.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?
If your car is your pride and joy, then comprehensive car insurance may be what you’re after. With it, you have the highest level of protection you can get, with more situations covered than in any other type of car insurance.
What’s typically covered by comprehensive car insurance?
While your exact level of cover, features and benefits will vary depending on your policy and insurer, there are a few things you can expect to see covered and not covered under your comprehensive car insurance. To check specifics, speak with your insurer or review your product disclosure statement (PDS).
As the name suggests, comprehensive car insurance is, well, pretty comprehensive. While different policies vary on the specifics, you could be covered for things like:
accidental damage: Whether the accident was your fault or not, your insurance could help cover the repairs to your car
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, and other wild weather
theft or vandalism: After making a report to the police, a call to your insurer could help cover fixing up your car or pay outright the amount it’s covered for
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 transport and accommodation: If after an accident, your car isn’t exactly 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.
Unfortunately, not everything is covered by comprehensive car insurance. Ultimately, you’ll still need to aim to be a sensible and safe driver, because you won’t be covered for things like:
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 are 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 or your car shouldn’t be on the road, 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 happened while you’re using it for commercial use – like dropping off and picking up paying passengers – may not be covered.
As the name suggests, comprehensive car insurance is, well, pretty comprehensive. While different policies vary on the specifics, you could be covered for things like:
accidental damage: Whether the accident was your fault or not, your insurance could help cover the repairs to your car
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, and other wild weather
theft or vandalism: After making a report to the police, a call to your insurer could help cover fixing up your car or pay outright the amount it’s covered for
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 transport and accommodation: If after an accident, your car isn’t exactly 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.
Unfortunately, not everything is covered by comprehensive car insurance. Ultimately, you’ll still need to aim to be a sensible and safe driver, because you won’t be covered for things like:
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 are 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 or your car shouldn’t be on the road, 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 happened while you’re using it for commercial use – like dropping off and picking up paying passengers – may not be covered.
What optional extras can I get?
Windscreen and window glass cover
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 glass.
Roadside assistance
If you get into trouble, 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.
Hire car
If you’re left without your car during a claim, your policy might include or give you the option of hire car cover so you can still get around. 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. Without this optional extra, who fixes your car could be at your insurer’s discretion.
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?
Add a driver age restriction
Younger drivers can often drive up premiums, but you can make this quirk 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’re not planning on any big road trips in the near future, 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 more out of your pocket if you ever did need to claim. However, in the long run it could also mean a lower premium, helping to balance things out.
Choose market value over agreed value
Market value is how much your car was worth at the time of an incident considering factors such as its condition, age, market demand, and similar. Agreed value is a defined price between you and your insurer. While choosing agreed value could give you greater peace of mind, opting for market value could lower your premium.
Is comprehensive car insurance a common choice?
With the cost-of-living crisis continuing, we’re all looking to get the most out of our budgets. But does that mean Australians are opting for car insurance with less cover?
This pie chart map shows the types of car insurance people wanted to compare on our website from July 2024 to June 2025.
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 insurance?
There are four types of car insurance in Australia, but only the first is mandatory:
- Compulsory third party (CTP): Depending on where you live, this might also be called a Green Slip. The purpose of CTP is to compensate any person who might be injured in an accident. It doesn’t cover any damage to property, whether it’s yours or someone else’s.
- Third-party property: This provides the most basic cover of the optional car insurance products. It helps cover the cost of damage to other people’s property but generally does not cover damage to your own vehicle.
- Third-party property, fire, and theft: The next level up, this insurance adds cover for if your vehicle is stolen or catches fire.
- Comprehensive: You know all about this one now, but just in case you need a refresher, it covers damage to your car and property, as well as other people’s property.
How much does comprehensive car insurance cost?
Being the highest level of cover you can get, it’s understandable why it might also be the priciest. That said, a comprehensive car insurance policy can cost more (or less) for some. And that comes down to factors such as your age, gender, where you live, the car you’re insuring, how you use it, and where it’s parked – the list goes on.
For instance, here’s how much comprehensive car insurance might cost in Australia’s three most populous states.
Average comprehensive car insurance premiums in Victoria, 2024–25
| Age | Female | Male |
| 18–24 | $1,779 | $1,767 |
| 25–29 | $1,540 | $1,475 |
| 30–44 | $1,419 | $1,408 |
| 45+ | $1,140 | $1,181 |
Source: Based on iSelect comprehensive car insurance sales data, July 2024 – June 2025
Average comprehensive car insurance premiums in New South Wales, 2024–25
| Age | Female | Male |
| 18–24 | $1,490 | $1,536 |
| 25–29 | $1,289 | $1,331 |
| 30–44 | $1,212 | $1,211 |
| 45+ | $953 | $963 |
Source: Based on iSelect comprehensive car insurance sales data, July 2024 – June 2025
Average comprehensive car insurance premiums in Queensland, 2024–25
| Age | Female | Male |
| 18–24 | $1,399 | $1,340 |
| 25–29 | $1,251 | $1,157 |
| 30–44 | $1,150 | $1,155 |
| 45+ | $893 | $896 |
Source: Based on iSelect comprehensive car insurance sales data, July 2024 – June 2025
Does comprehensive car insurance include CTP?
No, comprehensive car insurance doesn’t include compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance.
Comprehensive cover and CTP insurance are entirely different in terms of what types of events they insure – the first is for car and property damage, and the second is for personal injuries or deaths.
You need compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance 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?
Unlike compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance, comprehensive car insurance (and in the same vein, third-party 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 to your loan.
How can I get cheap comprehensive car insurance?
There’s no sugar-coating it – comprehensive car insurance is not the cheapest level of cover you’ll find. That said, if it’s cheaper comprehensive cover you’re after, there are ways to reduce your premiums.
For starters, try using iSelect’s car insurance comparison tool. It compares policy features and premiums from a range of providers for you to consider. If you see one that ticks the boxes, we can help sign you up in a matter of minutes, and you won’t be paying more than if you bought the policy directly from the insurer.
You may also be able to lower your comprehensive car insurance premium by opting for a pay as you drive policy, increasing your excess, switching from monthly to annual premium payments, or setting higher driver age restrictions.
Is comprehensive car insurance worth it?
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 can mean you have greater peace of mind, whether you’re driving or another listed driver is, since damage to your car and other people’s property will be covered, even if you’re at fault.
Some insurers might even extend the cover to unlisted drivers of your car, although they might set some conditions for these. So, if you lend your car to a friend, anything that happens while they’re driving could be covered too.
Like other types of car insurance, comprehensive car insurance also comes with a range of optional extras. These could help you tailor your insurance to your driving lifestyle or preferences. For instance, if you’re worried about being way out of pocket for a damaged window or windscreen, reduced window glass excess could ease that anxiety.
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 think about if 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?
This depends on your car and your priorities.
Some people may prefer to only insure their old car 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.
However, some old cars can be worth a lot. Think classic and vintage models. In this instance, opting for comprehensive insurance with an agreed value, or dedicated classic or luxury car insurance, could be worthwhile.
Ultimately, the decision is up to you. You might like to consider whether you could reasonably repair or replace your car, or just go without for a while, if it were to be damaged or written off.
How do excesses work for comprehensive car insurance?
As with other types of car insurance, your comprehensive policy may come with an excess: an amount you’ll generally need to pay when making a claim.
The basic excess is the amount you pay whenever you claim. You’ll have picked how much this is when you bought your policy.
Sometimes, a policy has additional excesses for specific situations, so you might sometimes have multiple excesses to pay under the one claim.
Additional excesses might include:
- age excess (if you or the listed driver needing to make a claim is under a certain age, like 25)
- inexperienced driver excess (if the driver of your car hasn’t had their full or open Australian license for all that long)
- unlisted driver excess (if the driver isn’t listed in your car insurance)
- kilometres exceeded excess (if you’ve agreed to only drive a certain number of kilometres but you’ve ended up driving more).
When it comes to your basic excess, you at least 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. For instance, are you driving your car regularly? What has your claim history, or that of any other listed drivers, been like? 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?
This depends on your insurance provider and the terms of your cover. That being said, it’s quite common for car insurance – including comprehensive car insurance – to let you list two or more people on a policy.
In these cases, the person who drives the car the most will usually be regarded as its regular driver. Their driving record might also be used to calculate the insurance 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?
While many insurers offer coverage for learner drivers on comprehensive car insurance, this ultimately depends on the specific policy’s terms and conditions.
You might also choose to get coverage in one of the following ways:
- If you’re driving someone else’s car: They 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. You will usually need to be the primary driver of the vehicle in such cases.
I’ve just gotten into an accident. How do I make a claim?
The number one rule of being in an accident is to stop and assist. You can worry about insurance a little later.
If any property has been damaged, including your car or other cars, you’ll need to report the accident to the closest police station. Be aware that if no one is injured, the police may choose not to attend the accident.
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.
While you’ve still got your pen handy or your notes app open on your phone, you can also record details of the accident. Things like the time, date, location, weather conditions, what speed you were travelling, and the names and contact details of any witnesses might be helpful. Photos or diagrams can also prove useful for the police and your insurer.
The next step is to give your insurer the heads up. 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 at fault or not.
Car insurance for every kind of driver
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.