Key takeaways
- Third party property damage car insurance is an additional layer of protection to compulsory third party (CTP) insurance.
- It covers you for damage your car causes to another person's property up to a fixed limit.
- Third party property damage car insurance can be a cheaper alternative to comprehensive car insurance, however, coverage is limited.
What does third party property damage car insurance cover?

Third party property car insurance
Third party property car insurance covers you for damage to other people's property – for example someone else's car, home or shop. It covers only this and nothing else, up to a certain limit (commonly $20 million). This type of policy adds an additional layer of protection over the bare minimum compulsory third party insurance, and prevents you from having to be out of pocket for potentially enormous bills if you hit something expensive.

Third party, fire and theft car insurance
This is a step up from third party property insurance. In addition to covering you for costs if you damage someone else's property, it can pay to repair or replace your car if it's damaged by fire or stolen. However, it still doesn't cover you for damage done to your own car – only comprehensive car insurance covers you for this.
Third party property damage insurance costs
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How we picked theseCompare third party property damage policies
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How we picked theseFinder 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.
What's the cheapest third party car insurance?
Third party property damage cover is already one of the cheaper ways to insure your car, but prices still vary between insurers. In Finder's latest quotes, the cheapest third party property damage policies started from around $427 a year.
Based on our sample quotes, the most affordable policies came from Budget Direct and Bingle, both around the $427 to $431 mark for our driver profile. Keep in mind these are based on a set profile, so the cheapest option for you will depend on your car, your age and where you live.
The cheapest policy isn't always the best value, though. Some slightly dearer policies include extras like cover for damage caused by an uninsured driver, which can be worth the small difference. Compare a few options on both price and what's included before you decide.
How to find the best third party coverage for you
1. Compare quotes
Most third party car insurance policies are very similar so price is an important factor. If you think you're paying too much, compare car insurance policies to find a better deal.
2. Choose a higher excess
Your insurer will offer you a lower premium in return.
3. Restrict drivers
You can get a cheaper car insurance policy by restricting your policy to drivers over a certain age.
4. Uninsured motorist damage
Some third party policies cover damage to your own car caused by an uninsured driver. The cap is usually $5,000 but will vary between insurers.
5. Discounts
Sign-up discounts can be a good way to pay less. Just make sure the policy is still the right fit for you.
Is third party car insurance worth it?
Could be good if you:
- Have a low-value car. For example, if it's worth under $10,000. Sometimes it is not economically viable to insure for comprehensive, especially for lower value cars, or drivers with a higher excess (usually younger drivers).
- It's all you can afford right now. Our research shows third party is more than half the price of a comprehensive policy.
- Want more than the bare minimum (CTP) which only covers injuries to people. "I like knowing I'm covered for the costs of their repairs" says finance specialist Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon, "Even if I collide with a Maserati".
Might not be good if you:
- Own an expensive car. You could be thousands out of pocket if it was damaged.
- Rely on your car. Could you afford to replace it if was written off?
- Live in a high-risk area, e.g theft or weather events – in which case, consider third party fire & theft or comprehensive insurance instead.
"I had a third party property damage policy on my old car. It was a pretty run-down vehicle, plus I was always working from home and barely used it or left it unattended, so a comprehensive policy just wouldn't have been worth the money. A basic third party policy to protect me from the costs associated with damage to other people's property was all I needed at the time and cutting it right back was a good way to save money."
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I’m interested in looking at car insurance which allows for some rideshare work. Can you provide a list?
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the message. You can head to our guide to rideshare insurance here. More than a dozen providers offer some coverage for rideshare drivers.
Best,
James