Feature article

Best Car Insurance Available in NZ

When it comes to car insurance in NZ, the answer isn’t always straight forward. It all depends on what you need.

Last updated: 13 August 2024


When it comes to getting the best car insurance in New Zealand, the answer isn’t so straight forward. It all depends on what you need, what car you are insuring, where you live, even who you are. Finding the best deal isn’t hard however, it just takes a bit of time to find the one that’s right for you.

Full cover or third party insurance?

First, you need to decide which kind of insurance you need. For those driving a more expensive car, you should be looking at comprehensive insurance. This covers you when your car is stolen or damaged in an accident, while also covering damage caused by you to other people’s cars or property. This is more expensive but you are sorted for all the problems that can occur. 

If you're on a tighter budget, you might choose to take third party coverage which covers the cost to repair other people's property should you cause an accident. However, the cost of fixing your own car falls to you. It's the most basic form of cover while you can also extend the policy to include fire and theft as well.

Factors influencing your premium

There are many different things that can influence the cost of insurance such as your age, your gender, whether you've had an accident in the past, the kind of car you're driving, where you live, where you park your car and how you use it. Generally speaking, younger drivers are deemed a greater risk so the premium will be higher, so too for males, especially those that drive a performance orientated car. Aucklanders will pay more in premiums due to the increased risk of theft and accidents thanks to higher traffic volumes. Parking your car on the road as opposed to off the street in a locked garage will see your premium being more expensive, as will using your car for work purposes. Also, check the sum insured amount, which is what the insurance provider will pay out if they ‘write the car off’ (this happens when the total cost of repairs exceeds the value of the car). Too high of a valuation will increase your premium, but you don’t want to be under-insured either. While a lower sum insured amount will mean a cheaper premium, you won’t have as much money to cover the cost of a replacement if your car gets written off. You can use Trade Me’s value my car feature to find out what your car is worth.   

How do I find the best deal on insurance?

Set aside half an hour, and you should be able to find yourself the best insurance deal with some online leg work. All the major insurance companies have quoting systems on their websites; simply enter your details and it will generate a price.

You’ll find some companies have unique benefits, such as Trade Me insurance which gives a discount of up to 15 per cent on premiums to its members. Some offer deals to new customers that make them attractive initially, but it pays to review your insurance every year to ensure it’s still the best option.

Ways to reduce your premium include paying annually rather than monthly. This also circumvents the possibility of the insurance provider adjusting your policy pricing during the year, as this can rise. Having a higher excess amount can lower your premium and consider whether you need glass cover? It’s perhaps worth it if you do lots of highway miles. Find out if it's worth fitting an immobiliser or tracker to your car while excluding younger drivers from your policy can save money too. 

Consider the level of customer support available and whether you’ll require a courtesy car if yours goes in for repairs. If you haven’t had an accident in the last five years, do they offer a no claims discount? Some policies offer breakdown support, will replace a child seat in the event of an accident and cover the cost of replacement keys should you lose them.

Author

NZ Autocar Magazine
NZ Autocar Magazine

New Zealand’s Leading Car Magazine - autocar.co.nz

NZ Autocar is New Zealand’s leading automotive magazine. Delivering news reviews from the automotive world, including commentary from leading automotive writers and covers the scope of motoring including new cars, classic cars, EVs and motorbikes.