Best car insurance – so good, it’ll give you whiplash

We reviewed over 1,800 car insurance quotes in Australia (because you have better things to do). This is our pick of the bunch.

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Youi Comprehensive

Budget Direct Comprehensive

Bingle Comprehensive

In this guide

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The best car insurance for you will depend on your budget and personal circumstances. Our experts have chosen a bunch of picks that will be great for many people, but these should only be used as a guide. You should always read the PDS to know which car insurance is best for you.

Best car insurance, Australia

According to Finder research, some of the best car insurers include:

Best for customer satisfaction: Youi comprehensive car insurance

Youi car insurance is the editor's pick for customer satisfaction because it's highly rated for: customer service, features and benefits, ease of application and value for money. 93% of Australians surveyed said they'd recommend Youi car insurance to a friend.

Cons:

Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles. See our methodology.

Based on 385 customer reviews taken from the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards.

It's an award winner

Youi is the highest rated well known Australian car insurer by customers. It was voted by over 5,700 Australians as the best car insurer in the Finder Customer Satisfaction awards, scoring 4.38/5. We asked Australians across all major states (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA) for their opinion about their current car insurer. Each customer rated the insurer out of 5 for:

We also looked at other popular review websites. Youi scored higher than any other large car insurer, including Budget Direct, NRMA, Allianz and AAMI. Additionally, Youi only received 208 complaints to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). By comparison, other very large insurers AAI Limited (AAMI), Insurance Australia Limited (NRMA), Allianz and QBE received much more – 2,231, 1,413, 575 and 412 respectively.

Free roadside assistance

Youi is the only insurer to automatically include roadside assistance when you take out a comprehensive car insurance policy. We could not find any other online insurer on the market that offered this benefit. You typically have to pay around $100 per year for roadside assistance cover.

Best for value: Budget Direct comprehensive car insurance

Budget Direct car insurance is our best value pick because it's one of the cheapest comprehensive car insurers for all age groups. Despite that, it doesn't cut corners with its coverage. It also has a better customer service record than its main competitors.

Cons:

Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles.

Based on 398 customer reviews taken from the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards.

It's an award winner

Budget Direct won the 2024 Finder Car Insurance Award for best value. To determine our winners, we got 1,800 quotes for 30 eligible comprehensive car insurance policies based on 60 different customer profiles.

Our experts then researched and rated a total of 814 features. The final score for the best value winner was based on a 30:70 split of the price and features score. Budget Direct came in first place because it offered similar cover to other insurers but at a lower price.

It's cheap

Budget Direct was cheaper than average across Australia. Despite this, it still offers a thorough policy that is competitive with much more expensive policies.

Customer reviews and AFCA complaints data

Australians rated Budget Direct 4.32/5 stars in the 2023 Finder Customer Satisfaction awards. This places it in the top 5 best rated car insurers of the 15 that were assessed. To determine these scores, we asked 5,787 Australians across all major states (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA) for their opinion about their current car insurer. Each customer rated the insurer out of 5 for:

We also looked at external customer reviews. Budget Direct ranked higher than all other popular car insurer including NRMA, AAMI, Allianz and Coles. Only Youi is rated slightly higher.

Additionally, when looking at compliants data from the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), Auto & General (which issues Budget Direct policies) received significantly less complaints than AAMI, though it does have a smaller market share (meaning it's likely to get less complaints). AAI (which issues AAMI's policies) received 2,231 complaints while Auto & General received 1,431, during the most recent financial period.

Best for price: Bingle comprehensive car insurance

If you want a really cheap policy, Bingle car insurance is rarely beaten on price — as such, it won the 2024 Finder Car Insurance Award for low-cost. On average, it costs around $862. The catch? It covers the essentials (e.g. damage to your own car and others) but not much more.

Cons:

Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles.

Bingle won the Finder Car Insurance Award for low-cost. That's because it offers the cheapest comprehensive car insurance on average across Australia.

We selected this top pick based on over 1,800 quotes we collected for 60 different driver profiles ranging from 20 to 60 year-olds, across all major states. The car model we used for all quotes was a 2019 Toyota Corolla Ascent 4 Door Sedan.

Best for variety: NRMA

NRMA car insurance offers two different comprehensive options and Veteran, Vintage and Classic Car Insurance cover. It's good if you want a trusted insurer (it's won Roy Morgan's most trusted insurer award since 2018) and the flexibility to choose from a range of options depending on your budget. Most insurers just have one comprehensive car insurance option.

Cons:

Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles.

NRMA is one of the only major insurance providers to offer multiple comprehensive car insurance options. Typically, insurers only offer one level of cover. This makes it a good option for multiple budgets. It has also won Roy Morgan's most trusted brand in insurance award since 2018.

Best for features: Hume Bank comprehensive car insurance

Hume Bank comprehensive car insurance is the 2024 Finder car insurance award winner for features. Out of 37 insurers and over 1,800 quotes, its comprehensive policy came out on top. If you want a lot for your money, they could be the insurer for you.

Cons:

Our average pricing is based on research of 1,800+ quotes from 30 insurers in Australia across 60 customer profiles. See our methodology.

It's an award winner

Hume Bank's comprehensive policy won the Finder features award. To determine our winners, we got 1,800 quotes for over 30 eligible comprehensive car insurance policies based on 60 different customer profiles.

Our experts then researched and rated a total of 814 features. The final score for the best value winner was based on a 20:80 split of the price and features score. Hume Bank came in first place because it offered better cover to other insurers at a lower price.

Best car insurance providers in Australia

The best car insurance for you is one that gives you the amount of coverage you're looking for at a price you can afford. Car insurance is one of the biggest household bills in Australia with drivers spending an average of $1,362 on a policy. This is where Finder's car insurance experts come in — we've researched over 90% of the most popular car insurers in Australia. The above have been shortlisted based on the following:

Best rated car insurers

Why you can trust Finder's car insurance experts

Frequently asked questions

No. Different policies will suit different people. It's more about comparing your options so you can find one which is right for you, at a price you can afford.

According to the 2024 Finder Awards, Budget Direct car insurance provides the best value policy for those located in Queensland. Keep in mind there is no universal best car insurance policy and your driver profile may differ to the one we used in our awards. To find the best car insurance policy for you, be sure to compare multiple quotes and read the PDS.

According to the 2024 Finder Awards, Hume Bank Comprehensive provides the best value car insurance for those in New South Wales. It ranked in first place for both value and features meaning pricing and comprehensivesness of the policy have been taken into account. Remember, there is no universal best car insurance as everyone's circumstances and needs are different. To find a car insurance policy that best fits your needs, be sure to compare multiple policies and read the PDS to understand what you're covered for.

According to the 2024 Finder Awards, Bidget Direct Comprehensive provides the best car insurance for those in Victoria. Keep in mind, there is no universal best car insurance. Circumstances and needs differ from person to person and are based on a range of factors such as age, gender and location. To find the best deal for you, it's wise to compare multiple policies.

According to the 2024 Finder Awards, Hume Bank car insurance is the best value comprehensive car insurance for drivers in South Australia.

According to the 2023 Finder Awards, Hume Bank car insurance is the best value comprehensive car insurance policy in WA.

According to the 2024 Finder Awards, Budget Direct offers the best value comprehensive car insurance in Australia and Hume Bank car insurance is the best for features. However, it's important to note that the criteria used to determine our award winners may be different to your own circumstances. Always read the PDS to understand if the price and features offered are best for your needs.

That'll depend on your personal details, but if you're looking for cheap car insurance options, Bingle car insurance won the 2024 Finder car insurance award for low cost.

Yes, there are often deals and discounts available for car insurance. Typically, discounts are offered to new or switching customers.

Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio

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