Finding your perfect car insurance policy in South Australia
No matter how safe of a driver you are, life can be unpredictable. If you somehow find yourself in a sticky situation along the Lincoln Highway you’ll want to make sure you have adequate car insurance cover so you're not out of pocket when the repair bill comes in.
At Mozo, we make it easy to compare some of the top comprehensive car insurance policies in South Australia and their features with our car insurance comparison tool. But before you take on the first policy you see, here are a few of the need-to-knows before signing the dotted line.
What kind of insurance do you need to legally drive in South Australia?
In all states including SA, you'll need Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance to legally drive on the roads. It's often known as a 'greenslip' and comes in slightly different formats depending on which state or territory you register your car in.
Across Australia, the role of CTP is to cover the costs of injuries you might cause yourself or others while driving. However, in South Australia you will only be eligible for compensation if you’re not at fault or not entirely at fault. If you were responsible for the incident, you'll only be able to make a CTP claim if you sustain lifelong injuries.
CTP is offered by multiple South Australian insurance companies, and you'll pay for it when you register your vehicle. Remember: CTP doesn't cover any damages to your car or others.
What are the other levels of cover available in South Australia?
Once you start shopping around on your insurance, you’ll find that there are different types of policies and levels of cover available. Here’s an explanation on what they are and what they include:
- Comprehensive: Comprehensive car insurance provides the highest level of cover. Once you pay the excess on an insurable claim, your insurance provider will cover the cost of replacing or repairing your car as well as any damage you’ve caused to another person’s car or property. Be aware that different policies will include different benefits.
- Third party insurance: This is a basic cover option which only covers the other person’s car and/or property when you cause an accident. A third party policy won’t cover the cost of repairs to your own car – this is one of the biggest differences between comprehensive and third party insurance.
- Third party fire and theft: This provides additional coverage on top of your standard third party car insurance policy. As the name suggests, it covers repairs or losses in case your car is stolen or damaged by fire. Car owners who park in the street overnight or live in areas with higher crime rates might want to consider this level of cover.
How to make a car insurance claim in South Australia
If you’re involved in an accident and need to make a claim on your insurance, it’s a good idea to have the following details jotted down:
- The date, time and location of the incident
- The other driver’s details (including phone and licence number)
- Contacts or statements from any witnesses or other road-users involved
- Any photo evidence
- A police report (if applicable)
When it comes to starting the claims process, you can make a claim online or over the phone.
Remember: you’ll have to pay an excess to get the wheels rolling on your claim. Also be aware that if you have to make a car insurance claim, your future premiums could rise and your no claims bonus will probably take a hit.
What is covered by a South Australian car insurance policy?
Each car insurance policy you come across will have a slightly different range of benefits. Under a comprehensive car insurance policy, you’ll usually be covered for:
- Damage to another driver’s car when you are at fault in an accident
- Damage to your car in an accident
- Accidental damage
- Fire damage
- Theft and attempted theft of your car
- Vandalism and malicious damage to your car
- Emergency repairs
- Towing costs in an emergency
- Damage to your personal property in your car
Are there any optional extras I should get covered for in South Australia
When you take out a car insurance policy, you do have the option of adding on additional features. Every car and driver is different, so you should carefully consider which additional features may be necessary for you before adding them onto your policy at an additional cost. Some optional extras include:
- Excess-free windscreen cover (great if you live in rural SA and might need semi-regular windscreen repairs from driving on unsealed roads)
- Rental car after accident
- Modifications
- 24-hour roadside assistance
- No claims bonus protection (this is a veil of protection added onto your clean driving record, keeping it intact if you ever make a claim)
Car accidents and crime statistics in South Australia
Like all policies, your cover may be affected by where you live based on the levels of crime and road incidents.
This will be evaluated in the risk-assessment made by insurance companies when they determine the cost of your car insurance. So, it's important to understand the dangers related to driving in South Australia and recent statistics for vehicle-related crime.
Fatalities on South Australian roads
In 2022, South Australia Police recorded 71 fatalities on the state’s roads from 68 fatal crashes. These numbers were down from 99 fatalities the previous year. There were also less serious injuries on South Australian roads in 2022 (652) compared with 2021 (827).
In 2022, car drivers accounted for the highest proportion of these lost lives followed by motorcyclists. Speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and illegal blood alcohol levels continue to be the most common factors contributing to these fatalities.
Car thefts in South Australia
According to Budget Direct, South Australia and New South Wales were among the safest states from car theft in 2021.
However, data by RAA Car Insurance shows that the number of cars stolen in South Australia increased by 24 percent between April 2021 and April 2022. In addition, Adelaide Now found that 2900 cars were stolen in South Australia between 1 July 2022 and 31 March 2023.
In recent years, the most commonly stolen car models have been the Holden Commodore and Toyota Hilux.
If you are worried about your car being stolen, we advise that you insure your car for theft, fire and malicious damage. To help reduce the risk of theft, you might consider parking your car on your property or in a garage, as this can, theoretically, reduce the likelihood of theft or damage.
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