Queensland (QLD) might be known as the ‘sunshine state’, but it’s not necessarily all sunshine and rainbows for drivers. Whether you’re winding through the busy suburban streets of Brisbane, taking a road trip up north to Cairns or Townsville, heading to the picturesque Sunshine Coast or playing tourist on the Gold Coast, each road can contain unexpected threats.
If you ever need to repair or replace your car because of storm damage, theft or accidental damage, having suitable car insurance in QLD can help you ‘handle the heat’ by covering some of the costs. Finding cover for your vehicle doesn’t have to be difficult, either; our car insurance comparison service easily helps you find a car insurance quote and compare policies. It’s free, takes only a few minutes and lets you compare multiple insurers with ease.
Automatically renewing your current car insurance is easy, but could you save more? See what new policies are now available to make sure you’re getting great cover at a price you’re happy to pay.
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Comprehensive car insurance provides wide-ranging cover for drivers by insuring their vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged from a traffic accident, storm, fire, flood or malicious act. It covers both your vehicle and any damage to someone else’s car or property. Premiums will vary depending on your address, vehicle, how you drive and where you park.
Third Party Fire & Theft insurance covers you for damage to other drivers’ vehicles when you cause an accident. You also have limited cover when your vehicle is damaged or destroyed by fire or stolen. While this insurance is better cover than no insurance, it doesn’t protect you for everything found in a comprehensive policy.
Third Party Property Damage insurance can cover the damage to another driver’s vehicle or property in an accident which you cause. This type of car insurance will, in some cases, provide a limited amount of cover for your car’s loss or damage in an accident. However, you will only be covered under certain circumstances (e.g. if the other driver is uninsured) and can only claim up to a set limit.
CTP insurance covers drivers for costs associated with the death or injury of another person. It won’t cover damage to your car or someone else’s car or property. It’s a minimum legal requirement that’s usually included in your vehicle registration. QLD drivers can nominate a CTP insurer, but since the Queensland State Government regulates prices, policies are all around the same cost for Queenslanders.
Whether or not you require comprehensive car insurance in QLD depends entirely on your circumstances. The only insurance that’s compulsory for all QLD drivers is CTP. However, this type of insurance only covers your liability when other drivers are hurt and won’t cover damage to your vehicle.
Meanwhile, comprehensive car insurance will cover damage to your car and any other vehicle or property involved in an accident, even if you’re at fault.
When deciding on the level of car insurance to take out, consider whether you would have the means to pay for damage repair or to replace your car if you were involved in an accident.
This table can help you figure out how you’d be covered by each policy.
| Insurance type | Damage to your car | Damage to another person’s car or property | Damage or loss caused by theft | Injuries or death to others in an accident |
| CTP | No | No | No | Yes |
| Third party property | No | Yes | No | No (but covered by CTP) |
| Third Party Fire and theft | No | Yes | Yes | No (but covered by CTP) |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (but covered by CTP) |
| Please Note: Certain factors and variables may affect your level of coverage. Always read the fine print on your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for specific limitations and conditions to the cover. | ||||
When deciding which policy or insurer to choose, you should consider how to get the right level of cover at an affordable price. The following features could have a significant impact on your premium:
Be sure to check the full details of any car insurance policy before you buy by reading the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
The cost of comprehensive car insurance in QLD varies between customers, so finding an average cost is difficult without considering your personal circumstances. Factors that may impact what you pay include your:
Read more about factors that impact your premium and how car insurance is calculated.
Car insurance in QLD follows the same structure as most other Australian states and territories. However, no matter which state you live in, your premium can be affected by:
While other states like NSW and VIC typically have higher rates of car theft, QLD has unfortunately seen a growing increase in the last few years. Between 2016/17 to 2020/21, car theft in QLD grew by 26%. In the 2020/21 financial year, QLD had the highest number of stolen passenger cars and light commercial vehicles out of all states and territories in Australia, with 11,059 thefts.1
This table shows the top motor vehicle theft hotspots in QLD for the 2020/21 financial year (this number includes motorcycles and commercial vehicles as well as cars stolen in QLD).
Source: National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. 2021.
Car insurance covers your vehicle and not individuals. It’s important to list anyone you expect to drive your car as an additional driver on your policy. Generally, learner drivers don’t need to be listed, but check with your insurer.
Be aware that adding additional drivers may impact the amount you pay. Factors such as each driver’s age and driving history will also affect premiums. You’ll usually be charged more for inexperienced or younger drivers (e.g. those under 25). You may incur extra excess fees if someone not listed as an additional driver on your vehicle is involved in an accident.
If your family has multiple vehicles, each car will require its own policy unless you can take out a multi-vehicle car insurance policy (which may reduce premiums and paperwork). For every extra car you put on the same policy, you may receive a percentage discount on your premium, although premiums for all cars will usually need to be paid together on one bill. It’s also important to consider who is named the primary driver of each vehicle, as younger drivers will increase premiums.
Families are also usually able to bundle their car insurance with their home and contents insurance through the same insurer to receive a small discount, but this will differ between insurers and policies. Bundling car insurance for a family may be easier and cheaper (especially for younger drivers), but it might also inflate the cost for older, more experienced drivers.
Compare car insurance through our free comparison service today.
Unfortunately, even comprehensive car insurance policies generally won’t cover paint damage from wear and tear, deterioration or exposure to weather (sun, sand, salt, rain or water). As such, Queenslanders, particularly those living next to the beach, may need to protect their cars by parking in the shade and covering them when practical.
Car paint damage may sometimes be covered through comprehensive cover, but you can generally only claim on it if the paint damage is the result of an accident, theft, hail or storm damage, not natural wear and tear.
For a full list of all the exclusions, terms and conditions listed in your car insurance policy, check the PDS.
Car insurance doesn’t generally cover motorcycles or caravans. A range of car insurance companies do offer motorcycle insurance or caravan insurance policies that work in a similar way.
Queenslanders love a good bargain, which is why shopping around is the best way to get great-value car insurance. That’s the benefit of using our comparison service.
We can provide a selection of affordable policy options side by side for you to compare for free. Whether you’re searching for basic cover or something more extensive, we can guide you in the direction of affordable car protection on QLD roads. Compare your car insurance options today with our free comparison service.
1 Theft Watch – 12 months to June 2021. National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. 2021.
Our General Manager of General Insurance, Stephen Zeller, is passionate about helping Australians have a better understanding of their insurance products, including car insurance. He helps ensure consumers have got the facts, no matter what level of cover they have.
Stephen has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, and is an Allied Member of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) and helps review General Insurance content on Compare the Market to ensure it accurately breaks down complex insurance topics.
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