The cost of car insurance is different for everybody. Your insurer will ask a handful of questions to determine the level of risk they would potentially take on when insuring you. These include:

• Your age and gender

• The make, model, and even the colour of your car

• Where you live

• How far you drive each year

• Where you park your car at home

• How long since you past your test

• Your claims history

• Number of demerit points

The cost can also change when you select the excess and the level of cover you want, as well as whether you choose to pay annually or in monthly instalments.

In the same way that the cost of car insurance is heavily influenced by who you are and how you drive, the best car insurance for you depends on… well, you.

There are a lot of different insurers and some of them offer cover for a very specific type of driver.

There are insurers who specialise in cover for prestige cars, while others focus on affordable cover for customers who don’t drive very often, but most insurers will calculate your premiums based on how risky they believe you will be to cover.

This means that choosing the best policy for you often comes down to comparing policies from different insurers.

If you have a handful of quotes from insurers you trust, you can then work out the best deal for your vehicle.

• Price

• Level of cover

• Customer and industry ratings

Remember, the lowest price isn’t always the best value in the long run. You might also want to look at whether a provider offers a pay-as-you-drive or pay-per-km plan.

This means you can pay less for driving less — a bonus for anyone shifting their work habits or staying at home more.

There are four main types of car insurance in Australia:

1. Compulsory Third Party Insurance (CTP)

   As its name suggests, this type of insurance is mandatory when registering your car and protects you against compensation claims if you injure or kill another person while behind the wheel.

2. Comprehensive Car Insurance

   Comprehensive insurance covers damage to both your car and other cars/property if you’re held responsible for an accident. This type of insurance also includes theft, as well as damage associated with a range of natural occurrences like bad weather. That said, some policies don’t offer cover against items such as hail damage or floods, so it’s always worth checking before you buy.

3. Third Party Fire and Theft

   This policy covers your car if it’s stolen or damaged by fire, for example a house or building fire. It also covers damage you may cause to the car or property of someone else (a third party).

4. Third Party Property Damage

   The most basic level of protection, this policy covers you for damage you cause to another person’s car or property, but not your own. Third Party Insurance can also include liability cover, which may assist you financially through legal claims related to your accident.

There’s no need to change providers every year if you’re happy with your current policy but you should regularly compare prices to ensure you’re getting the best level of cover at a competitive rate.

But if you’ve moved house or changed your lifestyle, such as commuting less or your car is now parked in a garage, it’s important to let your insurer know because it could lead to lower premiums.

Quickly comparing online with online Compare Club can help you find a policy that’s right for your household.

It’s important to note that you don’t necessarily need to wait until your renewal date to compare policies.

Comprehensive car insurance covers both your car and other cars/property in the event of an unexpected incident on the road.

But some things aren’t covered by standard comprehensive coverage, such as personal effects, hire cars, and windscreen and glass replacement.

These ‘extras’ can add a significant amount to your premium so it’s important to consider whether they’re worth the investment.

1. Personal effects

   Comprehensive car insurance covers damage to your vehicle, but your policy often doesn’t cover personal property which might be damaged or stolen while inside. If you regularly keep expensive gadgets, such as computers or mobile phones inside your car, it may be worth considering additional cover.

2. Roadside assistance

   If you’ve ever had one of those scary tyre pressure or fuel warnings flash across your dash, you’ll know that the day usually ends with several missed appointments and an expensive tow truck bill.

   Standard comprehensive insurance doesn’t cover things like punctured tyres or breakdowns outside of warranty. Which is why a lot of us end up stranded in the middle of nowhere with a large bill for towing and repairs.

   Roadside assistance is an extra that provides, well, roadside assistance and could cover you for things like battery issues and flat tyres. It may also cover the cost of locking your keys in the car, emergency petrol top ups and other mechanical faults.

3. Accident car hire

   If your car needs to be repaired following an accident, you could be left without a way to get around for weeks or even months.

   Accident car hire means that the cost of hiring a car while yours is getting repaired is covered by your insurer.

   The daily limit and duration of hire can differ between insurers so make sure you check your Product Disclosure Statement when signing up for this particular policy.

4. Windscreen and glass cover

   Adding a windscreen and glass option covers you against all of those tiny chips and cracks which can be extremely expensive to fix.

   Level of coverage can differ so it’s important to read your full PDS to be clear on any out of pocket costs or impact to your No Claims Discount.

You can choose from additional extras, including No Claims Bonus protection, Choose Any Repairer and Market Value Cover among others.

The short answer to this is yes. Insurers tend to view younger, newer drivers as more risky to insure and price their premiums accordingly as young drivers, males especially, are more likely to be involved in an accident or driving offence like speeding*.

Not every young driver will pay the same and premiums will vary on a range of cover, but younger drivers may pay more for standard comprehensive car insurance than those in higher age brackets.

You may be able to reduce some of these costs by being added as an extra driver to your parents’ insurance. It’s worth comparing to see if this works out cheaper than taking out your own policy.

Finding the right insurance for your age ultimately comes down to comparing policies from leading providers based on your car make/model and other lifestyle factors. ‘Specialist’ providers often service vintage or prestige cars and worry less about age.

But there are insurers who offer better prices for younger or even older drivers. Comparing cover with a site such as Compare Club is one of the quickest and easiest ways to find a suitable policy at a price that won’t break the bank.

A no claims bonus or discount is a reduction in your comprehensive car insurance premium after a period of not claiming. It’s a way of rewarding safe drivers and recognising those who don’t make at-fault claims.

Under the no claim bonus scheme, your discount generally increases with each claim-free year, up to a maximum of around five years.

Different insurers may offer different discounts and different maximum discount levels. Typically, this is around 2-3 percent in the first year, and this can increase to around 15 percent after five years, although some insurers may have different limits.

Other factors which can impact the rate at which you earn your discount are your driving history, your rating from previous insurers and any claims made by other drivers on your policy.

Some insurers increase the cost of your premium if you have a minor accident, even if you’re not at fault, while others offer no claims bonus protection as a paid extra, which means your premium isn’t affected when you make a claim. This can be costly and may even work out as more than your annual premium increase, so you may not actually save money by switching insurers.

Finally, although some providers will allow you to transfer your no claims discount when starting a new policy or moving to a new provider, it’s important to regularly shop around, ask questions, and check you’re getting the best deal.

After all, a new policy with a different insurer may work out as better value than a high rating and maximum discount with your old one.

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