Need to know
- When it comes to choosing a car insurer, trustworthiness and reliability are still key deciding factors
- RAA, RACQ, Youi and RAC came out on top for customer experience in our survey
- On average 70% of customers with a claim were happy with their claims experience, with RACQ and RACV customers the happiest
Car insurance protects you against damage from accidents, fire, severe weather and theft of your car, but knowing whether your insurer will be easy to deal with when you make a claim can be tricky.
This year we asked over 1800 car insurance customers about their experience with their car insurer. We found that, similar to our 2023 survey, the large majority (68%) rated their insurer as above average or excellent. But there are large differences between insurers.
On this page:
- Best car insurer for overall customer satisfaction
- Best value for money car insurance
- Most loyal customers
- Best car insurer for claims experience
- Most caring car insurer
Best car insurer for overall customer satisfaction
- As was the case in 2023, South Australian car insurer RAA is the best rated insurer in Australia for customer satisfaction. This time, 91% of customers rate their experience with RAA as above average or excellent.
- RAA was followed by RACQ, Youi and RAC.
- GIO, Shannons, NRMA Insurance, Woolworths Everyday and Qantas also received above average results.
- 68% of Suncorp and Apia customers rate their experience as above average or excellent, which is the average result.
- RACV, AAMI, Budget Direct and Allianz are rated below average.
Best value for money car insurance
With the cost of living increasing, value for money is at the forefront of people's minds, and car insurers are not doing too well in this regard – less than one in five customers (18%) rate their insurer as excellent value for money, this has dropped from 22% in 2023.
These insurers had the best ratings for value for money, with a higher than average number of their customers rating them as excellent:
- Woolworths Everyday (32%)
- RACQ (25%)
- Budget Direct (24%)
- Youi (22%).
GIO and RACV brought up the rear with only 12% of customers rating GIO as excellent value for money, and 11% for RACV.
If you're concerned about your car insurance premium and want to look for a better deal, the CHOICE car insurance comparison is an excellent way to start. We've looked at comprehensive car insurance policies offered by all the major insurers, including AAMI, NRMA Insurance, Budget Direct, Youi, Suncorp and more, to help you figure out which one is right for you.
We include a state-based price rating which indicates, on average, how expensive a policy is compared to others. And unlike other insurance comparison websites, we're completely independent and don't get paid by any of the insurers we're comparing.
Most loyal customers
With car insurers not offering great value for money in most people's opinion, shopping around is the best way to save. Especially as insurers often give new customers a better deal. Our survey found that on average, only 32% of respondents said they will definitely renew their insurance with their current insurer, but another 46% said they will probably renew – this is in line with the results of our 2023 survey. Only 53% said they would definitely or probably shop around before renewing.
And there are some insurers out there with very loyal customers. A high percentage of customers have stuck with these insurers for over 10 years:
- RAA (58%)
- RACQ (49%)
- NRMA Insurance (47%)
- GIO (40%).
Best car insurer for claims experience
What if you're in the unfortunate position where you have to make a claim? According to our survey, the happiest customers in that situation are with RACQ and RAC, with more than four in five customers who've made a claim rating their insurer's claims experience as above average or excellent.
The following insurers all received above average or excellent ratings from customers with settled claims:
- RACQ (85%)
- RAA (84%)*
- RAC (80%)
- NRMA Insurance (78%)
- Woolworth Everyday (77%)
- Youi (73%)*.
*Ratings for RAA and Youi are indicative only due to low sample size.
Most caring car insurer
We also asked respondents to rate their experience of feeling cared for as a customer and found that insurers that rated well for customer experience took out the top spots.
- RACQ (76%), RAA (71%) and Youi (68%) customers were most likely to feel that care was "above average" or "excellent".
- Budget Direct (45) and Qantas (39%) were at the bottom of the list.
How our survey was conducted
The CHOICE consumer insights team conducted a survey of 1828 policyholders of car insurance across Australia (including comprehensive car insurance, third party fire & theft, and third party property damage) and carried out fieldwork from 3 to 11 March 2025.
They applied quotas for representation in each age group, gender and location to ensure there was coverage in each state and territory across metropolitan and regional areas. Only current customers gave ratings for specific insurers.
We're on your side
For more than 60 years, we've been making a difference for Australian consumers. In that time, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family.
And you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
Learn more about CHOICE membership today
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
