What is Comprehensive Car or Boat Insurance?

If your car or boat is accidentally damaged, stolen, or burnt anywhere in Australia, the insurance company will at their option:

• repair your car or boat
• pay the cost of repairing your car or boat, or
• pay you the Agreed value or Market Value of your car or boat.

Emergency Repairs. If your vehicle is accidently damaged or stolen more than a certain distance from your home, and the insurance company agrees to pay the comprehensive insurance claim, they will pay an amount of money for emergency repairs required to enable you to drive your vehicle home or to the nearest place of repair.

Emergency Expences. If your vehicle is accidently damaged, stolen or burnt more than a certain distance from your home, and the insurance company agrees to pay the comprehensive insurance claim, they will reimburse an amount of money for emergency accomodation, travelling expenses, or rental car expenses paid by you and your passengers to return home or to complete your journey.

Faultless No Claim Bonus. If your vehicle is involved in an accident, your no claim bonus rating will not be affected if, in the insurance companies opinion, you or any person using your vehicle with your permission were not to blame for the accident occurring. You must provide the insurance company the name of the person and their current address who caused the accident, and the registration numbers of any other vehicles involved in the accident.

New Vehicle replacement. If your vehicle is a total loss and your vehicle is still covered by the original new vehicle warranty, and is less than 24 months old, and has travelled less than 40,000 kilometres, the insurance company will replace your vehicle with a new replacement vehicle, provided one is locally available. Most insurance companies will only replace your vehicle if the vehicle has been insured on their policy since first registration of your vehicle as new, or second registration of your vehicle of your vehicle provided that your vehicle was less than 6 months old, and has travelled less than 5,000 kilometres, from the date of first registration. If your vehicle has been superseeded with a new model, and your vehicle is not available the insurance company will replace your vehicle, with the new model provided that it is locally available. If the insurance company does replace your vehicle they may also pay for registration, statutory insurance, dealer delivery fees, government stamp duty and the Good and Services Tax.

Personal Items. If the Insurance Company does agree to pay your comprehensive insurance claim, after your vehicle is accidently damaged, stolen or burnt, they will also pay an amount if any personal items belonging to you or a member of your family are damaged, stolen or burnt, generally this does not include mobile phones, cash, cheques, and any property used for earning an income.

Trailer. If a trailer is accidently damaged, stolen, or burnt while attached to your vehicle, the insurance company will pay the lesser of the cost of repairs, or an amount of money, generally in the region of $1,000.

Windscreen or Window Cover. if a windscreen or window is accidentally damaged, the insurance company at their option will either repair the windscreen or window, or replace the windscreen or window, or pay you the cost of repairing or replacing the windscreen or window. The insurance company generally will only pay for one windscreen or window in any period of insurance. Generally the maximum amount an insurance company will pay is around $500. This comprehensive insurance covered component does not generally require any excess to be paid, and it does not affect your No Claim Bonus.

Hire Vehicle reimbursement following your vehicle being stolen. The insrance company will reimburse to you the cost of hiring a vehicle similar to your vehicle if your vehicle is stolen. Generally this cost is for 14 days when you have made a claim on your comprehensive insurance policy, and pay the excess.

Keys and Locks. If the keys to your vehicle have been lost or damaged, or have been illegally copied, the insurance company will pay an amount of around $1,000 to replace your vehicle keys and/or locks.

Towing and clean up costs. If your vehicle is accidentally damaged, stolen or burnt, the insurance company will pay for the cost of moving your vehicle, to a repairer near the incident site, or an agreed place, and also pay for the cost of removing debris from the incident site.

There are also a few Optional additional benefits you can select when you have Comprehensive Insurance cover on your vehicle, such as No Claim Bonus Rating 1 Protection, Restricted Driver cover and Nominated Driver cover.

Are you paying too Much?

If you wish to know if you are paying too much for the level of cover that you currently have with your insurance company on your car or boat insurance, or wish a quote on comprehensive insurance for the car or boat you are about to buy, simply complete the form below. An insurance consultant will then contact you with some information and supply you with a quote which in 96% of cases will be cheaper than what you are currently paying.