Spring road trips: Car insurance must-knows before you go
The refreshing floral scents and balmy nights of spring are like road trip fuel, especially since international excursions are off the table right now.
Are you planning on filling up the old station wagon and becoming your own tour guide? You’ll want to tick a few boring-but-essential items off your holiday check list first. Making sure you’ve got the right car insurance for your road trip should be a top priority.
Once the itinerary is sorted, check your comprehensive car insurance policy to find answers to these questions which might pop up on a road trip.
Does my car insurance cover additional drivers?
Whether it’s a group hang or a couple’s adventure, sharing the driving on a road trip is usually the more diplomatic and sensible route – stop, revive, survive ain’t no joke. But just in case you find yourself in a mid-holiday pickle, you’ll want to know where you stand when it comes to having additional drivers on your car insurance.
Every insurer will lay out different rules for adding other drivers to a policy, as well as who they’ll cover if an accident occurs while a policy holder isn’t behind the wheel.
Some providers might cover all drivers whether or not they’re listed. Others may charge a higher excess if an unlisted driver is at-fault in an accident. Some policies may not cover unlisted drivers at all. So, it’s important to read through your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and know what the situation is before giving your mates a go as captain of the car.
If you’re road tripping with someone who also uses the car regularly, it may pay to get them listed on the policy as a general rule. But remember: your premium could get bumped up when you list extra drivers, so double check what that cost could be.
How might age or diving experience impact my car insurance?
Age and driving experience are two of the big demographic factors that might increase your insurance premium.
Once again, it changes from policy to policy, but generally there’ll be an extra premium cost or excess for young drivers (those aged under 25) and inexperienced drivers who’ve only been on the road for a few years. The associated premium and excess costs can impact listed and unlisted drivers, so keep it in mind if you’ve got a gaggle of newbies at the gas pedal.
Also remember gender can make a difference in pricing. Read up on why women get a better deal on car insurance.
Does my policy include roadside assistance and towing?
Not every comprehensive car insurance policy will include roadside assistance or towing should your car falter on the holiday road.
You don’t want to be stuck up a creek without a paddle while trying to make the most of your free time. So, once again, check that PDS to see what cover you do have.
Also consider where you’ll be driving, as towing costs may have a set dollar or kilometre limit. If you’re motoring along expansive, uninhabited highways, you could have to pay the difference after your insurance claim to get your car to the nearest mechanic.
Is emergency travel, accommodation or a hire car covered?
Once the car is towed to safety, you’ll need to sort yourself out. It’ll be a godsend having an alternative way to get around while you're out of town, and if your policy also covers unexpected accommodation costs, that’ll take the pressure off your holiday budget.
Some comprehensive policies will include a limited amount of cover for these costs after an insurable incident. In others they may come as optional extras, or with conditions.
For example, you might be covered for 14 days of hire car costs after an accident, but only if you weren’t at-fault. The at-fault version of the cover may be an optional extra which comes at an extra cost in your premium, or it may not be an option at all.
As always, the golden rule is to know before you go.
Before you start scouring your policy for these road trip essentials, make sure you’ve got the right kind of cover for the state or territory where your car is registered. Mozo’s got a handy guide outlining all the car insurance-must haves depending on where you live.
Compare comprehensive car insurance before your trip
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes Costs Extra
- Choice of repairer
- Optional Extra
- Choice of excess
- $400 - $2,500
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed Or Market
Available discounts
Comprehensive Car Insurance
Youi like to get to know you from the very first conversation, which provides you with the opportunity to find comprehensive car insurance cover that could better suit your lifestyle and your needs. Because we’re all individuals, so we all use our cars differently from day-to-day. Youi is car insurance that’s a bit more you-shaped. Mozo People's Choice Excellent Customer Service Car Insurance award winner in 2024.
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 2 years and a listed driver is the first registered owner
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 14 days.
- Rental car after accident
- Not at fault - Yes. At fault - Optional Extra. Up to 14 days.
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - standard excess. Option to reduce windscreen excess to $50 for an additional premium.
- Modifications
- Covered only if agreed in writing.
- Young driver excess imposed
- Unlisted and aged 25 and over: $700, Unlisted and aged under 25: $2,000, Listed and aged under 25: $600
- Roadside assistance
- Yes
- Other benefits
- -
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about Youi Comprehensive Car Insurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes
- Choice of repairer
- No
- Choice of excess
- $800 Flat Excess Fee
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed
Available discounts
Comprehensive Car Insurance
ROLLiN’ put their customers in the driver’s seat by offering great value comprehensive car insurance with no additional excess for young drivers. Zero cancellation fees, 24/7 claims support via phone and a policy paid monthly. Plus, you can list multiple cars and drivers under the one policy, as long as they fit the underwriting criteria
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 15,000km of original registration
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 21 days, max $80 per day after a covered event
- Rental car after accident
- Yes - Up to 21 days, max $80 per day after a covered event
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - one claim can be made per Insurance Period, with $0 windscreen excess
- Modifications
- Covered only if agreed in writing.
- Young driver excess imposed
- No additional excess for young drivers. $3,000 for unlisted drivers
- Roadside assistance
- No
- Other benefits
- Optional benefit to boost the Single Car Value by 15%, it will be shown on your Insurance Certificate
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC NT TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about ROLLiN' Comprehensive Car Insurance
Gold Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes Costs Extra
- Choice of repairer
- Optional Extra
- Choice of excess
- $550 - $1,900 (varies By State)
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed Or Market
Available discounts
- No Claim Discount
- Online Discount 15%
Gold Comprehensive Car Insurance
Get award winning Car Insurance. Save 15% ^ on your first year’s premium when you purchase a new policy online. Budget Direct offers tailor-made cover, new-for-old replacement, 24/7 claims, a highly-rated claims service, and get a hire car following a theft.
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 2 years or 40,000 kilometres of original registration, whichever comes first
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 14 days, max $1,000 total.
- Rental car after accident
- Not at fault - Yes. At fault - Optional Extra. Up to 14 days for at fault accidents.
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - standard excess. Option to reduce windscreen excess to $40 on every windscreen claim for an additional premium.
- Modifications
- Covered only if agreed in writing.
- Young driver excess imposed
- $600 for drivers under 21, $500 for drivers under 24, $600 for unlisted drivers, $500 for inexperienced drivers.
- Roadside assistance
- Optional Extra
- Other benefits
- -
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about Budget Direct Gold Comprehensive Car Insurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes Costs Extra
- Choice of repairer
- Optional Extra
- Choice of excess
- $500 - $2,200
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed Or Market
Available discounts
- Online Discount $75
Comprehensive Car Insurance
Australia Post Comprehensive Car Insurance offers a broad range of coverage and includes cover for anyone who drives your vehicle. It also covers new car replacement if your recently purchased brand new car is written off within the first three years (provided it has travelled less than 60,000km). Get $100 off your first year's premium when you buy Comprehensive Car Insurance online. T&Cs apply.
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 3 years and 60,000 km of original registration
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 14 days.
- Rental car after accident
- Not at fault - Yes. At fault - Optional Extra. Up to 14 days.
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - standard excess ($0 excess for repair only). Option to reduce windscreen replacement excess to $0 for an additional premium.
- Modifications
- Automatically covered.
- Young driver excess imposed
- $600 for listed drivers under 25, $1,600 for unlisted drivers under 25.
- Roadside assistance
- No
- Other benefits
- -
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about Australia Post Comprehensive Car Insurance
* Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Car Insurance Awards