Best car insurance Australia: October 2024

Youi car insurance is the editor's pick for customer satisfaction because it's highly rated for: customer service, features and benefits, ease of application and value for money. 93% of Australians surveyed said they'd recommend Youi car insurance to a friend.

• Pros and cons

  • Includes roadside assistance. It's the only car insurance provider out of 32 to do this.
  • Is willing to negotiate on price. Multiple Finder staff have called Youi and negotiated a cheaper car insurance policy than the one they were originally quoted.
  • Australian customers of Youi scored it 4.38/5 for customer satisfaction.

  • Youi roadside assistance only pays for the first 2 call-outs in a year.
  • You usually need to finalise your car insurance quote over the phone.
  • It can be more expensive than other insurers.

• How Youi compares

  All comprehensive car insurance policies include cover for accidental damage, legal liability, theft and weather events. This table shows where policies often differ.

  Provider	Average cost	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys replacement	New car replacement	Customer satisfaction rating
  Youi	$1,359	Included	Up to $750	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.38/5
  AAMI	$1,218	Optional	Up to $1,000	Optional	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  NRMA	$1,043	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	N/A

  Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles. See our methodology.

• How customers rate Youi

  Customer service: 4.5/5
  ★★★★★

  Value for money: 4.25/5
  ★★★★★

  Features and benefits: 4.25/5
  ★★★★★

  Recommend to friend: 4.6/5
  ★★★★★

  Ease of application: 4.35/5
  ★★★★★

  Based on 385 customer reviews taken from the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards.

• Why we picked it

  It's an award winner

  Youi is the highest rated well known Australian car insurer by customers. It was voted by over 5,700 Australians as the best car insurer in the Finder Customer Satisfaction awards, scoring 4.38/5. We asked Australians across all major states (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA) for their opinion about their current car insurer. Each customer rated the insurer out of 5 for:

  • Features and benefits
  • Customer service
  • Value for money
  • Ease of application

  We also looked at other popular review websites. Youi scored higher than any other large car insurer, including Budget Direct, NRMA, Allianz and AAMI. Additionally, Youi only received 208 complaints to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). By comparison, other very large insurers AAI Limited (AAMI), Insurance Australia Limited (NRMA), Allianz and QBE received much more – 2,231, 1,413, 575 and 412 respectively.

  Free roadside assistance

  Youi is the only insurer to automatically include roadside assistance when you take out a comprehensive car insurance policy. We could not find any other online insurer on the market that offered this benefit. You typically have to pay around $100 per year for roadside assistance cover.

• See similar policies

  We've outlined the key features of a Youi policy and included policies with similar benefits. Keep in mind, this is a snapshot only and the full product can only be understood by reading the product disclosure statement.

  Provider	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys	New car replacement	Average cost
  Youi	Included	Up to $750	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,359
  Budget Direct	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$992
  Virgin	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - See PDS for limits	$1,057
  NRMA	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,043
  Qantas	Optional	$750	Up to $1,500	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,125

Budget Direct car insurance is our best value pick because it's one of the cheapest comprehensive car insurers for all age groups. Despite that, it doesn't cut corners with its coverage. It also has a better customer service record than its main competitors.

• Pros and cons

  • It's cheap. The average policy costs $992 a year, according to our research – $371 less than average.
  • It doesn't compromise on cover. It's very similar to major insurers like NRMA, Allianz and AAMI.
  • High customer ratings. It scored highly in the Finder Customer Satisfaction awards (4.32/5) and on other popular review websites.

  • Budget Direct isn't the cheapest insurer. Bingle is cheaper – but it doesn't include as many benefits.
  • It has a $500 limit for stolen or damaged personal items. AAMI's is $1,000.
  • It's product disclosure statement (PDS) is split over 2 documents, creating unnecessary admin.

• How Budget Direct compares

  All comprehensive car insurance policies include cover for accidental damage, legal liability, theft and weather events. The table below shows how Budget Direct stacks up against 2 other popular insurers.

  Provider	Average cost	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys replacement	New car replacement	Customer satisfaction rating
  Budget Direct	$992	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  AAMI	$1,218	Optional	Up to $1,000	Optional	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  NRMA	$1,043	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	N/A

  Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles.

• How customers rate Budget Direct

  Customer service: 4.2/5
  ★★★★★

  Value for money: 4.1/5
  ★★★★★

  Features and benefits: 4.1/5
  ★★★★★

  Recommend to friend: 4.6/5
  ★★★★★

  Ease of application: 4.3/5
  ★★★★★

  Based on 398 customer reviews taken from the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards.

• Why we picked it

  It's an award winner

  Budget Direct won the 2024 Finder Car Insurance Award for best value. To determine our winners, we got 1,800 quotes for 30 eligible comprehensive car insurance policies based on 60 different customer profiles.

  Our experts then researched and rated a total of 814 features. The final score for the best value winner was based on a 30:70 split of the price and features score. Budget Direct came in first place because it offered similar cover to other insurers but at a lower price.

  It's cheap

  Budget Direct was cheaper than average across Australia. Despite this, it still offers a thorough policy that is competitive with much more expensive policies.

  Customer reviews and AFCA complaints data

  Australians rated Budget Direct 4.32/5 stars in the 2023 Finder Customer Satisfaction awards. This places it in the top 5 best rated car insurers of the 15 that were assessed. To determine these scores, we asked 5,787 Australians across all major states (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA) for their opinion about their current car insurer. Each customer rated the insurer out of 5 for:

  • Features and benefits
  • Customer service
  • Value for money
  • Ease of application

  We also looked at external customer reviews. Budget Direct ranked higher than all other popular car insurer including NRMA, AAMI and Allianz. Only Youi is rated slightly higher.

  Additionally, when looking at compliants data from the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), Auto & General (which issues Budget Direct policies) received significantly less complaints than AAMI, though it does have a smaller market share (meaning it's likely to get less complaints). AAI (which issues AAMI's policies) received 2,231 complaints while Auto & General received 1,431, during the most recent financial period.

• See similar policies

  We've outlined the key features of a Budget Direct policy and included policies with similar benefits. Keep in mind, this is a snapshot only and the full product can only be understood by reading the product disclosure statement.

  Provider	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys	New car replacement	Average cost
  Budget Direct	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$992
  Virgin	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - If your car is written off in the first 2 years or is under 40,000 km	$1,057
  NRMA Comprehensive	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,043
  ahm	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - If your car is written off in the first 2 years	$1,469

Qantas car insurance is the top pick for points lovers because it regularly runs promotions where you can earn Qantas points when you purchase an eligible policy.

• 
  Pros and cons
  
  

  Pros:

  • Qantas's comprehensive policy offers a similar level of coverage to more expensive insurers, yet remains comparatively cheap.
  • It includes higher coverage limits than others like up to $1,500 for key replacement (others offer up to $1,000)..
  • You can save 15% on your first year’s premium when you purchase online. T&Cs apply.

  Cons:

  • If you choose to cancel your policy early, you may be charged a fee of $40. Some other policies don’t charge you to cancel early.
  • If points aren’t important to you then there are other, more well-known brands available for cheaper.
  • Its product disclosure statement (PDS) is split over 2 documents, creating unnecessary admin.

• 
  How Qantas compares
  
  

  All comprehensive car insurance policies include cover for accidental damage, legal liability, theft and weather events. The table below shows how Qantas stacks up against 2 other popular insurers.

  Provider	Average cost	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys replacement	New car replacement	Customer satisfaction rating
  Qantas	$1,125	Optional	$750	Up to $1,500	Yes - see PDS for limits	N/A
  Budget Direct	$992	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  NRMA	$1,043	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	N/A

  Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles.

• 
  Why we picked it
  
  

  We picked Qantas car insurance for the points lovers category because it regularly runs promotions where points are up for grabs.

  With many loving to travel but struggling for the funds, the ability to earn points while spending on mundane insurance items is appealing. This is because it can help with the affordability of travel while taking care of life admin tasks.

• 
  See similar policies
  
  

  We've outlined the key features of a Qantas car insurance policy and included policies with similar benefits. Keep in mind, this is a snapshot only and the full product can only be understood by reading the product disclosure statement.

  Provider	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys	New car replacement	Average cost
  Qantas	Optional	$750	Up to $1,500	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,125
  Budget Direct	Optional extra	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$992
  Virgin	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - If your car is written off in the first 2 years or is under 40,000 km	$1,057
  NRMA Comprehensive	Optional extra	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,043
  ahm	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - If your car is written off in the first 2 years	$1,469

ROLLiN' is cheap for young drivers. It's good if you're in your 20s and you can cancel any time.

• Pros and cons

  • ROLLiN' won't hit you with an additional excess based on your age – you'll just pay $800 per named driver. This isn't standard. For example, Bingle charges an extra age excess of $600 if the driver is under 25 years old.
  • ROLLiN' offers agreed value cover, giving you more control when it comes to your payout if your car's written off.
  • There is no exit fee if you choose to cancel your policy. Other providers charge a fee of around $40.

  • Every month, your premium is recalculated and renewed. This means it can increase or decrease from month to month with no indication of what your next bill will look like.
  • With ROLLiN', there's no cover for personal items (such as your phone or laptop) if they're damaged or stolen. Most other insurers offer personal effects cover of up to $500, $700 or $1,000.
  • Unlisted drivers need to pay a $3,000 excess.

• How RoLLiN' compares to other cheap car insurers

  All comprehensive policies include cover for accidental damage to your own car, legal liability for damage to other people's property, theft and weather events. The below table shows where policies can vary, but this list is not exhaustive and you should read each PDS.

  Provider	Average cost	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks and keys replacement	New car replacement	Customer satisfaction rating
  RoLLiN'	$886	Not available	$0	Up to $1,000	Yes see PDS for limits	N/A
  Budget Direct	$992	Optional extra	Up to $500	Up to $1,00-	Yes see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  AAMI	$1,218	Optional extra	Up to $1,000	Optional extra	Yes see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  Youi	$1,359	Included	Up to $750	Up to $1,000	Yes see PDS for limits	4.38/5

  To get the annual price for RoLLiN', we multiplied the monthly premium provided at the time of quoting by 12. When purchasing a policy for a real driver, RoLLiN's price can increase or decrease each month when the quote to insure is recalculated and your cover is renewed. The above is a guide only.

• How Australians rate RoLLiN'

  Due to Finder's eligibility criteria, RoLLiN' was not able to be rated for the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards.
  

• Why we picked it

  We based our young drivers pick on the latest Finder Awards research for 2024.

  We analysed costs for 30 brands across 5 age groups. ROLLiN' was the best for price on average for 20-year-olds with an annual average cost of $1,226. That's significantly cheaper than other popular insurers including NRMA ($1,758), AAMI ($2,240) and QBE ($4,734).

  Read more about Finder's car insurance methodology.

• Pros and cons

  • $0 excess for glass damage with NRMA Comprehensive Plus – most insurers make you pay extra for this feature.
  • Lots of optional add-ons to help you adjust your price.
  • One of the only brands to offer vintage car cover.

  • There are at least 6 cheaper insurers according to our Finder Awards.
  • It has lots of negative online reviews.
  • The Vintage car insurance option won't cover you if you use the vehicle regularly.

• How NRMA compares

  All comprehensive car insurance policies include cover for accidental damage, legal liability, theft and weather events. This table shows where policies often differ.

  Provider	Average cost	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys replacement	New car replacement	Customer satisfaction rating
  NRMA	$1,043	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	N/A
  AAMI	$1,218	Optional	Up to $1,000	Optional	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.32/5
  Budget Direct	$992	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	4.32/5

  Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles.

• Why we picked it

  NRMA is one of the only major insurance providers to offer multiple comprehensive car insurance options. Typically, insurers only offer one level of cover. This makes it a good option for multiple budgets. It has also won Roy Morgan's most trusted brand in insurance award since 2018.

• See similar policies

  We've outlined the key features of a standard NRMA comprehensive policy and included policies with similar benefits. Keep in mind, this is a snapshot only and the full product can only be understood by reading the product disclosure statement.

  Provider	Roadside assistance	Personal items	Locks & keys	New car replacement	Average cost
  NRMA comprehensive	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,043
  Virgin	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,057
  Budget Direct	Optional	Up to $500	Up to $1,000	Yes - see PDS for limits	$992
  Real Insurance	Optional	$500	Yes	New car replacement Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,463
  ahm	Optional	$500	Yes	Yes - see PDS for limits	$1,469