Hello…You most recent car insurance comparison test was done in 2018. Do you have any plans to update this test?
Thanks
Amanda
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@dangraham, I believe this is your area?
edit: @BrendanMays or @jhook, could you ask for a status update please?
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We received our renewal from Sunsorp and the premium was 3.6% more than last year.
I did not even bother to get quotes from any of the others but called Suncorp to sharpen their pencil and they knocked almost 5% off, making it a little less than last year.
“Ask and thou shall receive”?
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Hi @amanda, sorry for the delayed response. We have an update coming very soon! You should be able to access it online within next couple of weeks and will also be in our October issue of the mag. Thanks for reaching out.
Edit: I’ll be sure to share it here once it goes live on the website.
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Insurance companies are to be feared. Coles o.k. Cheap . Never made claim.
An interesting article regarding vehicle insurance premiums.
I am amazed that red vehicles are cheaper to insure than white vehicles.
Everyone knows that red cars go faster.
What exactly am I entitled to claim for under my Car Insurance policy, from a not at fault accident?
The insurer Woolworths/hollard, agreed to the not at fault claim and repairs promptly. They have also agreed for a hire car(optional premium paid for under the policy by me anyway).
However any extra “reasonable” costs after that I have had to lodge a complaint to escalate to management to consider. All I am asking for is a taxi to and from the hire car company and a taxi to and from the smash repairs, my understanding is I am entitled to these also. In addition, they are talking about myself being liable for any insurance taken out on the hire car. Am I correct in saying I am entitled that these be all claimed back from the at fault driver; rather than coming out of my own pocket.
Thanks in advance
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Welcome @Deadpool
What you are entitled to claim will be set out in the documents that form the Insurance Contract. These may be very different from Company to Company. You would need to read their terms. Sorry for such an inexact response.
The Taxi to and from is probably an item that most policies would cover but again it is important to understand what your policy offers. The Insurance on the hire vehicle many would cover but often they expect that you also pay a “bond” (a quasi excess).
In general claiming any legitimate expenses not covered under your policy from the “at fault” driver is possible. You would need to keep detailed records of these expenses, then lodge a claim with the “at fault” driver to be reimbursed for these costs.
Seeking legal advice is strongly recommended before undertaking this step to ensure what and how to claim are properly understood as our advice can only be non-legal and general (as I’m not and many on this site are not trained legal experts). The process to recover the amounts could end up being more expensive to you than the expenses you are trying to get back. There are many free legal advice centres available and this would be where I would go to first for at least some early guidance.
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It is also an interesting comparison when one claims on one’s own policy for a not at fault, as compared to claiming on the other driver’s policy. The benefits and experience can vary for better or worse.
I claimed on the at-fault driver’s policy and while I was not overly impressed with RACV’s local approved repairer, all facets were covered in a hassle-free manner.
It does read as pretty ordinary that Woolworth’s insurance does not cover the taxi rides but it is common that hire car insurance is excluded. However, from experience filing a not-at-fault claim on the other drivers RACV policy, RACV told me I had to pay the insurance for the hire car but could then claim the cost, and they covered it. It worked for me. Taxi to and from their repairer was also reimbursed.
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It is good that they had a policy. I know of at least a few car owners who only have the 3rd Party statutory personal injury cover on their vehicles, leaving the owner of the car they hit only relying on their own insurance to repair the damage. The Insurer then tackles the non insured to recover what they paid out. Worse can be when both don’t have some form of damage insurance and it becomes a legal battle to recover costs from the offending party (if they can be).
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Speak to Woolworth Insurance first as it may be a lot easier for your insurer to add it to their claim against the other driver’s insurer.
If you try and claim against the insurer yourself, the likely response will be that such items are not covered by the driver at fault insurance policy and thus won’t be reimbursed.
This means that you would need to take personal action against the at fault driver (formally request monies, and when the other party is not receptive, to take action say through small claims tribunal) hoping to recoup any costs. To do so, you will also need to prove that the costs are reasonable and relevant.
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Thanks for the feedback all.
I think the driver might not be insured which probably makes the insurer even less cooperative.
It seems to me the insurer is only interested in what I am entitled under the policy rather than what I would be entitled to under common law (reimbursement of all reasonable costs), so if it is not covered directly under the policy they do not care. So they are acting more as a policy payout manager rather than a total claim manager.
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Has anyone else come across this practice? Is it a norm?
I received a renewal from my insurer. Apart from the usual increase in premium & decrease in value I also happened to notice that they are wanting to impose an added excess specifically to me - so basic 500 + me specifically 400. I can only GUESS this is to do with an at fault claim made over 2 years ago. BUT here’s the thing/s: car was insured with them when the accident occurred; I had max no claim at the time; I had protected no claim at the time. Finally IF I go & quote for a brand new policy - same provider, full disclosure; not only is the policy less but it also doesn’t impose any such specific added excess…
Slick eh…
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Hi @someozi
I have moved your post into this existing topic on Car Insurance that started with CHOICE’s review of policies. There has been similar comment of the rising cost of policies and the decreasing value on the vehicle as that cost goes up.
Others have experienced benefits of shopping around rather than being loyal to only one insurer. As you noticed often times you can even get a better rate by applying as a new customer to your same insurer. It is sadly one way that the companies take the profit rather than making sure their customers get the best rate.
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Fair enough though I think the renewal disloyalty bonus has pretty wide awareness. In contrast my main issue & point in this particular case that has me head scratching is this apparent attempt of getting a renewal out of me with an extra imposed specific excess & considerable at that. I wonder how many would renew & not even notice it.
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Your post will be seen both by users and Staff of the CHOICE Community. I’m very sure you will even receive comments on your issue. The move will not have any bad consequences. Your topic and original post remains visible but links to this topic now.
Often enough I think some people just pay the bill without regard to what is actually in the policy, they only get upset when they go to claim and are given less than they expect or have to pay more than they thought would be the case. Your post is a good reminder of why we all should be checking any renewal notice we get, and shopping around just to be sure we are getting the best deal.
Naming the insurer may also help others, both to warn and for those who are insured with them to check their policies. It isn’t required to do so but if you feel comfortable in doing so I do encourage you to.
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I rarely shop around for insurance these days, as I think what I pay for my insurance is excellent for what I am covered for. There is one insurer that is owned by Suncorp, called AAI, there polices were engineered by themselves and the Good Shepard Charity in Melbourne. I had to make a claim in September, my 2006 Astra was written off, as the cost to repair that hatch was worth more than having it fixed. Not everyone can get AAI Essentials Insurance Polices, you must have either a Health card, and or earn under a certain amount of money. The 2003 Astra I just brought in September I have insured with them once again, it is insured for $3000, I have seen others $1800 to $2400 for the car value, and excess is double, and so is the insurance polices. I pay just over $20 a month you get 3 free claims per policy, $100 excess for glass, they have 2 comprehensive policies $3000 and $5000 They also have contents insurance and you get 3 free claims with those policies as well.
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Thank you for posting about your insurer. I am sure there will be some interest in these policies. I have also included a link to their online site.
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I doubt many of us read our renewal notices so carefully as to pick up such a subtlety written in (buried) with routine excess caveats for underage drivers, etc.
That person-specific extra excess seems a dodgy tactic worth our being aware to watch out for.
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“doubt many of us read our renewal notices so carefully” yep, sort of a near miss with me too. I usually browse the premium & check to last but mostly luck I think I noticed the excess thing. I now checked last years too & noticed that it was there as well (even more in fact $800). Again, just lucky, I did a new quote last year to compare & it was about $40-50 cheaper so didn’t renew, just did a new exact same new policy… 
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