
Younger drivers can expect to pay more for premiums as they are statistically more likely to be involved in road accidents than other age demographics.
Your routine driving and the history of use can make a huge difference to your premium. This includes whether you’re a low kilometre driver (e.g. retiree or public transport user), if your car is being used for business purposes, or you qualify as a ‘safe driver’ (if you haven’t made an at-fault claim on your policy for a set period of time).
Comprehensive insurance premiums vary depending on the year, make and model of car you drive.
Your address and postcode impact the cost of your premium. Insurance companies also take into account if your car is securely parked.
The basic excess is what you pay to the repairer or insurer. Your excess is a payment you may need to make in the event of an at-fault or unrecoverable claim. Generally, the higher your excess payment, the lower your premium will be.
Making a claim on your comprehensive car insurance in Australia is usually a simple process. It’s a good idea to keep your insurance details in your car or on your phone, so they’re always on hand in case you’re involved in an accident.
Exchange details with other parties involved in an incident, and then contact your insurer. If possible, take photos at the location of the accident and the damage.
In an emergency situation, contact 000 at once.
Many insurers provide a 24/7 claims lodgement and assistance service over the phone or online. You can contact them and they can help you through the process.
The severity of the damage to your vehicle may determine how your claim is assessed. If the incident is minor, your insurer make ask you to take your vehicle to one of several nominated repairers to be fixed.
If the incident is more severe, your car may need to be examined by your insurer’s assessor. If your vehicle isn’t in a drivable or roadworthy condition due to the nature of the damage, your insurer may arrange to have it towed directly to their facility for a claims assessment.
It’s crucial that you always read the insurer’s PDS for full details as it outlines the conditions of cover.
A car insurance excess is the sum of money you may need to contribute toward a claim on your policy, or it may be deducted from a total loss settlement. The remaining cost for emergency repairs or replacement is then covered by your insurer.
Some common types of insurance excesses are:
Having a higher basic excess is usually attractive with safer drivers, as it decreases your premium, and vice versa with a smaller excess. Lowering or increasing your basic excess is entirely your choice, so it’s a good idea to regularly review this to align with your circumstances.
Your insurer will advise you if an excess payment will be needed when you make a claim. It’s important to keep in mind that different insurers have different excess amounts, as stipulated by your policy.
You can usually choose the basic excess amount for your policy. The amount you choose will affect your insurance premium; generally, a higher excess will result in lower premiums, and a lower excess in a higher premium. While the savings offered by increasing your basic excess can be tempting, make sure you weigh up the potential savings against the risk of making a claim because the higher the excess, the more you’ll be left out of pocket if something happens to your car.
Your total excess may include further additional excesses that may apply at the time of a claim and will depend on the circumstance of the claim and on your insurer.
You can cancel your policy at any time. You’ll need to contact your insurer and notify them of your intentions. They’ll usually specify how you need to notify them (e.g. email or phone call). Be aware that some policies may have cancellation fees.
If you decide to cancel your policy, you may qualify for a refund on the unexpired parts of your premium, less any fees or conditions (such as making a claim) your insurer has stipulated on your policy’s PDS.
Comprehensive car insurance is not compulsory in Australia. However, it’s a legal requirement for every car owner in Australia to have Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance as a bare minimum of cover for injuries or death your vehicle may cause. This is included in your registration fees (in some states).
There will typically be a range of extra car insurance options to add to your policy. If you’re interested in taking out extra cover for additional peace of mind, some options may include:
While this depends on the insurer, it’s common for those with comprehensive car insurance policies to have a no claim bonus or discount. If you don’t make a claim over a certain number of years (which may take affect after one period of insurance or a couple years in a row), you could get a discount on your car insurance premiums.
The no claims discount (NCD) generally compounds for up to five years. Making a claim at any time during or after these first five years may impact your discount.
Many insurers provide the option for car owners to insure their car for an agreed value. This means that, should you need to make a claim (e.g. for accidental damage, vandalism, fire, theft or total loss) and your car is unrepairable or it’s not economically viable to repair your car, you’ll receive up to the agreed value minus any applicable excess payments. Check the PDS for the conditions around agreed value and total loss claims.
Generally, car insurance protects your car against specific events for the car’s market value, which is what it’s worth at the time of the incident.
As our Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor wants all consumers to have a better understanding of the value of their comprehensive car insurance, and the power of choice offered through comparison.
Adrian has over 13 years’ experience in the financial services industry. He helps review general insurance content on Compare the Market to ensure it accurately breaks down complex insurance topics.