GIO Car Insurance

Whether you’re a motoring fanatic or someone who simply uses a car for practical purposes, motor vehicle insurance is essential to ensure that you can afford to keep your car on the road. If you’re involved in an accident or your car is stolen or catches fire, there are car insurance policies available to provide the financial protection you need.

GIO Insurance has been looking after the car, home, boat, caravan and travel insurance needs of Australians since 1927. If you’re looking for a competitive and affordable car insurance policy, GIO offers four policies which are issued by AAI Limited: Platinum, Comprehensive, Third Party Fire & Theft and Third Party Property Damage.

What types of car insurance does GIO offer?

GIO Platinum Car insurance

Platinum GIO Car Insurance is the highest level of cover and offers all the same cover as Comprehensive Car Insurance plus extra features like lifetime new-car replacement and cover for windscreen and window damage.

Platinum Car Insurance covers you against loss or damage caused by all the same events as listed in the Comprehensive policy, but it offers an even higher level of protection. If your car is ever written off, you’ll receive a new replacement vehicle no matter how old your original car was. Other features include:

• Windscreen and window glass damage
• Unlimited days of car hire
• Your choice of repairer.

GIO Comprehensive Car Insurance

Offering a higher level of cover than the first two policies, Comprehensive Car Insurance covers accidental loss or damage, fire, theft, vandalism, hail, storm or flood damage. It also provides $20 million of liability cover when you damage someone else’s car.

Comprehensive Car Insurance from GIO covers your vehicle for:

GIO Third Party Property Damage and Fire & Theft Car Insurance

This policy offers the same cover provided under the Third Party Property Damage policy, but this product also covers you against loss or damage to your car caused by fire or theft.

In addition to the cover offered under the Third Party Property Damage policy, it also offers financial protection against:

• loss or damage to your vehicle caused by fire or theft
• 14 days if your car is stolen
• $5,000 cover for damage caused to your car by an uninsured driver is included as well.

Third Party Property Damage Car Insurance

This is the most basic level of cover offered by GIO and also the most affordable. When your car causes damage to someone else’s property, this policy provides up to $20 million of liability cover.

When your car causes damage to someone else’s property, you’ll receive up to:

• $20 million of liability cover under this policy
• $5,000 of cover is provided for your own vehicle if it’s damaged by an uninsured driver
• 14 days of cover for a temporary replacement car while yours is off the road.

What exclusions do I need to know about with GIO?

Like any other insurance policy, GIO Car Insurance has a list of circumstances under which your claim will not be paid. These include:

How much will GIO cost to insure my car?

The following factors will impact the cost of your GIO Car Insurance premium:

• Is your policy agree or market value? The amount the insurer agrees to cover your car for.
• What type of car do you drive? A high-powered Porsche valued at several hundreds of thousands of dollars will obviously cost more to cover than a humble Toyota Corolla.
• How often do you drive? If you drive tens of thousands of kilometres each year in hectic city traffic, your car is more at risk of being involved in an accident than a country-based vehicle that is driven sparingly.
• Where do you park your car? Cars left on the street overnight are far more likely to experience loss or damage than those that are kept securely garaged. Certain regions of the country may also be more prone to crime and also thunderstorms, once again increasing the cost of premiums.
• Does your car have a security system? Does your car have a security system in place to deter thieves? If so, this could lower the cost of your premiums.
• How is your driving history? Drivers who have made previous insurance claims or have a history of being involved in accidents will have to pay more than those with an unblemished driving record. Young, inexperienced drivers will also have to pay more for cover than their older counterparts.

GIO Car Insurance Excess

The excess is the amount you will have to contribute towards the cost of your claim. A Standard Excess is payable in all claims (except those where the driver of your car was not at fault and you can prove who was at fault), but depending on your circumstances you may also have to pay one of the following excesses:

• What is Voluntary Excess? You may opt to pay this excess in exchange for a cheaper premium.
• What does Age Excess mean? This applies if someone under 25 years of age was driving your car at the time of the incident.
• Is there an Inexperienced Driver Excess? This excess applies if an inexperienced driver (someone who has not held a licence for at least the past) two consecutive years was in control of your vehicle at the time of the incident.
• Is there a Driver History Excess? If your car was being driven by someone who has had their licence cancelled, suspended, disqualified or restricted in the three years prior to cover starting, you’ll need to pay this excess.

Are there any ways I can save money on my GIO insurance?

• I have multiple policies with GIO, can I combine them to save? Package your car insurance with another policy from GIO to take advantage of a multi-policy discount.
• Will buying online help? Receive a 10% discount when you purchase your policy online.
• I've never made a claim, does that make a difference? Enjoy premium discounts for every year you don’t make a claim on your GIO policy.
• Is there a family discount? Drivers under the age of 25 whose parents have GIO Platinum Comprehensive Car Insurance could be eligible for a 10% discount off their own policy.
• Can I increase my excess? You can select a higher excess in return for a cheaper premium.

What do I do if I need to make a claim with GIO?

1. If your car is stolen, report the theft to the authorities immediately.
2. If you’re involved in an accident, make sure everyone is safe and check whether the emergency services need to be called.
3. Collect the details of all drivers and witnesses and then GIO as soon as possible to make your claim.
4. Provide as many details as possible to your insurer, and GIO will arrange for your vehicle to be towed if necessary.

Your questions, answered – GIO FAQs

• What are Claims Free Savings?

  • A. You may have heard other insurers refer to these savings as a No Claims Bonus or No Claims Discount. For every year you don’t make an excess payable claim, GIO will give you a discount on your next premium.

• How much am I insured for?

  • A. If you have a Comprehensive or Platinum Car Insurance policy, the amount which your car is insured for will be shown on your certificate of insurance.

• Can my children enjoy discounts on their insurance because I’m a GIO customer?

  • A. Yes. If your kids under 25 take out a Comprehensive or Platinum policy with GIO and you hold one of these policies yourself, your children might be eligible for a Family Discount on the price of their cover.

• Who issues GIO Car Insurance policies?

  • A. The policies are issued by AAI Limited.

• How do I pay for my policy?

  • A. You can pay your car insurance premiums annually or by the month, although paying by the month costs more.

• What information do I need to provide to GIO?

  • Your registration number
  • VIN/engine number (optional)
  • Drivers details including names, D.O.B and driver history

• How can I cancel my policy?

  • A. You can cancel your policy by calling GIO on 13 10 10 or by notifying them of your cancellation in writing.

Are you ready to start comparing policies?

From the basic protection offered by Third Party Property Damage Car Insurance to the top-level cover of a Platinum policy, GIO offers several interesting alternatives for Australian drivers. Just make sure to compare multiple policies so that you find the right cover to let you hit the road with confidence.