We helped 21,663 Aussies find cover each week in 2017
Western Australia is known for its abundant beauty and diverse landscapes. From Fremantle’s lapping waterfront and Perth’s bustling city centre to Margaret River’s famed wineries, and the rugged red earth of the stormy North West; there’s plenty to see and explore – especially by car.
While driving through Western Australia is filled with wonderful views, some roads can be challenging, particularly when it comes to heavy traffic areas or remote landscapes with unpredictable wildlife.
With 2.2 million registered vehicles travelling Western Australian roads as of 2016[1], there’s a real need for some form of car insurance, so you can keep adventuring.
Comprehensive car insurance is, as its name suggests, the most comprehensive form of insurance you can take out for your car. It covers the repair and replacement of your car if it is affected by fire, theft, accidental damage, or certain weather events.
On top of this, it can also cover the repair and replacement costs of any vehicles or property that are damaged in an accident where you’re at fault.
Third Party Property car insurance is designed to protect you against damage, liability costs, and repairs to other vehicles or property in an accident.
This type of insurance doesn’t cover damage to your car or property in an accident (including repairs and replacement), and it doesn’t cover the cost of replacing your car should it be stolen.
Third Party Fire & Theft offers an added level of protection compared to Third Party Property insurance.
This type of car insurance not only covers damage to your car if a Third Party is at fault, but it also covers repair or replacement costs associated with your vehicle from theft or a fire.
Depending on the policy, it may also cover damage caused to your vehicle caused by an at-fault, uninsured driver - although repairs will only be covered up to a specified limit.
Every vehicle on Australian roads must have Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance for their car. It is the minimum level of car insurance that is automatically built into your car registration costs each year you renew.
This type of insurance covers you if you’re ever responsible for Third Party injury or death from a car accident.
As CTP insurance provides minimum-level car insurance, it doesn’t cover damage to other vehicles or property, including your own. If you do get into an accident and only hold this level of cover, you may have significant out-of-pocket expenses.
While some car insurance features can come at an additional cost to your premiums, they can be worth taking out for that extra level of care if the unexpected were to happen.
Some features insurers may offer include:
If you’re driving on WA roads, you must have Compulsory Third Party insurance. However, as this type of insurance doesn’t protect you against a range of common scenarios, like repair costs and theft, it’s vital you consider additional levels of cover, like comprehensive car insurance.
Take a look at our table for a clear snapshot of the difference between each type of car insurance.
When weighing up your insurance options, it’s important you carefully consider how much your car is worth. According to our website in early Q1 2018, the average market value of a car in Western Australian is $18,604.
Could you afford to pay for your car’s repair and replacement costs out-of-pocket, as well as damage to another driver’s car or property?
If you’re unsure, we believe comprehensive car insurance is well worth the investment.
| Insurance type | Damage to your car | Damage to another person’s car or property | Damage or loss caused by theft | Injuries or death to other people in an accident |
| Green Slip (i.e. CTP) | No | No | No | Yes |
| Third party property | No | Yes | No | No |
| Third party fire & theft | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
The cost of comprehensive car insurance varies, depending on the provider. As an example, take a look at our chart to the right:
Our prices in our chart are based on a 2010 Mazda 3; the most popular car quoted for WA on our website. On our cheapest policy, it would cost around $8.67 a week for comprehensive cover. Compared to the thousands of dollars of repair or car replacement costs without the right level of cover, this premium is a small price to pay.
As always, it’s vital you carefully check what’s included in your policy, as cheaper premiums don’t always provide the cover you require.
So, how do you find car insurance that suits your needs and budget? After all, every driver is unique.
We offer a range of car insurance policies from a number of brands; so you can compare your options, not limit them.
We’ll help you compare policies to see if you’re missing out on any valuable features and benefits; like discounts and bonuses.
Our online comparison tool allows you to compare quotes in just minutes, all in the one place. No more searching through numerous websites to find great value.
Our partners pay us the commission; you pay nothing to use our streamlined service. So, if prices go up for your policy, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t shop around for a new policy that (a) costs less and (b) continues to protect your finances.
Car insurance in WA is similar to most other Australian states and territories. While WA is generally a safe place to call home, there are some variables that can influence the price of car insurance premiums.
As WA is an amalgamation of both urban and rural, you may notice your car insurance premiums increase or decrease depending on (for example) where you drive, or where you park your car.
No matter which state you live in, there will always be someone breaking the law.
According to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council, there were a total of 7,643 car thefts in WA during 2017 – approximately three thefts per every 1,000 registered cars.
Unfortunately, approximately a quarter of all cars stolen in Australia are never recovered, which means numerous WA car owners would have benefited from a car insurance claim – if they were covered.
If possible, make sure your car is effectively secured when parked, particularly between 4pm and 8pm on Fridays – a popular time for car thieves to spring into action.
While we may do everything in our power to drive safely and lawfully on the roads, other drivers may not follow the same rules.
In 2016, 196 people died on WA roads, 65 due to speed-related crashes, and 62 because of alcohol-related crashes. The remaining fatalities were caused by non-seatbelt use or fatigue.
Regional WA didn’t fare too well, either.
The Road Safety Commission announced a Wheatbelt Highway Safety Review in 2015 due to the high instance of serious crashes and fatalities compared to the state’s other regions. 14% of all road fatalities in WA occurred in Wheatbelt in 2016.
On top of this, unpredictable wildlife can make driving on the roads challenging.
Kangaroos, camels, and cattle often roam across the road, especially at night.
As such, it’s important that you remain vigilant on the roads in order to stay safe.
Still have some burning questions? We’re here to answer them.
Moving houses may affect your car insurance premiums. If you move to a postcode that is considered riskier due to higher rates of theft, or a busy city centre where car accidents occur more frequently, you may notice a rise in your premiums; especially if you’ve come from an area that’s relatively safer.
Lodging a claim, no matter who was at fault, can affect your premiums; an at-fault claim will increase your premiums more, whereas a no-fault claim may not affect it as greatly.
According to Western Australia’s Road Safety Commission, 29% of those killed in car accidents were aged 20 to 29 in 2016. As such, drivers under the age of 25 may be faced with more expensive premiums than their elders. This also means insurers may offer discounts to more experienced drivers.
Car insurance premiums can be affected by the type of vehicle you’re driving, as well as any modifications that may impact the car’s driving safety. Your age, driving history, and your gender, may impact your premiums as well.
Conversely, car immobilisers, antilock brakes, alarms, and other anti-theft features may help reduce your car insurance premiums. Furthermore, parking your car in a locked garage as opposed to a busy street can help reduce the cost of your cover, especially if you’re parked in an area that has a high rate of theft or vandalism.
While car insurers (depending on the type of cover) can cover your car against hail damage, insurers may not cover cars with pre-existing hail damage. If insurers do provide cover for hail damaged cars, their premiums may be more expensive. For further information, read car insurance for hail damage.
Don’t stall now. See if you can track down better car insurance cover
Compare car insurance
