Not all auto insurance policies are created equal and that’s why you should check out what an insurance company includes in their policy before you make your purchase.  Usually if the extra isn’t included in your policy you can pay an addition amount to have it included.  Some common extras or benefit are below.

Car towing

If you have an accident and you can’t drive your car your insurer will pay for a towing service to take it to a repairer.

Hire car

Some insurers will provide you with a hire car after your accident usually for up to 14 days after your accident.  If you don’t have a second car and can’t live without wheels then hire car is not a bad thing to have.

Trailer cover

Covers your trailer up to a certain value if it is damaged in a crash.

NCB for life

If you have held your rating 1 for a certain amount of time you may be able to keep it for life.  This would mean if you had an accident claim your insurance premium would not increase.

Low kilometre (km) bonus

If you don’t drive your car much then you may be able to get a low km discount on your insurance policy.  Insurance companies have a reduced risk of a claim because you don’t drive much and hence some offer discount for low kms travelled in a year.

Lifetime repair guarantee

The quality of workmanship and the materials authorised by your insurer in the repair of your car will be guaranteed for the life of the car.  Some keep this guarantee even if you sell car.

Taxi service

Insurers may offer policy holders rebates on any taxi they get from the crash site to accommodation or up to a fixed amount.  If you have hire car included then you may be able to use a taxi until it becomes available.

Skilled driver course (SDC)

There is no doubt that people who have completed a SDC come out of it a better driver and one more aware of how scary and dangerous an out-of-control car is.  Some insurers provide discounts to drivers who have completed a SDC and some even pay for you to complete the course (this is usually for drivers under 25).

New car guarantee

If your car is in a crash or stolen and is relatively new then you can replace your car with a new car.  Measurements are usually done on age and kms travelled or a combination of both.

NCB protection

If you have a good rating and want to switch insurers often your new insurer will let you keep it.  This means you don’t have to worry about losing your rating when seeking a better deal.

Variable excess

Most insurers now offer consumers the choice of varying their excess.  Doing this can significantly increase or decrease your premium.  If you think you are a good driver and think you won’t have an accident then increasing your excess could save you $100’s on the cost of your premium.

Flexible payment options

Insurance companies used to make pay your premium for a year in one lump sum.  Now most insurance companies offer annual or monthly payment options so to reduce the stress of a lump sum payment.

Personal stolen items cover

Covers policy holders if your car gets broken into and robbed and you have personal items stolen – cover is usually capped at $500-$1000.

Windscreen damage

Is usually an extra that you pay for but some insurers do include it as part of their standard policy.  It covers you for window and glass damage sometimes not requiring an excess to be paid.

Loyalty discount

Insurance companies love it when a policy holder stays with them for a long period of time and some reward it by offering discounts for sticking around and not changing insurers.  There are even offer loyalty discounts even if that long period of time was spend with your previous insurer.  Despite some insurers offering a discount, QuoteMyWheels recommend that policy holders re quote their insurance every year.  If there isn’t a better deal available then stay with your current insurer but a new quote takes only 10 min and could save you $100’s.

Choice of Repairer

Do you have a repairer that you always use and knows your car inside-out?  If so then you might want to make sure you have ‘choice of repairer’ included in your policy.  It lets you either select your own insurer or one from a large approved list supplied by your insurance company.

Carbon Offset

Are you passionate about the environment and want to do your little bit.  Carbon offset is now an option with your car insurance in Australia. They will offset the carbon footprint of your car as part of your policy.

No claim cash reward

Most insurers will increase your rating if you don’t make a claim but in addition you can now get a cash reward by not making a claim, as in the insurance company will actually give you money.

Agreed or Market value

If you are not happy with the market value your insurer uses for your car then you can opt to change the value to one that suits you and the insurance company is willing to accept.  If you have a car that is in exceptional condition for its make and age then it may be worth more than market value.  Having an agreed value higher than the insurers market value will most likely result in an increase in your premium.

TPP no fault cover

If you have a crash which wasn’t your fault then the insurer of the person at fault will fix your car.  If they are not insured and you only have TTP insurance then you may have problems getting the money off them to fix the car.  TTP no fault cover will pay for your car to get fixed up to a specified amount (ie: $3000).  This may be enough to get your car back on the road without having to pay for comprehensive insurance.

Card holder discount

If you are a pensioner, concession card holder or hold a similar discount card you may be able to use that card to get a discount on your insurance.

Member benefits

If you already have a policy or use a product or service from a particular company then you may be entitled to a discount if you move your auto insurance to them.