.svg)
Comprehensive Car Insurance
Written by
Kervin Mathew
Edited by
Ellie Garran
Reviewed by
Adrian BennettWe compare many well-known car insurers
iSelect does not compare all providers in the market or all policies offered by our partners in your area. Not all policies or special offers are available to all customers. Learn more.
What is comprehensive car insurance?
Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of car insurance, covering damage to both your own car and other people’s vehicles and property, even if you caused the damage. It also covers your car for theft, as well as for damage from weather events and vandalism or malicious acts.
The benefits don’t stop there – comprehensive cover can also offer exclusive features such as new car replacement, the choice of agreed or market value and optional extras.
Typically, you’d choose a comprehensive policy if you want protection against the financial burden of repairing or replacing your car in case of a motor accident.
What’s typically covered by comprehensive car insurance?
A comprehensive policy typically covers repairing or replacing your car if it’s damaged or written off in an accident (even if you’re at fault) or from extreme weather or vandalism. It also covers damage you cause to other people’s cars or property. While your exact level of cover, features and benefits will vary depending on your policy and insurer, you won’t be covered for depreciation, breakdowns or wear and tear.
To check specifics, speak with your insurer or review your Product Disclosure Statement and certificate of insurance to know what’s included in your policy.
What’s covered
Accidental damage: Whether the accident was your fault or not, this insurance could help cover the repairs to your car. This cover can also include child seats, baby capsules and personal items that were in the vehicle.
Damage from weather events: Rather than obsessively checking the forecast, you can rest easy knowing your car is covered for damage from hail, storms, floods, bushfires and other wild weather.
Theft or vandalism: After making a report to the police, a call to your insurer could help cover fixing up malicious damage to your car or pay the amount it’s covered for outright.
Damage to other people’s property: From your neighbour’s fence to their brand-new BMW, your comprehensive car insurance could help cover the bill.
Emergency accommodation and transport: If after an accident, your car isn’t in a condition to drive away, your insurance could help cover towing, plus getting you home or to a place to stay within limits set by your insurer.
What’s not covered
Driving under the influence: If demerits and a fine aren’t enough to convince you to catch the bus or call a taxi after a night out, damaging your car or someone else’s property while you’re intoxicated or under the influence of drugs means you likely won’t be covered.
Overloading your vehicle: While it may mean taking fewer trips when you’re moving house, overloading your car can be downright dangerous. Plus, your insurance might not cover any damage caused if all that extra stuff could have contributed to the accident.
Unlicensed drivers and unroadworthy or unregistered vehicles: If the driver shouldn’t be on the road or the car doesn’t have a roadworthy certificate, your car insurance claim isn’t likely to be covered. That is, unless the driver happened to steal your car, and you make a formal report.
Intentional damage: If you set out to damage your car, then you’ll need to be prepared to pay for the repairs. Your insurance isn’t likely to cover the costs. And that goes for getting a mate to do the dirty work for you, too.
Business use without a proper level of cover: If you’ve only insured your car for personal use, then any accidents or damage that happen while you’re using it for commercial use – like ridesharing or as a delivery service – may not be covered.
What optional extras can I get with comprehensive car insurance?
Reduced excess (or excess-free) windscreen and window glass cover, a hire car after an accident and choice of repairer are some common optional extras that come with comprehensive car insurance. Some insurers offer roadside assistance as optional cover with their comprehensive plans.
Check the Product Disclosure Statement to see which optional extras you can choose from.
Reduced windscreen or window glass excess
Under your regular car insurance excess, fixing a chip in your windscreen may need to come entirely out of your pocket. But with this added extra you could skip the excess, or have a reduced one, if you’re repairing or replacing your windscreen or window glass, or even a sunroof.
Hire car after an at-fault accident
If you cause an accident that leaves your car undrivable, this optional extra can help cover a rental car while your insurer processes your claim and your car gets fixed. This could be a real lifesaver for your routine, not to mention helping you avoid extra stress.
Choice of repairer
Being able to choose your repairer could mean you can go with your favourite trusted mechanic or simply pick an option that’s nearby, whether or not that repairer is within the insurer’s repairer network. Without this optional cover, who fixes your car could be at your insurer’s discretion.
Roadside assistance
If you get into trouble on the road, this optional extra could help with things like lost keys, no fuel, or dead batteries. To avoid extra heartache if you do get stranded on the side of the road, double-check what your policy does and doesn’t cover in this area. Not all insurers offer roadside assistance as an optional extra, and you might need to get it separately.
Why buy with iSelect?
We’ve been helping Australians save time, effort, and money for over 25 years.
Almost 2 million online car insurance comparisons made
Since 2018, iSelect has helped Aussies compare car insurance almost 2 million times.
Compare a range of policies online at your convenience
A better-value car insurance policy could be only a click away. Compare a range of policies online in a matter of minutes.
We tell it how it is
Sometimes a good deal just can’t be beat. If we can’t offer you a better-value policy, we’ll say so.
The same price with no mark-ups
We don’t mark up the price of our policies, so you’ll pay the same as buying direct from the insurer.*
*T&Cs apply
FOUND THE SAME POLICY CHEAPER?
WE’LL GIVE YOU A $100 E-GIFT CARD
When it comes to comprehensive car insurance, we’re confident that you’ll get the same price through iSelect as going direct to the insurer.
So, if within 30 days after buying with us, you find the identical policy (commencing within two days of the quote) with a lower annual premium from the same insurer, we’ll give you a $100 e-gift card.*
How to buy with iSelect
Get acquainted
Tell us about your car and what you’re looking for, and we’ll get to work.
Explore your options
We’ll show you policies side by side, including their monthly premiums, inclusions, and exclusions, along with any optional extras.
Pick your favourite
You’re in control. Let us know which policy you want to buy, and we’ll set you up then and there.
Say goodbye to your old policy
All that’s left to do is let your previous insurer know that it’s over between you and them.
Comprehensive car insurance explained
Buying a car insurance policy can be a task and a half, with tons of research and so many options to choose from. Watch this short video to learn the basics of comprehensive car insurance, what it can cover, and a few tips on comparing policies.
How can I save on comprehensive car insurance?
You could save on your comprehensive premium by lowering the overall risk you pose to your insurer. That could mean tuning your cover to better suit less risky driving habits, taking on some of the risk yourself and not overloading your policy with features you don’t need. Think restricting younger drivers from using your car, choosing a low-kilometre policy or a higher excess and weighing up whether or not you need to insure your car for an agreed value.
Add a driver age restriction
Younger drivers can often attract higher premiums, but you can make this work in your favour. For instance, you might be able to save on your comprehensive car insurance premium by only insuring drivers over a certain age.
Pick a low-kilometre policy
If you don’t drive your car all that often, you could opt for a low-kilometre policy. By agreeing to not go over a certain number of kilometres each year, you could lower your premium.
Set a higher excess
A higher excess could mean that you pay more out of pocket if you ever need to make a claim. However, it could also mean a lower premium, because you’re taking on more of the risk.
Choose market value cover
Agreed value cover locks in your payout in case of a total loss claim, but it comes at the cost of a higher premium. Market value cover is cheaper when it comes to premiums, but typically offers a lower payout than agreed value cover.
Is comprehensive car insurance a common choice?
Comprehensive car insurance is the most popular type of policy people choose to compare, according to iSelect customer data. Nearly 88% of online quotes provided through iSelect from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 were for comprehensive car insurance, while the remaining 16% were split equally between third-party property and third-party property, fire and theft policies.
Helpful tip
There can be big differences in the fine print of comprehensive car insurance policies, so don’t treat your insurance policy as a one-time decision. And don’t just look at the price, because there can be many extras and benefits with a more expensive policy that could make it better value for you.
Toby Hagon
Motoring Journalist
Your comprehensive car insurance questions, answered
What’s the difference between comprehensive and third-party car insurance?
Comprehensive car insurance includes a higher level of cover for your own car, while third-party car insurance covers mainly third-party property damage. Compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance, on the other hand, isn’t actually a type of car insurance – rather, it covers injury or death caused by your car.
Comprehensive car insurance comes with access to additional features and optional extras that you can adjust based on your needs and circumstances, offering more flexibility. Third-party car insurance policies, like third-party property, generally don’t cover damage to your own car – unless you go with third-party property, fire and theft or your car is damaged in an accident caused by an uninsured driver.
Unlike CTP insurance (or Green Slip), car insurance is not legally required, but it can prove useful in many situations. iSelect doesn’t compare CTP insurance policies, but we can help you compare a range of comprehensive and third-party car insurance policies.
How much does comprehensive car insurance cost?
Average annual comprehensive car insurance premiums range from $954 to 1,492, based on quotes for customers who purchased comprehensive car insurance through iSelect. Insurers determine individual premiums after considering several factors, including the state or territory where you garage your car. For instance, iSelect customers in the Northern Territory and Victoria paid $1,458 and $1,492 on average for comprehensive cover respectively, while in Tasmania and Western Australia, iSelect customers paid under $1,000 on average.1Refer to table ‘Average comprehensive car insurance premiums’
| State or territory | Average comprehensive premium |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $1,071 |
| New South Wales | $1,261 |
| Northern Territory | $1,458 |
| Queensland | $1,122 |
| South Australia | $1,024 |
| Tasmania | $954 |
| Victoria | $1,492 |
| Western Australia | $978 |
Note: These figures represent the average annual indicative cost to insure a car in each specified state and territory for customers who compared comprehensive car insurance through iSelect during the period 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026. Quote data includes indicative stamp duty and GST where applicable. Premiums have been rounded to the nearest dollar.
Your state or territory is just a piece of the pie when it comes to how your car insurance premiums are calculated. Insurers can consider other factors such as age, gender, your driving experience and claims history, the car you’re insuring, how you use it and where it’s parked – the list goes on.
Does comprehensive car insurance include compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance?
No, comprehensive car insurance doesn’t include CTP insurance.
Comprehensive cover and CTP insurance are entirely different in terms of the types of events they insure – the first is for car and property damage, while the second is for personal injuries or deaths.
You need CTP insurance (or a Green Slip if you’re registering your car in NSW) to register your vehicle, while comprehensive cover is an additional form of insurance that gives your car a high level of protection.
Is comprehensive car insurance compulsory?
No, comprehensive car insurance is not mandatory. Rather, it’s additional cover that you can get if you want extra protection for your motor vehicle.
However, an exception could be when you buy a car on finance. Your lender might require you to insure the vehicle with a comprehensive policy as a condition of your loan.
How can I get cheap comprehensive car insurance?
You can get cheaper comprehensive car insurance by lowering your overall risk to your insurer. That could mean choosing a car with a low market value, setting age restrictions or agreeing to pay a higher excess. Comprehensive policies can also include low-kilometre or pay as you drive options that come with a lower premium, provided your car is driven within the kilometre limit set by your insurer. And finally, don’t forget to look for online discounts and compare policies so you’re not paying more than you should for the level of cover you want (iSelect can help you with that).
Is comprehensive car insurance worth it?
Comprehensive car insurance can be worth considering if you want peace of mind from knowing that you’re covered for more than just third-party property damage. As the highest level of car insurance you can get in Australia, comprehensive car insurance offers the greatest amount of protection for your car. It’s the only type of car insurance that can cover your car for weather damage, vandalism and accidental damage even if the accident was your fault.
On top of its default coverage, comprehensive car insurance also comes with a range of optional extras that could help you tailor your insurance to your driving lifestyle or preferences. For instance, if you have a repairer whom you trust more than any other car mechanic, the choice of repairer optional extra allows you to nominate your preferred repairer on your policy, even if they’re outside the insurer’s repairer network.
At the end of the day, you’ll need to weigh up whether comprehensive car insurance is worth it to you. You might like to consider whether you could afford to replace or repair your car on any given day, and if you could do without a personal vehicle.
Is it worth having comprehensive car insurance on an old car?
An old car that’s lost most of its value may not be worth insuring with comprehensive cover if you can afford to replace it or you can get by without a car. Some people may prefer to insure their old car only for third-party property damage, as their car’s market value isn’t all that much. Instead, they may be more worried about being able to pay for anyone else’s property they accidentally damage.
But some old cars can be worth a lot – think classic and vintage models – in which case comprehensive car insurance could be a no-brainer. In this instance, opting for comprehensive insurance with an agreed value, or a dedicated classic or luxury car insurance policy, could be worthwhile. And besides the car you’re insuring, some comprehensive-only benefits can outweigh the costs – like being able to go with a low-kilometre policy or having the option of a hire car after an accident.
How do excesses work for comprehensive car insurance?
An excess is what you pay your insurance provider if you make a claim on your comprehensive car insurance. It can be seen as the out-of-pocket cost or your contribution to the claim costs, and it can vary based on the circumstances of your claim. Often, comprehensive policies allow you to choose a higher basic excess or add a voluntary excess on top of your standard excess; this depends on the provider. Either way, it can lead to a lower premium because you’re taking on a higher portion of the claim costs.
Typically, you choose your total excess amount when you buy your policy, and some insurers might allow you to change your excess amount during your policy term. A policy can also have additional excesses for specific situations, so you might sometimes have multiple excesses to pay for the one claim.
Additional excesses can include:
- age excess (if you or the person driving the car is under a certain age, such as 25)
- inexperienced driver excess (if the driver of your car hasn’t had their full or open Australian license for a specific period of time)
- unlisted driver excess (if the driver at the time of the incident isn’t listed in your car insurance)
- outside odometer excess (if you’re on a low-kilometre policy but you end up driving more than the specified kilometre-limit).
When it comes to your basic excess, you have some leeway as to what this amount is. Part of the figure relies on which state you live in, but you could also ask your insurer to raise or lower your excess, and thereby change your premium. A lower excess can mean a higher premium and vice versa.
You might want to keep in mind that while a lower premium can look good on paper, needing to pay a higher excess when you claim could sting. So, to help you decide, you might want to think about how likely you are to claim and also whether you can afford to set aside the excess amount. For instance, are you driving your car regularly? Or are you able to park your car somewhere secure and safe all the time?
Can I list multiple drivers on a comprehensive car insurance policy?
Yes, most comprehensive policies let you list more than one person as a nominated driver, including spouses, children and other family members – essentially anyone who may drive the car. The person who drives the car the most will usually be regarded as its regular driver. Bear in mind that insurers usually consider the driving records of all listed drivers on a policy when calculating the premium.
Insurers can also differ as to whether they cover unlisted drivers. Some insurers may cover the damages if someone who isn’t covered by your policy drives your car and ends up in an accident. But you’ll usually need to pay an unlisted driver excess.
Can comprehensive car insurance cover learner drivers?
Yes, comprehensive car insurance can cover learner drivers. Some policies can cover learners even if they’re not a listed driver, but it’s better to be safe and list learners who are likely to drive the insured car or at least check the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement. Also be mindful of any young or inexperienced driver excesses that may apply if you make a claim for an incident involving a learner driver.
If your child is using your car to learn how to drive, your comprehensive policy’s coverage can extend to your child when they’re driving the insured vehicle. Of course, the learner driver must comply with the learner permit conditions, such as being supervised by a fully licensed driver and properly displaying L-plates, to be covered by the policy.
If you’re a learner driver, you might choose to get coverage in one of the following ways:
- If you’re driving someone else’s car, the car’s owner might be able to add you as a listed driver on their car insurance policy. This can help cover you for damages if you get into an accident while driving their car.
- If you own your own car, you can apply for comprehensive car insurance with an insurer who offers cover for learner drivers. In such an instance, you will usually need to be the primary driver of the vehicle.
How do I make a comprehensive car insurance claim if I’ve gotten into an accident?
To make a car insurance claim after an accident, you’ll need to contact your insurer to let them know about the incident and then submit the claim along with any details of the accident. These details can include how the accident happened, photos of the damage, contact details of anyone else involved in the accident and police reports.
If you’re in an accident, it’s also important to stop and assist if it’s safe to do so. If any property has been damaged or if the other driver isn’t willing to share their details or hasn’t stopped, you’ll need to report the accident to the police.
Here’s a rough guide of what you can do if you have an accident, including how to make a car insurance claim.
- Once everyone has been helped, you’ll need to exchange details with anyone else involved in the accident – this is a legal requirement. This means giving your details to other drivers or the owners of any property damaged. Your details should include your name, address and car registration.
- Make a note of things like the time, date, location, weather conditions, what speed you were travelling and the names and contact details of any witnesses. Photos or diagrams can also prove useful for the police and your insurer.
- Contact your insurer. Even if you don’t intend to make a claim, your policy may require you to notify them of any accident – this is a duty of disclosure.
- Depending on your insurer, you may be able to make your claim over the phone or online. Some even offer 24/7 service – after all, accidents don’t stick to business hours.
- To get your claim rolling, have all that information you collected handy, like when and where it happened, and what was damaged. You can then follow the prompts to submit your claim.
- Once your claim is lodged, the ball is in your insurer’s court. They’ll keep you updated on how it’s progressing. If your insurer follows the General Insurance Code of Practice, you should hear back about the outcome of your claim within 10 business days.
If your claim is successful, your insurer will organise assessing and repairing your car. Be aware that you may still have excesses to pay, whether you’re the at-fault driver or not.
Compare comprehensive car insurance with other types of policies
Get started on comparing car insurance policies!
Save time and effort by comparing a range of car insurance quotes with iSelect
iSelect General Pty Ltd (ABN 90 131 798 126. AFSL 334115) has partnered with Compare the Market (ABN 83 117 323 378. AFSL 422926) to compare a range of car insurers and policies. Not all providers in the market or all policies offered by the partners are compared and not all policies or special offers are available to all customers.
A number of our participating general insurance brands are arranged by Auto & General Services Pty Ltd ACN 003 617 909 on behalf of Auto & General Insurance Company Limited 111 586 353, both of which are related entities of iSelect Limited. Our relationship with those companies does not impact the integrity of our comparison service. Click here to view iSelect’s range of providers.
Any advice provided by iSelect is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice iSelect gives you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on iSelect’s advice or purchasing any policy. You should consider iSelect’s Financial Services Guide which provides information about our services and your rights as a client of iSelect. iSelect receives commission for each policy sold that is a percentage of the premium or a flat fee. Ask us for more details before we provide you with any services.