From executing hook turns and navigating tram lines in the busy city to scenic car trips winding along the Great Ocean Road to the Grampians, Victorian drivers need to be assertive, nimble and focused. After all, road conditions in Victoria can change as abruptly as Melbourne’s infamous weather.
Victoria also recorded the highest amount of motor vehicle thefts around the country in the 2020/21 financial year, with 12,651 total thefts.1 If you do ever find yourself in a predicament on the road (whether in Victoria or elsewhere in Australia), having suitable car insurance can help cover certain costs.
As happy as you might be to roll over your cover, you may not necessarily be getting the best value. Could you save, however, if you compared with us?
Simply provide us with a few details such as your driving history, details about the car and which part of Victoria you live in. In return we can provide you with a range of products for you to review side-by-side. Simples.
Our car comparison service costs you $0! Any Victorian driver can compare car insurance for free, as often as needed.
We’re here to help. If you have any questions about car insurance or how our service works, get in touch with our experts.
A comprehensive car insurance policy is the highest level of car cover. It covers financial loss or damage to your car from theft, fire, storm, flood, malicious acts and accidental damage. It can also cover the damage to someone else’s car or property following a car accident and may replace your vehicle if it’s a total loss.
This type of car insurance covers you for damage to someone else’s vehicle or property, as well as for the loss or damage to your car from fire, theft and malicious acts. Some policies have conditional cover for limited repair costs when you’re not at fault in an accident and the other driver isn’t insured.
Third Party Property Damage car insurance covers the expenses of another person’s damaged property or vehicle when you’re at fault for an accident. It can sometimes provide a limited amount of cover for your own car’s loss or damage as a result of the accident. However, this depends on certain requirements being fulfilled (i.e. if the other driver isn’t insured and is at fault).
CTP policies cover you, passengers, other drivers, road users and pedestrians for death or injuries caused by an accident which is your fault. CTP doesn’t cover the damage you cause to cars or property, including your own. It’s a minimum requirement provided by Victoria’s government-owned Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and is included with your car registration.
CTP insurance is a requirement for all Victorian drivers when they first register their car or renew their registration. However, it’s essential to determine which type of policy and level of cover is right for you and which additional insurance you should buy.
If you’ve spent a lot of money on purchasing your car and maintaining it, will your budget allow you enough room to replace or repair it if it’s damaged, stolen or totalled in an accident?
It’s important your significant investment doesn’t go to waste after one accident (especially if it’s a brand new car), which is why lenders often require you to purchase insurance if you’re taking out a car loan.
Here’s a comparison of car insurance options to consider.
Insurance type | Damage to your car | Damage to another person’s car or property | Damage or loss caused by theft or fire | Injuries or death to other people in an accident |
Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Included in CTP as a part of registration |
Third Party Fire and Theft | No | Yes | Yes | Included in CTP as a part of registration |
Third Party Property Damage | No | Yes | No | Included in CTP as a part of registration |
CTP | No | No | No | Yes |
Please note: There are certain factors and variables that may affect your level of coverage. Always read the fine print on your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for specific exclusions and conditions to the cover. |
Car insurance can provide a range of benefits, with higher levels of insurance providing a greater range of perks and cover. You may be able to choose some of the below features to add to your policy as optional extras if they don’t come as standard. Note that adding extra coverage options will likely cost you more.
Whether you’re driving through the streets of Geelong, ascending the Victorian Alps or travelling anywhere in Australia, comprehensive insurance is the top level of car cover.
Comprehensive insurance covers you for legal liability, accidental damage, damage to a third party, theft, fire and storm damage. You can also get car hire cover and brand-new replacement for vehicles less than two years old as additional inclusions, according to the terms and conditions of your policy. The full list of inclusions and optional extras will be listed in the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
You can easily compare comprehensive car insurance for Victoria and get a car insurance quote in minutes using our free comparison service.
The cost of car insurance will change for each driver, because your premiums are calculated using a variety of factors that are usually unique to you. Some of these factors include:
This chart shows some example comparisons for comprehensive car insurance in Victoria and compares just how much of a difference location can make to the price of car insurance.
If you want an idea of how much car insurance may cost you, you can complete a quote by using our free comparison service.
Source: Compare the Market quote, produced 26/10/21. These prices are based on quotes for a manual Mazda 3 2014 five-door hatchback model, for private use to be driven 15,000km/year with no accident or hail damage, to be driven by a 38-year-old female driver with a rating 1 NCD (no claims discount) for the Victorian postcodes of 3182 (St Kilda) and 3630 (Shepparton). Comprehensive Insurance was quoted based on a $900 excess, whereas Third Party Property Damage and Third Party Fire and Theft were quoted based on a $600 excess. For St Kilda, average Comprehensive and Third Party Property Damage prices based on quotes provided by PD Insurance, Carpeesh, Eric, Budget Direct, ING, Virgin Money, 1st for Women, Huddle, Ozicare, Stella, and Woolworths. For Shepparton, average Comprehensive quotes provided by Budget Direct, ING, Virgin Money, Woolworths and Huddle, 1st for Women, Ozicare, Woolworths, and Retirease. Third Party Property Damage quotes were provided by PD Insurance, Budget Direct, ING, Virgin Money, Huddle, and Woolworths. Third Party Fire and Theft quotes were provided by Budget Direct, ING and Virgin Money for both St Kilda and Shepparton.
Your car insurance premium is in part affected by the state or territory you live in. However, it can also be affected by the following:
Victoria has one of the highest rates of car thefts in all of Australia. While the COVID-19 pandemic made the number of car thefts take a sharp dive, there were still more than 10,000 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (vans and utes) stolen in Victoria during the 2020 to 2021 financial year, according to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council.2
Victorians with Third Party Fire and Theft or comprehensive car insurance can be covered against car theft, plus any malicious damage caused by an attempted car theft.
Still have some burning questions? We’re here to answer them.
The cost of your car insurance is a bit more complicated than whether you live in Melbourne or out in the Victorian bushland. That said, the postcode you live in does play a part in how much your insurance will cost.
For example, perhaps your regional Victorian town has safe roads but a high rate of car thefts. Or your inner-city suburb home is safe from thieves and your car is garaged at night, but you live near a busy intersection that has lots of crashes. Taking out a new policy for either situation might cost a bit more than somewhere with low rates of theft and accidents, regardless of where it is in the state.
Compare car insurance through our free comparison service today.
Just like anywhere else in Australia, your car insurance premiums will depend on several factors, such as:
Compare car insurance through our free comparison service today.
All Victorians would appreciate getting cheaper car insurance. So, if you’re in the Garden State and looking to lower the cost of your vehicle’s insurance, you might be able to do the following (depending on your policy and needs):
Compare car insurance through our free comparison service today.
1 Theft Watch – 12 months to June 2021: All motor vehicles. National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. 2021.
2 Theft Watch – 12 months to June 2021: Passenger/light commercial vehicles. National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. 2021.
As General Manager of General Insurance, Stephen Zeller works hard to make sure motorists are equipped with knowledge on how their insurance works and how comparing policies can benefit them.
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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