Best Car Insurance

If you're looking for the best car insurance, we can help. We've analysed 42 different car insurance policies and requested a total of 336 quotes, all so you have an easier time tracking down top-quality cover.

This page will reveal which policies were the highest scorers, which ones suit drivers on a budget and which ones are great for people who want the fullest cover possible. Plus, we'll give you tips on how to get the most out of your policy, regardless of which one you choose.

Best Car Insurance: Finder top picks

Top pick for Most Popular category - Budget Direct Car Insurance

Go to Budget Direct's car insurance website

We chose Budget Direct car insurance as the most popular brand because:

• We looked at maximum clicks from Finder for all partner brands between January and June 2021.
• Budget Direct was the most visited Finder partner on our site during that period.

Read our review of Budget Direct car insurance.

Top pick for Budget-friendly category - Bingle Comprehensive Car Insurance

Go to Bingle's car insurance website

We chose Bingle comprehensive car insurance as our most budget-friendly brand because:

• We got car insurance quotes for 14 cars priced between $25,240 and $69,900 from 5 different car insurance brands.
• Bingle had the lowest annual as well as monthly premiums, on average, in May 2021.

• Our methodology for getting quotes

  • Male, born in 1980, living in Sydney NSW 2153
  • Looking for a comprehensive policy
  • For a black car parked in the garage at night
  • Using it for personal reasons only

  • Driving over 30,000 kilometres yearly
  • Has had no accidents in the past five years
  • Financed with a secured car loan

Read our review of Bingle car insurance.

Top pick for Green Insurer category - QBE Car Insurance

Go to QBE's car insurance website

We chose QBE car insurance as our green insurer brand because:

• QBE car insurance is a winner in the 2021 Finder Green Awards as our Green Insurer of the Year.
• It is sourcing more than 60% of their electricity from renewable sources, as well as committing to numerous external benchmarks such as CDP and DJSI.

See the full methodology and how the entries are scored.

Read our review of QBE car insurance.

Top pick for Bonuses category - Coles Comprehensive Car Insurance

Go to Coles's car insurance website

We chose Coles comprehensive car insurance as the brand with most bonuses because:

• We checked different offers, deals, promotions, and discounts on all our Finder partner websites.
• Coles stood out as the one brand that offers the most number of bonuses.

• Different bonuses a Coles car insurance policyholder can get

  • Buy comprehensive or third party policies online and save 10%.
  • Get $10 off your Coles grocery bill every time you redeem 2,000 Flybuys points.
  • You could earn double Flybuys points at Coles supermarkets.

  For all of the above, terms, conditions, and eligibility criteria will apply.

Read our review of Coles car insurance.

What is the best car insurance: Provider breakdown

Provider	Finder's analysis	Who it might be good for	Apply
Comprehensive	Awarded the 2021 Finder Award for the Best Car Insurance Brand, this policy offers solid coverage at a low cost. Key replacement, towing costs and personal effects are all covered as well as a hire car if yours is stolen. You also have the option to add roadside assistance and choice of repairer. Budget Direct's claims service has received a 4.2/5 based on nearly 5,000 customer reviews. Keep in mind, you might have to pay a bit more to get your own choice of repairer and there are a few extra excesses to be aware of.	People who want a comprehensive policy without breaking the bank.	Get quote
Comprehensive	This policy covers all the basics like damage to your vehicle and towing from the scene, as well as extras such as hire car and emergency travel and accommodation costs. While it has similar features to other brands, it has one of the higher limits for personal effects and key replacement. Purchasing a policy could earn you up to 20,000 Qantas Points and you can get additional points by getting your car serviced or checking your tyres. You'll also get access to the Qantas Wellness app. You'll have to pay extra if you want your own choice of repairer.	People who love collecting frequent flyer points.	Get quote
Comprehensive	Youi Comprehensive Car Insurance is one of the few providers to include roadside assistance in its policy. As well as covering you for things like damage to your vehicle, key replacement and a hire car, when you sign up, you'll also get access to YouiRewards. This gives you discounts on things like Amart furniture, parking and more. It also provides counselling services of up to $1,500 if you're involved in an accident and need to talk to someone about it. Other perks include a hire car if you're not at fault, optional cover for specific business items (up to $2,000) and a handy live chat option on its site to get you in contact with a Youi rep. Remember, Youi doesn't offer a no claim discount.	People over 25 who want comprehensive cover with a focus on customer service.	Get quote
Comprehensive	Stella is an insurer that is female-centred. It will cover you if your car is damaged as a result of domestic violence. It offers higher cover for baby gear than most, with up to $2,000 cover for prams, strollers and child seats. It also offers higher cover for personal items than most so your handbag, phone and jewellery should be protected. You can get a free Bauer Media magazine subscription when you sign up and know that a portion of your premiums are going towards supporting female-led businesses. Keep in mind that although Stella is tailored to women, it isn't necessarily a cheaper policy for women to go with.	Someone who wants a female-centred car insurance policy (it will cover men too).	More info
Comprehensive	Bingle consistently comes up as one of the cheaper insurers out there. It only covers the basics, so you don't get to choose your own repairer, you're not covered for personal items in the car and you won't get a hire car if your car is stolen. It also only operates online. But all this keeps its premiums low. Remember, it only covers you for market value and you won't get a choice of your repairer.	Anyone who wants a low-cost option that covers them for important things like accidents but is happy to have some of the added comforts like a hire car if yours is stolen excluded.	Get quote
Comprehensive	Coles has two tiers of comprehensive car insurance to choose from: comprehensive and comprehensive plus. It covers you for damage to your car, gives you a hire car, new car replacement if your car is less than 2 years old and $200 towards grocery replacement if your shopping is stolen or damaged. The higher tier policy will also give you a hire car until your claim is sorted, one free windscreen repair each year and an additional year for new car replacement. You'll also earn double Flybuys points at Coles supermarkets and you can get $10 off your Coles grocery bill every time you redeem 2,000 Flybuys points. If you're over 30, you can get roadside assistance free for a year. Keep in mind, Coles won't let you choose your own choice of repairer.	Coles customers, Flybuys collectors and those that want all the bells and whistles.	Get quote
Comprehensive	Virgin Comprehensive provides a good level of cover for a decent price. You'll get 15% off when you buy online and get covered for things like key replacement, towing costs and the personal items in your car. Plus, if your vehicle is stolen, it'll give you a hire car. Another added perk is its hail hero service, which gives you a warning if hail is expected so you can get yourself and your car to safety. You'll have to pay more if you want your own repairer.	People who want a comprehensive policy that's affordable.	More info
Comprehensive	Poncho works like a monthly subscription. You can pay monthly at no extra cost and there's only one standard excess you need to worry about. If it's not for you, you can leave anytime; there are no lock-in contracts or cancellation fees. You can also list multiple cars and drivers under one policy, making it ideal for families and groups living together under one household. Be sure to list any other driver on your policy. Otherwise, you'll have to pay a $3,000 excess if they're in an accident.	People who only need cover for a short period of time.	More info
Comprehensive	Real Comprehensive Car Insurance provides similar coverage to other insurers for the important stuff like looking after your car if it's stolen or you crash. This includes damage by fire or weather and if your car is written off within two years of its registration, it'll replace it with a new one. It's also one of the few insurers that offers a pay as you drive policy, so you might be able to save big if you don't drive much. Younger and inexperienced drivers listed on your policy will have to pay an added excess on top of the standard one, but this is usually pretty common in other policies too.	Those that don't drive much can take advantage of its pay as you drive policy.	More info
Comprehensive	Kogan comes with all the perks that most comprehensive car insurance policies include – such as cover for theft, fire and weather, new for old car replacement, towing costs and more – but you'll also be entitled to some benefits on its online store. This usually comes in the form of a gift voucher or discount if you buy online. Plus, Kogan offers a pay as you drive option, which could be good if you're not on the road that much. Kogan tries to keep things affordable, so you don't get to choose your own repairer and you'll have to pay extra if you want a hire car if your vehicle is stolen (others include this automatically).	Kogan shoppers and those that don't drive much.	More info

For each of our sections below, we've called out specific brands based on their price rating, feature rating and Finder score. To read more about our methodology, head to our dedicated page.

What's the best car insurance with comprehensive cover?

• Finder Award Winner and Money Magazine insurer of the year
• Free hail alert app so you can avoid nasty hailstorms
• 15% when you buy online

Although there's no car insurance policy which is perfect for everyone, Finder's analysis determined Budget Direct's comprehensive policy to be the best.

How do we know? We analysed 42 different car insurers and requested a total of 336 quotes, using 8 different driver profiles. We then created an algorithm which scored them on both features and pricing to give you our top three insurers. It was a long process but we're proud of it.

Brand	Average price	Price rating	Feature rating	Finder score	Get a quote
	$927	9.1	7.1	8.1	Get quote
	$943	8.8	7.3	8.1	More info
	$946	8.4	7.1	8.1	More info

Important: We didn't include telematics insurers in this round-up, but don't worry, we've got a separate section on the best telematics car insurers further down.

Best car insurers, Australia

We've listed the five comprehensive car insurance policies which came out on top in our analysis. You can compare some core benefits, as well the ratings we awarded each policy, to see which is best for you.

One more thing: The policies highlighted in blue use telematics to adjust the cost of your premium. This means that the cost highlighted isn't your final premium as the cost can go up or down depending on how you drive.

Brand	Average price	Choice of repairer	Roadside assistance	Agreed or market value	Feature rating	Finder rating	Get a quote
	$919	✅	🔘	Agreed	7.3	8.3	More info
	$927	🔘	🔘	Both	7.1	8.1	Get quote
	$943	✅	🔘	Both	7.3	8.1	More info
	$946	🔘	🔘	Both	7.1	8.1	More info
	$626	❌	❌	Both	5.0	7.5	More info

🔘 = optional ❌ = not covered ✅ = covered

What's the best car insurance for those wanting to keep costs down?

According to Finder analysis, Bingle has the lowest cost for comprehensive car insurance.

⭐ Bingle's average policy price was $2,198 cheaper than the most expensive policy

⭐ Operates online only and passes cost savings on to customers

⭐ No cancellation fees

Bingle's pricing is consistently cheaper than other insurers in the market. In fact, the company's average price was $2,198 cheaper than the most expensive insurer.

However, while Bingle is great for budget cover, what you save in money you do sacrifice in features. The insurer's feature rating was just 3.3 out of 10 so it's up to you to weigh up whether you want all the bells and whistles or you'd prefer low-cost comprehensive cover.

We found that by paying a bit more cash each year, you could be getting a product that gives you a lot more coverage. See more below:

Brand	Average price	Price rating	Feature rating	Finder score	Get a quote
	$780	9.8	3.3	6.5	Get quote
	$927	9.1	7.1	8.1	Get quote
	$943	8.8	7.3	8.1	More info

Important: We didn't include telematics insurers in this round-up, but don't worry, we've got a separate section on the best telematics car insurers further down.

What's the best car insurance for coverage?

⭐ Up to $1,000 emergency accommodation costs

⭐ Up to $500 emergency repairs covered

⭐ Option to add cover for tools of trade

In addition to all the essentials, NAB's comprehensive car insurance policy offers additional cover for heaps of issues you might run into while on the road. Cover for personal belongings and even baby capsules is included as standard. It'll even pay up to $500 for emergency repairs that are required to get you back on the road after an insured accident.

Of course, you'll have to pay a little more for your policy. NAB's average price was $1,354, slightly above the overall average of $1,244.

Brand	Average price	Price rating	Feature rating	Finder score	Get a quote
	$1, 354	2.6	8.2	5.4	More info
	$1,652	0.7	7.6	4.1	More info
	$1,782	0.5	7.5	4.0	More info

What's the best car insurance that uses telematics?

⭐ Ubicar's average price was just $919, significantly less than the overall average of $1,244

⭐ Feature rating of 7.3 – just 7 other policies scored higher

⭐ Options to be rewarded for low-mileage or safe driving

Brand	Average price	Price rating	Feature rating	Finder score	Get a quote
	$919	9.3	7.3	8.3	More info
	$626	10	5.0	7.5	More info
	$918	9.5	4.6	7.1	More info

Telematics is a way of tracking your driving habits. Insurers use data sent from your smartphone to analyse factors including braking, cornering, speeding and even if you're touching your phone while driving.

From there, the insurer can figure out how safe your overall driving is and adjust your premium to suit. It's great for people who don't drive often or are always very safe, but you may see a jump in your premiums if your driving isn't ideal. Even some sudden braking could see your premium go up.

What's the best car insurance for low-mileage drivers?

⭐ Ubicar's average price was just $919, significantly less than the overall average of $1,244

⭐ Feature rating of 7.3 – just 7 other policies scored higher

⭐ Options to be rewarded for low-mileage or safe driving

Brand	Average price	Price rating	Feature rating	Finder score	Get a quote
	$919	9.3	7.3	8.3	More info
	$927	9.1	7.1	8.1	Get quote
	$943	8.8	7.3	8.1	More info

If you don't use your car very often or only drive short distances, you might benefit from choosing a car insurer which rewards low-mileage drivers.

Finder requested quotes from over 30 different car insurers using the same driver profile but different estimated mileages. We found 11 car insurers which reward Aussies for driving less.

Which is the best car insurance type?

Comprehensive car insurance is the best type of cover if you want full protection. However, if your car is low value, you might want to think about a different option.

There are four types to choose from. Compulsory third party (CTP), third party property damage, third party fire and theft and comprehensive.

Which type is the best car insurance for me?

How can I create the best car insurance for me?

Lots of car insurers let you customise your policy so you can get cover which is better for you. Often, you can add certain features or apply specific restrictions. These will have an impact on the price of your policy, with some making it more expensive and others bringing the cost down.

• Excess: Your excess is the amount you pay towards a repair or replacement bill, before the insurance company starts to cover the rest. If you set a higher excess, you'll bring the cost of your regular premiums down.
• Age restrictions: You can restrict the age of insured drivers on your car, which means young people won't be covered while they're behind the wheel. This is a great way to reduce the cost of your premium but only if young people will never be driving your car.
• Driver restrictions: Some insurers let you restrict insured drivers to only those who are named on the policy. Again, this is a great way to cut the cost of your premium but beware: if you lend your car to someone who isn't listed on the policy, they won't be covered.
• Choice of repairer: This benefit means you're able to choose your preferred garage for repairs, sometimes it's included as standard but usually it's an optional extra which costs more. However, it can be more convenient and mean you get your car back quicker.
• Hire car: Most comprehensive policies offer a hire car after theft but you can usually add a benefit which means you can access a hire car whenever your car is off the road. It'll make your policy more expensive, but if you rely on your car to get around, it's an important feature.
• Roadside assistance: The majority of car insurers offer roadside assistance as an optional extra although a rare few include the cover as standard. Adding this to your policy can save you cash if you ever need to be towed.
• Windscreen cover: You may be able to add windscreen cover to your policy to make it even more comprehensive. This usually means you can have your windscreen repaired or replaced if it's damaged, without having to pay the excess.

How can I find the best car insurance?

The best car insurance for you might be different to the best car insurance for your next door neighbour. However, there are steps everyone can take which will help pin down the best cover possible, no matter who you are!

• Know what you want. Before you get started, figure out whether you want third party, third party fire and theft or comprehensive car insurance. It's an important first step.
• Compare online. We'll say it 1,000 times if we have to. Comparing online is the best way to find car insurance which is right for you and save money while you're at it.
• Question your loyalty. Some insurers reward customers for staying with them, but the reward isn't always worth it. Compare car insurance every year to see if you're really getting a good deal.
• Talk to the insurers. If you're getting similar quotes from two insurers, give them both a call. Some companies will reduce the premium just to win you over.
• Look for deals. Lots of car insurers run attractive deals or offers to entice new customers. Keep an eye out for promotional offers and you could get up to 15% off your premium.
• Read the PDS. All the terms and conditions of your policy are written in the product disclosure statement. If there's anything you're unsure of, just ask your insurer to explain.
• Customise your policy. You don't have to opt for straight out the box cover. Lots of companies let you customise policies to make your premiums cheaper or your cover more comprehensive.

FAQs

Is there a single best car insurance policy in Australia?

No. Different policies will suit different people. It's more about comparing your options so you can find one which is right for you, at a price you can afford.

What's the cheapest car insurance?

That'll depend on your personal details, but if you're looking for low-cost cover, try our guide on how to find the cheapest car insurance.

What if I'm not happy with my car insurance?

You can switch! Most car insurance companies have a 14-day cooling-off period which means you can cancel your policy within 2 weeks, without any penalty, if you change your mind. Don't worry if it's after that time frame, you can still cancel and claim a refund but you may be charged a fee by some companies.

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