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Car insurance can become more expensive over the age of 60. Not only could your premiums start to rise, but you may also have to pay a higher excess. However, our experts have several money-saving options to help you keep costs down.
Compare car insurance for seniors
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Best car insurance for seniors
To determine our top picks, we got over 170 quotes for 60-year-olds from 24 comprehensive car insurance policies:
Bingle offers the cheapest comprehensive car insurance premiums out of the 24 providers we researched. Our prices are based on 171 different quotes for 60-year-olds.
It's cheap because it covers the essentials and no more. That includes damage to your car (including fires, theft, floods and accidents) and accidental damage to other people's cars and property.
Look elsewhere if you want more benefits. For example, you will need to pay more if you want windscreen cover or a hire car after an accident.
QBE prioritises quality cover. For example, you don't need to pay an excess for windscreen repairs. It also covers you for up to $1,000 for personal items stolen from your car. If you just want the cheapest policy, look elsewhere.
We used the Finder car insurance awards data to determine our top picks. We filtered our data to look solely at quotes for 60-year-olds. In total, we got 171 quotes from 24+ comprehensive car insurance policies.
Value. The value top pick was based on a 60/40 split of price and 16 features commonly covered by car insurance.
Features. To determine the top pick for features, we weighted and assessed 16 features such as new car replacement and key replacement. The final score was an 80/20 split of the features and price score.
Price. Bingle came out on top for cost because it offered the cheapest comprehensive car insurance out of the 171 quotes we got for 60-year-olds.
We only looked at comprehensive car insurance policies and analysed 24 insurers, including lots of non-partners, but there are more available.
Keep in mind that what's best for you might not be for someone else and your prices can differ based on where you live, your gender and the car you drive. Be sure to check the fine print to make sure it's the right policy for you.
Is seniors car insurance different from regular car insurance?
Seniors car insurance isn't typically very different from regular car insurance. However, there are a few insurers such as APIA, Australian Seniors and National Seniors Insurance that cater to older drivers. For example, National Seniors Insurance is a not-for-profit organisation focused on advocacy work for older Australians. Australian Seniors offers a 5% discount to Senior Card holders.
When looking at a car insurer that's tailored towards seniors, make sure there is a clear benefit to going with them. There is sometimes very little difference between them and a regular car insurer.
Should I look specifically for seniors car insurance policies?
There are few providers that market towards Australians over 50. Before you sign up with them though, make sure they're actually offering you something you want. Here's an overview of 3 of the most popular senior car insurance providers and some of their main benefits:
Insurer
Benefits
APIA Car Insurance
Available if you're over 50 years of age (or your partner is).
Discount if you work less than 37 hours per week (but it doesn't specify what the discount is).
National Seniors
Not-for-profit that does advocacy work for older Australians.
There are some perks if you become a National Seniors Australia member, but you need to pay to join.
Australian Seniors Car Insurance
Anyone can buy a policy.
Save 5% if you're a Seniors Card holder.
Save up to 10% when you buy online and 5% when you exclude drivers under the age of 25.
Compare seniors car insurance deals
Not all insurers offer pensioners and seniors discounts but many have online discounts to take advantage of.
Deal
$115 off your premium for the first year + $10 monthly credit
Verified 2 days ago
Get a quote and earn a $10 kogan.com credit. Purchase your policy online to get $115 off first year premiums for Kogan comprehensive car insurance. T&Cs apply.
While restrictions on older drivers vary by state, the cost of seniors car insurance is consistently higher than for other demographics. You can cut the cost of car insurance by doing the following:
How is your driving history? Maintain a clean driving record as much as possible. As soon as you start recording accidents and infringements, your premium will rise accordingly.
Have you ever taken a defensive driving course? A defensive driving course can be done at any age and shows your insurer that you are a safe driver, which can help reduce your premium.
Who is the primary driver of your car? You might want to list a younger driver on your policy. If someone younger does the majority of driving in your car (providing they are not a higher risk than you), listing them as the primary driver may reduce your premium.
Is there a pay-as-you-go option available? Choose a pay-as-you-drive option if you drive fewer kilometres a year.
Can you afford to increase your excess? Increase your excess if you can afford to, as this will reduce your premium.
Are you eligible for a multi-policy discount? Package your seniors car insurance with another policy from the same provider to get a multi-policy discount.
Is your seniors car insurance agreed or market value? Insure your car for market value rather than agreed value as this tends to be cheaper.
How do you pay your premium? If you can afford it, pay your premium annually rather than monthly to reduce administrative fees.
Can you get a discount by going online? Some insurers offer discounts of up to 20% if you get seniors car insurance online.
In short, things that save the insurance company money will also save you money. Being a lower risk driver means they don't have to pay as much in claims. Doing things like signing up online reduces their administrative costs, which is why insurers are happy to offer discounts for it.
Why you can trust Finder's car insurance experts
We're free
You pay the same as buying directly from the car insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site – plus, our tables make it easy to compare policies.
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Our team of car insurance experts have researched and rated dozens of policies as part of our Finder Awards and published 330+ guides to make it easier for you to compare.
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Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and we work with lots of car insurance brands, making it easier for you to find a good deal.
We're here to help
Since 2014, we've helped 300,000+ people find car insurance by explaining your cover options, simply and clearly. We'll never ask for your number or email. We're here to help you make a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Everyone's circumstances and needs are different, so there's no single policy that's best for senior citizens. To find the best car insurance policy for your situation, it's a good idea to compare car insurance from a range of providers and ensure your needs as a senior are met.
To help you out, you could check the following:
Policy discounts. Most insurers offer a discount of some kind, whether it's a senior specific reduction or an online-only offer. Don't be afraid to get in touch with insurers directly to ask what they can offer you as a senior driver.
Pay as you drive insurance. If you're not driving every day, you could consider a "pay as you drive" or limited-use policy. Several insurers give you the option of only paying for the kilometres you drive.
Policy age restrictions. If your kids or grandkids have their own vehicles and won't be driving yours, consider putting an age restriction on your policy to reduce your premium.
Multi-car policies. If you have more than 1 vehicle, you may be able to save by bundling multiple vehicles into the same policy. Read more on multi-policy discounts.
Take your driving history with you. If you're considering changing policies, most insurers will allow you to take your good driving record with you to your next insurer, meaning you don't have to start from scratch and you'll be probably be charged less.
Driving course discounts. Some insurers will give you discounts for passing an approved driving course, regardless of whether you actually needed it.
Once you turn 50 years old, your premiums will generally start to rise. You may have to pay a higher excess than others and you might find standard car insurance overpriced or harder to find.
In Australia, the restrictions placed on older drivers vary from state to state. Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory do not require annual medical examinations for drivers over 70.
Restrictions in the other states and territories are as follows:
New South Wales. All drivers aged 75+ must pass an annual medical examination by a doctor, while drivers over the age of 85 must also do a driving test every 2 years.
Queensland. All drivers 75 years and over are not required to do a driving test, but they must carry with them a medical certificate from their doctor, which needs to be renewed every 12 months.
Australian Capital Territory. All drivers 75 and over must pass an annual medical examination by a doctor.
Tasmania. Drivers aged 75+ no longer need to undertake an annual assessment to keep their licence.
Western Australia. Drivers aged 80–84 years old need to undergo an annual medical assessment before they can renew their licence. Those aged 85+ will need a medical assessment certificate and a practical driving assessment.
Factors that can affect your ability to drive, which impact car insurance premiums for seniors, include the following:
Impaired hearing and vision
Physical problems such as arthritis
Poorer cognitive functioning
Greater use of prescription medicines
Insurers are all about risk. They often view older drivers as posing a greater risk because they are more likely to make claims.
If the insurance policy lists them as a nominated driver, then they are covered with similar benefits to you.
If they are not named in the insurance policy (not a nominated driver), then they are either not covered at all or are only partially covered with lower limits and less protection.
Check your insurance policy for the exact details or alternative special conditions that may apply to your seniors car insurance.
If you plan on letting your grandchildren drive your car regularly, you should list them as a driver in the insurance policy. This will be more expensive if they're under the age of 25.
No, people under the age of 50 can get cover with Australian Seniors, but there is a 5% discount for Senior Card holders.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, news.com.au, The Telegraph, Explore Travel and Escape. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Kaplan Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
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