What kind of car insurance could be right for me?
There are a few different options when it comes to car insurance – here, we explain the different types of insurance and what you need to know.
Is car insurance mandatory?
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Insurance, or Green Slip Insurance as it's known in NSW and Motor Accident Injuries Insurance in the ACT, is compulsory as the name suggests. That means it is required by law in Australia.
In some states CTP insurance might be included as part of the cost of registering your car, in other states you may have to take it out separately. Refer to your state or territory's road authority for more information.
CTP provides cover for the at-fault driver for compensation claims from people injured in a motor vehicle accident, but it doesn't cover damage to your vehicle, other vehicles or property. While not mandatory, you may also want to consider Comprehensive or Third Party Car Insurance to give you extra protection.
Note: Bingle doesn't offer CTP insurance. But we do offer Comprehensive Car Insurance and Third Party Car Insurance – keep reading to find out more.
What's the difference between Comprehensive and Third Party Car insurance?
Bingle has two kinds of car insurance – Comprehensive Car Insurance and Third Party Property Damage Insurance, also known as Third Party Car Insurance.
Comprehensive Car Insurance covers accidental loss or damage to your car, including damage caused by collisions, theft and natural events, and up to $20m legal liability cover for accidental damage to other people's vehicles and property caused by the use of your car.
There are a few optional extras available with our Comprehensive Car Insurance:
- If your car is less than three years old, you could consider New for Old Replacement cover.
- Windscreen and Window Glass Only cover
- Keep Mobile cover, which offers a hire car while yours is out of action following an incident covered by your policy. For full inclusions and exclusions on optional extras, please refer to the PDS.
With Third Party Car Insurance, you're covered for accidental damage to someone else's vehicle or property caused by the use of your car (up to $20 million in legal liability cover).
While Third Party Car Insurance is generally cheaper than Comprehensive Car Insurance, you won't be covered by Bingle for any damage to your own car if you have an accident. You also can't add any optional extras to your policy.
For full inclusions and exclusions, please refer to the PDS.
Why do I need car insurance?
- Of course, it's up to you whether you want to take up car insurance. But here are some points to keep in mind.
- Even if you think you're a safe driver and unlikely to get in an accident, it's best to expect the unexpected. After all, who plans to get into a car accident? And just because you drive carefully, it doesn't mean those around you will drive the same way. For example, you might come back from the shops to find someone's dinged your car and not left a note.
- Weather is also an unpredictable factor when it comes to cars. You might park outside on a sunny afternoon only to have a hailstorm hit later and cause significant damage to your car.
- Car theft, malicious damage and break ins are other unfortunate incidents that can occur.
- In these instances, Bingle Comprehensive Car Insurance would cover the cost of repairs or replacing your car (up to the market value)1. For full inclusions and exclusions, please refer to the PDS.
- It's good to keep in mind that comprehensive car insurance isn't just for covering your car. It also gives you cover for damage to other people's property if you are at-fault in an accident (up to $20m in legal liability). Both our Comprehensive Car Insurance and Third Party Car Insurance policies include cover for accidental damage caused to other people's cars and property – so even if you don't want or need cover for your car, you may want to at least consider Third Party Car Insurance cover.
How do I work out which car insurance is best for me
When comparing car insurance options, ask yourself if you could realistically live without your car, or easily afford to replace it. Would you be able to maintain your work, social life, continue with your studies, and generally manage your commitments? Could you afford to repair or replace someone else's car or property if you were in an accident and deemed to be at fault? The cost of repairing an expensive car or damage to things like power poles and boom gates can really add up. Based on this, you may start to get a sense of what insurance will suit your needs.
