CTP in each state, the three types of private car insurance, what sets your premium and the consumer rules in force in 2026.
Australian car insurance has two layers. Compulsory third party (CTP) is tied to your registration and covers injuries to people. It is run or regulated by each state and territory, so the way you buy it and what it pays differ between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin. Everything else is optional private insurance: third party property, third party, fire and theft and comprehensive.
The guides in this section explain each layer, then look at the price itself: the rating factors insurers use, the GST and state stamp duty added on top, and whether agreed value or market value suits your car. A separate guide summarises the consumer protection rules that apply to car insurance as of October 2026, from the duty to take reasonable care to renewal notices and unfair contract terms.
Start with the overview of car insurance in Australia if you are not sure which cover you need, or go straight to CTP by state if you are renewing your rego. Figures in examples are illustrative, not market prices; always check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and your state's official CTP site.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
How agreed value and market value work on Australian comprehensive car insurance, worked total loss payouts, finance gaps, new car replacement and what to check at renewal.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
How Australian car insurance fits together in 2026: compulsory CTP by state, the three optional cover levels, what drives the price and how to compare at renewal.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
How an Australian car insurance premium is made up of base premium, GST and state stamp duty, with worked examples by state and what it means when you compare quotes.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
The consumer rules that apply to car insurance in 2026, including the duty of reasonable care, renewal notices, unfair contract terms, claims handling and AFCA.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
How compulsory third party (CTP) insurance works in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, WA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT, how you pay for it and what it covers.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
Why CTP covers injuries but not damage to cars, what third party property insurance adds, what happens if you crash without it and when it is the right minimum.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
Compare third party, fire and theft with comprehensive car insurance in Australia using a break-even calculation, car value thresholds and hail and flood risk.
Cover types, costs and 2026 rules
The rating factors Australian insurers use for car insurance, from postcode and driver age to excess and kilometres, and which ones you can legitimately change.
