Car Insurance
The minimum level of compulsory car insurance in Australia is third party car insurance. Because first party (comprehensive) car insurance in Australia is optional, there is a lot of competition within the industry leading to a wide price disparity, a range of fringe benefits and a high number of providers.
In Australian the major providers are RACV, AAMI, GIO, NRMA, RACQ, Suncorp and CommInsure.
Buying insurance online can be a cheaper option for most, depending on the complexity of the policy. Many providers offer a discount for online insurance purchase. Drivers under 25 are usually charged more for insurance due to their general lack of experience.
Car insurance benefits and extras can be advantageous but can also bump up costs significantly. These benefits include things such as reduced excesses, and coverage of self performed modifications.
Discounts can also be gained by bundling other insurance types together such as home, contents, life, bike and boat. To help protect your vehicle, some measures can be taken such as immobilisers, alarms, careful driving, obscuring valuables and adherence to speed limits and road rules.