Last updated: 16 October 2026 · Reading time: 8 minutes
Car insurance prices vary a lot from one driver to the next, so a single number never tells the whole story. This guide sets out the average costs that Canstar publishes, with the date and the source next to each figure, then explains the cover types and the factors that can move a premium. The figures are Canstar's, not NestPath's, and they are averages, not quotes.
This guide is general information only and does not consider your personal circumstances. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for any policy.
How much is car insurance in Australia?
Canstar's average annual premium for comprehensive car insurance in Australia is $2,460, as at 28/05/2026. By state it ranges from $2,014 in Tasmania to $3,293 in Victoria. Averages are not quotes, because your own premium depends on your details and the cover you choose.
| State or territory | Average annual premium, comprehensive |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | $2,792 |
| Northern Territory | $2,577 |
| Queensland | $2,169 |
| South Australia | $2,145 |
| Tasmania | $2,014 |
| Victoria | $3,293 |
| Western Australia | $2,208 |
| National | $2,460 |
Source: Canstar car insurance research, dated 28/05/2026. Canstar says the figures are based on comprehensive car insurance policies rated in its 2026 Car Insurance Star Ratings, and that premiums include quotes for both new and used cars for a range of scenarios, with a state specific target excess ranging from $800 to $1,000. The page does not state a driver age or gender for these averages. These are third party figures, not NestPath figures. The ACT is not listed in this Canstar table.
How much is car insurance by age?
Canstar's 2026 average annual premiums for comprehensive cover fall as drivers get older, from $3,158 for men under 25 to $1,451 for drivers aged 50 and over. Canstar published these figures on 8 June 2026 and the article does not state an as at date. Each figure is an average, not a quote.
| Driver group | 2025 average annual premium | 2026 average annual premium |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25, female | $2,830 | $2,833 |
| Under 25, male | $3,157 | $3,158 |
| 25 to 29 | $2,279 | $2,367 |
| 30 to 49 | $1,682 | $1,841 |
| 50 and over | $1,316 | $1,451 |
Source: Canstar, Car insurance costs rev up, published 8 June 2026. Canstar says the figures are average annual premiums based on comprehensive car insurance policies rated in its 2025 and 2026 Car Insurance Star Ratings, including quotes for new and used cars in a range of scenarios, with a state specific target excess of $800 to $1,000. Age is one factor among several, so two drivers of the same age can be quoted very different premiums.
What else shapes a premium for drivers under 25 is in our under 25 car insurance guide.
How much is car insurance per month?
Canstar's national and state averages are annual figures, and the pages we checked do not publish a national or state monthly average. Its March 2026 gender comparison, for comprehensive cover in NSW for 34 year olds, put the average at $149.36 a month for women and $156.63 a month for men.
Source: Canstar, How much does car insurance cost in Australia?, figures dated 17/03/2026. Canstar gives the same comparison as $1,581.80 a year for women and $1,660.79 a year for men, using comprehensive NSW cover for 34 year old men and women with the same quoting assumptions and a target excess of $890 to $1,000. It describes this as an average of $79 more a year for men, and says the gap between providers ranged from women paying $20 more to men paying up to $191 more. This guide does not divide annual averages by 12, because that would create a figure Canstar has not published.
How much is car insurance in Victoria per month?
Canstar reports an average annual premium of $3,293 for comprehensive car insurance in Victoria, as at 28/05/2026, the highest of the states and territories it lists. Canstar does not publish a monthly figure for Victoria on the pages we checked, so this guide does not convert the annual average.
The Victorian figure sits in the state table above, from the same page: Canstar car insurance research, dated 28/05/2026. It measures comprehensive cover only. Compulsory third party (CTP) in Victoria is a separate charge, covered below.
How much is third party car insurance?
Canstar's pages we checked do not publish an average premium for third party property damage or third party fire and theft cover, so this guide does not give one. Third party cover protects you less than comprehensive, which is why the price can differ, and any quote depends on your own details.
Canstar's pages on third party property damage and third party fire and theft explain what each covers. When we checked on 15 October 2026, the only dollar figures we found on those two pages related to comprehensive policies, not third party cover. A quote is the way to see a price for your own situation, so ask insurers for quotes on the same cover.
What is compulsory third party (CTP) insurance?
Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, called a Green Slip in NSW, covers legal liability for injury or death of other people in a crash. It does not cover vehicle or property damage. Each state and territory sets its own scheme, so how it is bought and priced depends on where the car is registered.
Canstar's CTP guide says CTP is mandatory in every state and territory and is added to your registration. In NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT you can choose from a list of approved insurers. In the NT, Tasmania, Victoria and WA it is included in the cost of registration. For official detail, see the NSW Green Slip Price Check, the Queensland Motor Accident Insurance Commission and the Victorian Transport Accident Commission. CTP is not included in Canstar's comprehensive averages above.
What are the types of car insurance?
Australian car insurance comes in four main layers: compulsory third party (CTP), which covers injury to people; third party property damage; third party fire and theft; and comprehensive. CTP is required with registration, while the other three are optional policies bought from an insurer. Our guide to what third party car insurance covers explains each level in more detail.
- Compulsory third party (CTP): covers injury to other people. It is arranged with your registration or through an approved insurer, depending on the state.
- Third party property damage: Canstar describes it as cover for the cost of damage to other people's property, including their cars, and associated legal costs. It does not repair your own car.
- Third party fire and theft: adds cover, up to a set limit, if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, on top of third party property damage.
- Comprehensive: Canstar says it provides the highest level of financial protection for you and your car, including damage to your own car.
Canstar's comprehensive vs third party guide sets out these definitions, and the government's Moneysmart car insurance page explains that car insurance can cover the cost of repairs to other people's cars, to your own car, or both. Exclusions and limits differ by policy, so the PDS is the place to check.
What is the cheapest type of car insurance?
Cover that protects less can cost less, and third party property damage is the most basic level of cover for damage to other people's property. It does not cover damage to your own car. This is general information, not a recommendation of any cover type, and the PDS sets out what each policy covers. For what third party property and third party fire and theft include, see our third party cover levels explained guide.
Because Canstar publishes no dollar average for third party cover (see above), this guide cannot say how much less any type costs. Price also depends on the factors in the section on what affects the price of car insurance below, so the same cover can be priced differently for different drivers.
What is new for old car insurance?
"New for old" is a term insurers use for a policy feature. Neither the Moneysmart page nor the Insurance Council of Australia page used here defines it, so its conditions sit in each policy's PDS. What the official pages do explain is how a written off car is valued.
Moneysmart says that with comprehensive insurance you can choose how your car is valued, and that the value is the amount you get if the car is written off or stolen. It describes agreed value as a fixed amount decided by you and your insurer, and notes that as the car gets older the insurer may reduce it every year, so it suggests checking it when you renew.
Moneysmart describes market value as an amount decided by the insurer, based on industry information, at the time of the accident. It says this is not the amount you think you could sell the car for. It also says using agreed value means a higher premium.
The Insurance Council of Australia says market value is calculated at claim time from industry pricing guides and recent sales, factoring in the car's age, condition, location and mileage, and that it can go down as the car depreciates. It says agreed value is fixed when the policy is set up or renewed. If the car is under finance, it says the outstanding balance is paid to the lender first. If you disagree with a market value offer, it says you can raise it with your insurer.
Sources: Moneysmart, Choosing car insurance, last updated 10 August 2026; Insurance Council of Australia, Car Insurance: Agreed value vs market value, published 28 April 2026. Checked 16 October 2026. This is general information, not advice.
What affects the price of car insurance?
Car insurance premiums can depend on where the car is kept, the car itself, the driver's age and history, the excess chosen and the type of cover. Canstar says premiums are broadly based on a range of factors, including the suburb where the car is usually parked and the make, model and year.
- Where the car is kept: the postcode or suburb where the car is usually parked can affect the premium, which is one reason state averages differ.
- The car: the make, model and year, and any modifications, may change the price.
- Driver age and history: Canstar's age table above shows how averages can differ by driver group, and driving history may also be considered.
- Excess choice: the excess is the amount you pay towards a claim. A higher excess may lower the premium, and you would pay more towards each claim.
- Cover type: comprehensive, third party fire and theft and third party property damage protect different things, so they can be priced differently.
- How the car is used: insurers can ask how the car is used, such as for private or business use, and answers may change the premium.
- Claims history: past claims can be taken into account by insurers, and they weigh them differently.
Source for the Canstar wording on factors: Canstar, comprehensive vs third party car insurance. Insurers weigh these factors differently, so premiums can vary between insurers for the same driver and car.
How can I get a car insurance estimate?
A car insurance estimate is a quote, and a quote is based on the details you give about you, your car and where it is kept. Averages show a range, not your price, so comparing quotes for the same car, driver details, cover type and excess shows how premiums can differ between insurers.
Moneysmart notes that the price of car insurance can vary and that policies can have different exclusions, conditions and discounts. When you line quotes up, it helps to keep the cover type, excess and car details the same so you are comparing like with like.
Want to see quotes side by side? The car section of our Insurance Hub explains how comparison works before you start.
Does moving house change car insurance?
Insurers can use the address where a car is kept as a pricing factor, so a move may change a premium. Updating your car insurance address after you move keeps your policy details current, and your insurer can tell you what it needs to know.
Moving is a long list of address changes, from your licence and bank to your policies. Our car insurance guide for homeowners explains how car cover works around a move.
This article is general information only and does not consider your personal circumstances. Figures are third party averages published by Canstar on the dates shown, are not quotes, and are not NestPath estimates. Cover, exclusions, limits and pricing depend on the specific policy and insurer, so read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before buying, and verify current details with the insurer and your state government. NestPath is not an insurer, insurance broker or financial adviser.
