Car insurance for 4WDs

How we calculate Comprehensive Car Insurance Finder Scores

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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.

In many cases, standard car insurance can cover 4x4s. You generally only need to consider specialised 4WD insurance if you want to go off-road or have modified your vehicle. In that case, you’ll need to get the okay from your insurer before you start adventuring.

What is covered by specialised off-road 4WD car insurance?

Specialised off-road car insurance policies are often largely equivalent to comprehensive car insurance with a few additional features. This may include:

• Full cover anywhere in Australia
• Comprehensive cover of accessories and modifications
• Extended personal effects cover, to include items even while they are not necessarily inside the vehicle
• Cover while your vehicle is in transit, including being loaded or unloaded from boats or trains
• Includes cover of off-road recovery costs, for recovering an undriveable vehicle
• Trailer cover, often included automatically and sometimes as an extra

Before you can get a quote, you’ll generally need to discuss it with an insurer and do a more in-depth application.

This is not only because of modifications, but also because you generally need to explicitly mention to insurers that you’ll be taking it off road, what kind of driving you do and how frequently you do it.

What additional options are there?

The optional add-ons available will vary by insurer. If you go with a regular car insurer, you can expect to see the following add-ons:

• Additional hire vehicle cover: Lets you get a replacement vehicle if you are unable to drive your vehicle due to damage from an insured event.
• Excess free windscreen or window glass cover: Replacement of windscreen or window glass with no excess, following an insured event.
• Optional roadside assistance: This won’t help off road, but can still be a useful optional extra to consider.

If you opt for a specialised 4x4 insurer, the optional add-ons are a bit more tailored to off-road activities, such as:

• Additional off-road recovery costs: Lets you choose an additional cover amount for off-road recovery, like getting stuck somewhere.
• Higher benefit limits for hire car cover: This is because it’ll cost you more to hire a replacement 4x4.
• Cover for modifications and accessories: You’ll have to list what modifications and accessories you have and the insurer will let you know if they’re happy to cover you.
• Transit cover: Cover for while your vehicle is being transported, like on a boat.

Finding the best car insurance for 4x4 off-roading

Given off-roading comes with its own set of risks, it’s wise to consider insurance that accounts for this. You might like to look for policies that will:

• Cover you for beach and off-road driving. A regular car insurer may only cover you for while you’re on the road.
• Additional off-road recovery costs: A regular insurer may only cover recovery costs for accidents that occurred on an actual road.
• Accept your car modifications and cover them for a higher benefit limit: If you’ve put a decent chunk of money into modifying your vehicle, a specialised 4x4 insurer can help you make sure these modifications are properly insured.

FAQs

• Do you pay more insurance for a 4x4?

  Yes, insuring a 4x4 can be more expensive than insuring a standard vehicle due to its off-road capabilities and potentially higher repair costs. That said, rates vary based on the model, usage, age of the car and the insurer.

• How much does 4WD insurance cost?

  Like any insurance, the cost varies from person to person and depends largely on what car you drive, your driving history, age, location and more. It's best to compare costs from multiple policies to get an idea of what an average cost could look like and find the best car insurance for your needs.

• Does insurance cover 4x4 damage?

  Yes, comprehensive car insurance typically covers damage to your 4x4, including off-road incidents, as long as the vehicle is being used within the policy terms. You should check if off-road cover is included in your policy.

• Who is the underwriter for club 4x4 insurance?

  The underwriter for Club 4x4 insurance is QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited. Club 4x4 specialises in insuring 4x4 vehicles and off-road activities.

• What is the cheapest 4x4 to tax and insure?

  The cheapest 4x4s to tax and insure are typically smaller, less powerful models like the Suzuki Jimny. These vehicles have lower running costs and are often cheaper to repair, therefore they're cheaper to insure.

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

Co-written by

Alexandra Koster

Publisher

Alexandra Koster was Finder's publisher for car, home and pet insurance. She has a Tier 1 certification in General Insurance, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Cultural Studies from the University of Sydney. Her hobbies include reading Product Disclosure Statements and deciphering complicated insurance lingo to help people save on their insurance so that they can spend their money on better things – like dogs. See full bio