Best car insurance Australia October 2026

Customer service

Finder Award

Youi Comprehensive

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Our most recommended car insurer

Value

Finder Award

Budget Direct Comprehensive

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2026 Finder Award winner

Safe Drivers

AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance

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Up to 15% off your renewal for claim-free years

Price

Bingle Comprehensive

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One of the cheapest providers in our database

Car insurance is one of those bills that only ever seems to move in one direction. Recent consumer research found that Gen Z drivers are now paying an average of $188 a month for cover, $84 more than baby boomers.

The easiest way to cut the price of your policy? Switch to a better deal. But we understand you don't always have the time to sift through policies, which is why we've done the heavy lifting for you.

We compared 40 comprehensive policies on price, features and customer service to find the standouts, whether you want the cheapest cover, the best features or an insurer that actually picks up the phone.

• Best for customer satisfaction: Youi Comprehensive
• Best for value: Budget Direct Comprehensive
• Best for Safe Drivers: AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance
• Best for price: Bingle Comprehensive
• Best for features: Coles Comprehensive Insurance
• Best for bonuses: Qantas Comprehensive

Finder Score	Roadside Assistance	Accidental damage	Agreed or market value
Best for customer satisfaction
9.2 Excellent Youi Comprehensive Finder Award	9.2 Excellent			Agreed or Market	Get Quote View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Youi received multiple national 2026 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards across the Top Value, Customer Service, Easiest Claims and Most Recommended categories, proving highly favourable for many Australians. Pros & cons Pros It has an Australia-based customer service team, which is great for those who value a local presence. The team is friendly and approachable. They're great at helping you understand parts of the policy you may not understand. Cons The quote process starts online but then a Youi representative calls you. This is frustrating for many who prefer to complete the quote online. This can only be avoided if you get a quote on Sundays or outside of their sales team hours (after 10:30pm on weekdays and 8:30pm on Saturdays). If you're not willing to ask for a price reduction, the original quote can be more expensive than other popular insurers.
Best for value
9.5 Excellent Budget Direct Comprehensive Finder Award	9.5 Excellent	Standalone		Agreed or Market	Discount: Receive 15% off your first year's premium when you purchase cover online. T&Cs apply.	Get Quote View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Budget Direct remains one of the best-value car insurers on the market, taking home the 2026 Finder Award for Best Value. Pros & cons Pros It has a broad range of coverage options, allowing you to tailor your coverage as you need. This gives you more control over the overall cost of your premium. New customers can get 15% off their comprehensive car insurance when they sign up online. Cons If price is your primary concern, there are cheaper policies available.
Best for Safe Drivers
9 Excellent AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance	9 Excellent	Optional		Agreed or Market	Discount: Save $50 on a comprehensive car insurance policy with a first year online discount. T&Cs apply.	Get Quote View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it We picked AAMI because it rewards you for staying claim-free. Its Safe Driver Rewards program builds a renewal credit of up to 15% for every year you go without a claim, plus up to 25% off roadside assist, so careful drivers pay less the longer they stay. The cover holds up too, with accessories and legal modifications included as standard, up to $1,000 for personal effects and a lifetime guarantee on any repair AAMI authorises. Pros & cons Pros Safe Driver Rewards can cut up to 15% off your renewal and up to 25% off roadside assist for claim-free years. Accessories and legal modifications are covered as standard, which some insurers charge extra for. New car replacement if your car is written off or stolen in its first 2 years. Cons You can't choose your own repairer, so you'll need to use one from AAMI's network. Roadside assistance costs extra, and paying monthly rather than annually adds to your premium.
Best for price
9 Excellent Bingle Comprehensive	9 Excellent			Market	Get Quote View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it We picked Bingle Comprehensive as our top pick for the best price because it won a 2026 Highly Commended Finder award for Best Low Cost Car Insurance. It won this award because of all the quotes we gathered across 40+ car insurers in Australia, Bingle was among the cheapest. Pros & cons Pros Ideal for someone looking for a policy that only covers essentials, including accidental damage to their own car and others', cover against fires, theft and storm damage and other handy features. Option to add-on various extras like access to a hire car after an accident (will cost extra). Cons It will cost you extra to pay monthly instead of annually, which can be tricky for those who can't afford the annual premium upfront. Everything is online-only. There is no customer support centre to call. This can be difficult for those who prefer a phone call or physical store.
Best for features
9.4 Excellent Coles Comprehensive Insurance	9.4 Excellent	Optional		Agreed or Market	Discount: Save 15% off your first year’s premium when you take out a new Coles Car Insurance policy online. T&Cs apply.	Get Quote View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it 2026 Highly Commended Finder Award winner for Best Features, thanks to its unique cover benefits, including grocery replacement. Pros & cons Pros You can save 15% on your first year's premium when you buy a policy online. T&Cs apply. Coles Comprehensive Car Insurance delivers some unique policy features, including grocery replacement of up to $200. Cons It will cost you extra to pay your premium monthly or fortnightly, rather than one annual lump sum. Other insurers let you pay monthly at no extra cost. If you want to cancel your policy early, it'll cost you $40. Other insurers don't charge a fee for this.
Best for bonuses
9.4 Excellent Qantas Comprehensive	9.4 Excellent	Optional		Agreed or Market	Bonus points offer: Earn up to 35,000 Qantas Points with every car insurance policy. Ends 25 November 2026. Plus save 15% on your 1st year’s premium when you purchase online. T&Cs apply.	Get Quote View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it We picked Qantas car insurance for the bonus 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. Pros & 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.

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Why is car insurance so expensive right now?

Comprehensive premiums have risen more than 40% since 2019, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. There are a few reasons why car insurance premiums are climbing, including:

• Cars cost more to fix. Modern vehicles are packed with sensors and cameras, so even a minor bump can mean expensive recalibration. The Insurance Council of Australia says repair costs climbed about 26% between 2022 and 2024.
• Repairs are taking longer. The Insurance Council of Australia says labour shortages and parts delays pushed the average repair from 39 days in 2019 to 61 days in 2024.
• Extreme weather is hammering claims. Floods, storms and hail have driven up claims costs across the country, even in areas that haven't been directly hit.
• Reinsurance costs more. Insurers buy their own insurance against catastrophes, and global disasters have pushed that cost up, which can flow through to your premium.

Tried and tested tips

"Look around for insurers who offer sign-up discounts – this can be a great way to save! Often, the sign-up discounts will only be available if you're a new customer but that's typically no problem if you're looking at switching providers. Some offer up to 15% off which can help you save around $100 in some cases."

Tim Bennett

Insurance expert

"If you like the look of a specific policy but it's too expensive for you, check who the underwriter is. Brands with the same underwriter often have similar policies, but inclusions and limits can still differ, so check each PDS. You may be able to enjoy the same policy at a more affordable price point. You can find a policy's underwriter with a simple Google search or look at the product disclosure statement."

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

"Good to know – if your windscreen is broken and that's the only thing that's been damaged, it's not always worth making an insurance claim. This is because your excess is can be more than the cost of the repairs. To avoid this, lots of insurers may let you upgrade your cover to include no-excess windscreen cover. It'll usually cost you a couple more bucks a month which is substantially cheaper than paying for the repairs yourself."

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

How to choose the best car insurance for you

The "best" car insurance isn't the same for everyone. The right policy comes down to your car, your budget and how much cover you'd want if something went wrong. Here's what to weigh up during your search:

• Level of cover. Comprehensive covers your own car as well as others, while third party options are cheaper but won't repair your car. It's important to match the level to what your car is worth.
• Agreed vs market value. Agreed value locks in a set payout and market value lets the insurer decide based on your car's worth at claim time. Agreed usually costs a little more but reduces the risk of being underinsured.
• Price and excess. While selecting a higher excess lowers your premium, keep in mind you will need to pay this amount if you ever make a claim, so choose an amount you could afford to pay. If you're opting to pay your premium monthly rather than annually, just be aware this can be more expensive overall rather than just paying annually.
• Inclusions and limits. Check what's standard vs optional, things like roadside assistance, hire car after an accident, windscreen cover and new-car replacement vary a lot between insurers.
• Claims reputation and service. A cheap policy is only as good as its claims experience. Look at customer satisfaction and how easy the insurer is to deal with when it matters.

The best way to find your best policy is to compare a few options on both price and what's actually covered, then double check the PDS before you buy.

What to avoid when getting car insurance

• Don't auto-renew without re-quoting. Insurers save their sharpest prices for new customers, and premium increases tend to land hardest on people who renew without asking questions. When your renewal notice arrives, treat it as your opportunity to compare a few quotes.
• Don't pay monthly without checking for fees. ASIC found in 2026 that paying by instalments rather than annually can cost up to 20% more. Over a year, that can add up to hundreds of dollars for exactly the same cover.
• Don't overinsure your car. Comprehensive cover isn't mandatory, and if your car's only worth a few thousand dollars, you could be paying more in premiums than you'd ever get back in a claim.

Which level of cover do you actually need?

There are 3 main types of car insurance in Australia, and the right one mostly comes down to what your car is worth and whether you could afford to replace it tomorrow.

• Third party property damage: Covers damage you cause to other people's cars and property, but nothing for your own car. Best for older cars that aren't worth much, where you'd rather wear the loss than pay for extra cover.
• Third party fire and theft: Everything above, plus cover if your own car is stolen or damaged by fire and is usually capped at around $10,000. This is what's considered the "middle ground" for cars worth less than that.
• Comprehensive: Covers your car for accidents, fire, theft, storms and more, on top of damage you cause to others. The go-to for newer or higher-value cars, or anyone who couldn't easily afford to replace their car after an accident.

Best car insurance by state

Where you live affects both what you pay and which insurers are most competitive. Factors like traffic density, theft and weather risk and even whether CTP is bundled with your registration all vary by state. If you're after the best cover for your location, our state guides break down the top options and average prices closer to home:

• Best car insurance in New South Wales
• Best car insurance in Victoria
• Best car insurance in Queensland
• Best car insurance in Western Australia
• Best car insurance in South Australia
• Best car insurance in the ACT

Frequently asked questions

• What company is the best for car insurance?

  There is no single best insurer or best policy, as 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. Our 2026 Finder Awards for car insurance can help take some of the guesswork out of this for you.

• What's the best comprehensive car insurance?

  According to the 2026 Finder Awards, Budget Direct Comprehensive Insurance offers the best value car insurance, Youi Comprehensive Insurance is our most recommended insurer for customer satisfaction, and Coles Comprehensive Insurance received a Highly Commended Award in the features category. However, it's important to note that the criteria used to determine our award winners may be different to your own circumstances. Always read the PDS to understand if the price and features offered are best for your needs.

• What's the cheapest car insurance?

  That'll depend on your personal details, but if you're looking for cheap car insurance options, Bingle was Highly Commended in our 2026 Finder Awards for Best Low Cost Car Insurance.

• Can I get a discount on car insurance?

  Yes, there are often deals and discounts available for car insurance. Typically, discounts are offered to new or switching customers.

• Who are the Big 4 insurers in Australia?

  The Big 4 insurance providers in Australia are IAG, Suncorp, QBE and Allianz. As at 2017, the Senate Economics References Committee's report on Australia's general insurance industry put these larger insurers at about 74% of the market.

• How much is car insurance per month in Australia?

  Based on Finder's monthly survey of hundreds of Australian drivers, the average monthly premium in September 2026 ranged from $104 for Baby Boomers up to $188 for Gen Z. Age is one of the biggest factors in what you'll pay, where younger drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident, so insurers charge them more. Where you live, what you drive and the excess you choose also impact your premium.

• Is comprehensive car insurance worth it for an old car?

  It depends on what your car is worth. As a rule of thumb, if your annual comprehensive premium is creeping towards 10% or more of your car's value, it's worth questioning. For a car worth under $10,000, third party fire and theft can cover the big risks for a lot less, and for genuinely old cars, third party property damage may be all you need. The one exception: if you couldn't afford to fix or replace your car after an accident, comprehensive cover can still earn its keep even on a cheaper car.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Ceyda Erem

Senior writer

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Ceyda Erem is Finder’s senior writer for insurance and has almost 10 years of experience writing about personal finance. Formerly a copywriter for several business and finance clients, Ceyda has written hundreds of articles, guides, blogs and more to ensure Australians stay in the loop about how to best manage their money. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Writing from Macquarie University. See full bio

Ceyda's expertise

Ceyda has written 217 Finder guides across topics including:

• Insurance

Co-written by

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio