Laid up car insurance
Own an unused car but still want it insured? Laid up car insurance can protect your vehicle, for less.
What different scores mean
9+
Excellent
These products offer the best value and outcomes considering various product features and price.
7+
Great
Competitive products within their group.
5+
Standard
But these products still offer reasonable value and have the basics sorted.
0+
Basic
Offering basic cover with limited features or higher pricing.
Finder Score for car insurance
We analyse over 30 car insurance products across insurance providers, and rate each one for price and features. We collect up to 36 quotes per product, for male and female drivers in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia. Quotes are collected for 20 year olds, 30 year olds and 60 year olds, assuming an excess of $850 for a 2020 Toyota Corolla 4 door sedan model, with an average 15,000 kms driven each year. While we are not allowed to display actual quotes, our Finder Score aims to serve as an indicative guide to how cost and feature competitive a product might be for you.
Our feature score assesses each product for more than 15 features across loss and damage coverage, repairs and assistance coverage, personal items coverage and policy coverage. Features we assess include but are not limited to legal liability, essential repairs, new car replacement, car hire events, roadside assistance, agreed or market value, windscreen damage and natural disaster coverage.
Key takeaways
- Laid up car insurance is a specialty type of car insurance that covers vehicles that don't get driven.
- Certain criteria and exclusions apply, so be sure to read through the product disclosure statement (PDS) before purchasing a policy.
- Other coverage options are available if laid up insurance isn't right for your circumstances.
What is laid up car insurance?
Laid up car insurance is designed to cover cars which are off the road, because they're currently being repaired or restored. It's a popular and cheaper type of cover for car enthusiasts, who may be tinkering with a vintage vehicle in their spare time.
Typically, the car must be on private property or located at a workshop of some sort, to be eligible for laid up cover. It might also cover damage in transit, if you're moving your car from one location to another.
Who offers unused car insurance?
Laid up car insurance isn't a particularly common type of insurance, but there a few policies available in Australia, including:
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Pros and cons of laid up cover
Laid up cover is designed with car enthusiasts in mind, so it's a particularly good option for people who have a rare or expensive vintage vehicle, which is currently off the road.
However, laid up cover isn't ideal for everyone's situation. The table below summarises some of the key pros and cons, to help you make a more informed decision.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Cheaper than comprehensive insurance for rare or collectable vehicles. | ❌ May be more expensive than other policies, if your car isn't rare or collectable. |
| ✅ Covers vehicles during transport and while on display at motoring events | ❌ Doesn't cover your car for any driving at all |
| ✅ Covers stolen parts, vandalism and damage at a restoration shop | ❌ Must be kept on private property or a locked garage to be covered |
What other options are there?
Laid up car insurance isn't right for everyone. For example, if you want the option of driving your car from time to time, or your car can't be kept in a locked garage, there might be a different type of insurance which is better suited to your situation.
- Pay as you drive. Some insurers have specific policies which are aimed at drivers that rarely drive, or only drive short distances. Instead of paying for unlimited mileage, you estimate your average annual kilometres, and your premium is calculated based on that figure.
The less the drive, the less you pay. If your driving habits change, you just let your insurer know, and your premiums will be adjusted. Compare pay as you drive policies and you could get a cheaper premium, while keeping comprehensive insurance.
- Policies that reward low-milage. Some insurers reward drivers for low-usage, even though they don't have seperate pay-as-you-drive policies. During the quote process, you let the insurer know your estimated annual mileage, and your premium is calculated accordingly.
If you're only doing a few thousand kilometres a year, policies that reward low mileage could be a great way for you to get comprehensive car insurance, for a reduced price.
- Reduce your cover. If your car is off the road, you might want to consider switching to third party fire and theft insurance. You'll still be covered if your car is stolen or damaged in a fire, but not for any other damage to your vehicle.
Which insurers offer pay as you drive car insurance?
5 of 5 results
Compare other products
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
How we picked theseWhich insurers reward low mileage?
We requested multiple quotes from 19 different car insurance brands in Australia. We used the same driver profile, but changed the estimated mileage. Here are some the brands that offered a reduced price for lower estimated mileage.
19 of 19 results
Compare other products
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
How we picked theseThe quotes displayed are indicative only and based on a range of assumptions. Actual premiums may vary depending on individual circumstances, including but not limited to your driving history, location, vehicle details and usage. In some cases, quoted prices may not precisely align with kilometres travelled or other variables shown in the table. For an accurate price, you should obtain a personalised quote from the insurer.
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