South Australia is filled with some of Australia’s most picturesque destinations. From the state’s renowned wine regions through to Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and the capital itself, Adelaide. There are plenty of roads to cover in SA, and any of them can be hazardous. This is especially true when you consider that more than 1.4 million vehicles were registered for SA roads as of January 2021.1
Many car insurance policies offer high levels of protection; you just need to find the one that fits your lifestyle. We’re here to help you navigate car insurance in SA.
Drivers in SA will all have different requirements. Lucky for you, there’s an array of options for you to consider.
Forget spending hours looking for car insurance. Our service allows you to assess your options in just minutes!
Simply fill in your details and you’ll be able to review a range of policies from leading car insurers in one convenient location.
Our service has no mark-ups, no hidden fees and absolutely no cost attached to our comparison. You can search as many times as you like until you find cover you’re happy with.
We can help you find a car insurance policy for areas across South Australia, such as Adelaide or the Flinders Ranges. Check out the different types of car insurance available below and start your comparison journey today.
Comprehensive car insurance offers the most complete coverage of any product. It covers car theft, repair costs for a third party’s property and weather-related damages, as well as repair or replacement costs for your car. Additional benefits may include windshield replacement, cover for your belongings, roadside assistance membership, towing and more!
Third Party Fire & Theft insurance functions similarly to Third Party Property Damage cover, with an added feature: it covers the replacement costs of your vehicle if it’s stolen or lost in a fire. It still won’t cover your vehicle’s repair costs if you’re at fault in a traffic incident, but it’s still slightly more robust than Third Party Property Damage.
Third Party Property Damage insurance pays towards the repair costs for accidental damage you cause to someone else’s vehicle or property. It doesn’t cover any repair costs for your car, so it would be wise to keep some money aside in case your vehicle needs work in the future. This level of insurance also doesn’t cover the cost of replacing your car in the event it’s stolen.
Compulsory Third Party insurance is paid whenever you register your car in South Australia. It covers your liability if you cause injury or death to a third party in an accident. You have the choice of four CTP insurers in SA when you register or renew your vehicle’s registration. You can make your selection when you fill out your registration or renewal notice.
In South Australia, every driver must have CTP insurance. However, if you’re concerned about its limited coverage, you might want to consider a higher level of cover. When deciding on which one to take out, it’s important to think about the range of hazards on the road and whether your current level of car insurance covers your vehicle’s repair and replacement costs.
On top of repair and replacement expenses for your own car, you should also factor in the repair costs for another person’s car or property that you might damage in an accident, plus damage to government property like electric poles and guard rails. Taking out comprehensive car insurance provides cover for both instances.
This table highlights what you’re covered for under each type of car insurance in SA.
| Type of insurance | Damage to your car | Damage to another person’s car or property | Damage to your car or loss of your car caused by theft | Injuries or death to other people in an accident |
| CTP | No | No | No | Yes |
| Third Party Property Damage | No | Yes | No | No |
| Third Party Fire & Theft | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Note: Some additional factors and variables may affect your level of coverage. Always refer to your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). | ||||
Typically, South Australian drivers can find great value in some of the below features:
Although some of these features might be offered as optional extras and come at an additional cost, they can be well worth the expense, especially if you find yourself in a predicament.
The cost of car insurance in South Australia varies depending on the level of cover you take out and your circumstances. Factors that influence the price of premiums include:
Completing a quote is a great way to find out how much you could end up paying for car insurance. Our service is free to use, lets you compare your options in minutes and is easy to use.
As of March 2021, more than 1.77 million people called South Australia home.2 It doesn’t matter if you’re driving through charming Hahndorf or visiting family in Mount Gambier, SA is a fantastic corner of our country.
However, despite its surreal landscapes and exotic outdoor destinations, SA isn’t exempt from variables outside of our control. Crime, accidents and natural disasters are commonplace throughout the whole country, so it pays to be prepared with the right level of car insurance.
Moving house may affect your car insurance premiums. If you move to a South Australian postcode that’s considered riskier due to higher rates of theft, or to a busy city centre where car accidents occur more frequently, you may notice a rise in your premiums. Similarly, your premiums may reduce if you move to a safer area. It’s important to let your insurer know as soon as you relocate.
South Australia has a low number of motor vehicle thefts, especially when compared to other states like NSW. The rate of car thefts in SA has gone down in recent years, but in the 2020/21 financial year, around 2,100 South Australians had their car stolen.3
However, that’s actually a reduction of 20% on the year before.
While car theft is low, it’s a possibility that South Australians will want to prepare for. Car theft can be covered by either Third Party Fire and Theft or comprehensive car insurance policies. These policies can also cover vandalism and malicious damage.
Lodging a claim, no matter who was at fault, can affect your premiums. While all types of claims will increase your premium, an at-fault claim will increase it a lot more than a not-at-fault claim would. For example, if you made multiple claims within a year, insurers would see you as a significant risk to cover and they may increase your premiums.
It’s a good idea to regularly compare car insurance policies to ensure you’re paying a premium you’re comfortable with. Our comparison tool allows you to easily assess features, policies and prices in just minutes.
Younger drivers typically pay higher premiums than older drivers. So, provided you don’t make a claim, you may be offered discounts as you get older. However, there are many factors that impact car insurance premiums, so there’s no guarantee it will reduce in price as you get older.
Car immobilisers, antilock brakes, alarms and other anti-theft features may help reduce your car insurance premiums. Even the simple act of parking your car in a locked garage as opposed to a busy street can help reduce the cost of cover, especially if you’re parked somewhere with a high rate of theft or vandalism.
Find out more about what factors can affect the price of your car insurance.
Car insurance can cover your car in the event of hail damage, but you’ll require a comprehensive policy. That said, it can be more challenging to obtain this level of cover if your car has pre-existing hail damage. Existing damage makes it hard for insurers to determine if the damage is new or already there if you make a claim.
Keep in mind that all cars in South Australia require CTP insurance to be on the roads, but this doesn’t cover damage as a result of hail. It’s the same case for Third Party Property Damage and Third Party Fire and Theft policies, which will cover damage to other cars and property but not your own. For further information, read car insurance for hail damage.
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