[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":489},["ShallowReactive",2],{"active-categories":3,"blowouts":28,"story-\u002Fstories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent":83,"related-\u002Fstories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent":445,"surround-\u002Fstories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent":481},[4,6,8,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27],{"category":5},"follow-the-money",{"category":7},"cost-of-living",{"category":9},"government-waste",{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":7},{"category":7},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":5},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":7},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":7},{"category":5},{"category":7},{"category":9},{"category":9},[29,39,49,58,66,75],{"path":30,"title":31,"category":9,"date":32,"blowout":33},"\u002Fstories\u002Fbom-website-96-million-one-year-on","One year on: the BOM website that cost $96.5 million, not $4 million","2026-10-24",{"project":34,"originalCost":35,"currentCost":36,"announced":37,"note":38},"BOM website",4100000,96500000,"2025","$4.1m was the figure first given to the public.",{"path":40,"title":41,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":43},"\u002Fstories\u002Fcross-river-rail-cost-blowout-19-billion","Cross River Rail was sold as a $5.4 billion project. The government now says it costs $19 billion","2026-10-25",{"project":44,"originalCost":45,"currentCost":46,"announced":47,"note":48},"Cross River Rail",5400000000,19041000000,"2017","Queensland Government figure (Oct 2025). It includes 25 years of tunnel maintenance and network works; Labor disputes counting them.",{"path":50,"title":51,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":52},"\u002Fstories\u002Fhunter-class-frigates-27-billion-three-ships","Hunter-class frigates: sold as nine warships for $35 billion. We're now paying $27 billion for three",{"project":53,"originalCost":54,"currentCost":55,"announced":56,"note":57},"Hunter-class frigates",35000000000,45600000000,"2018","2020 Force Structure Plan estimate for nine ships. The program is now six ships; close to $27bn is allocated for the first three, including the Osborne shipyard.",{"path":59,"title":60,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":61},"\u002Fstories\u002Finland-rail-cost-blowout-45-billion-parkes","Inland Rail was sold as a $10.7 billion project. It now costs $45.6 billion, and stops at Parkes",{"project":62,"originalCost":63,"currentCost":55,"announced":64,"note":65},"Inland Rail",10660000000,"2015","Both P90 estimates for the full Melbourne to Brisbane line. Only Beveridge to Parkes is now being built.",{"path":67,"title":68,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":69},"\u002Fstories\u002Fnorth-east-link-cost-blowout-26-billion","North East Link was sold as a $10 billion road. It now costs $26 billion",{"project":70,"originalCost":71,"currentCost":72,"announced":73,"note":74},"North East Link",10000000000,26100000000,"2016","Victoria's December 2023 estimate. Includes the Eastern Freeway and M80 upgrades added since.",{"path":76,"title":77,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":78},"\u002Fstories\u002Fsnowy-2-0-cost-blowout-25-billion","Snowy 2.0 was sold as a $2 billion project. It could now cost $25 billion",{"project":79,"originalCost":80,"currentCost":81,"announced":47,"note":82},"Snowy 2.0",2000000000,22200000000,"Target cost. Up to $25bn with contingency; transmission not included.",{"id":84,"title":85,"author":86,"bigNumber":87,"bigNumberLabel":88,"blowout":89,"body":90,"category":7,"date":394,"description":395,"draft":396,"extension":397,"featured":396,"focusKeywords":398,"image":403,"imageAlt":404,"meta":405,"navigation":406,"path":407,"people":408,"readingTime":409,"refresh":89,"seo":410,"shareImage":89,"sources":411,"stem":439,"tags":440,"updated":89,"__hash__":444},"stories\u002Fstories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent.md","Car insurance premiums: up 42%, and insurers don't say why","Aussie Outrage","42%","Rise in the average comprehensive car insurance premium from 2019 to 2024, before another 8% in 2024-25",null,{"type":91,"value":92,"toc":383},"minimark",[93,110,113,118,123,134,145,162,166,169,172,183,187,190,228,231,234,237,241,248,266,269,303,306,309,313,316,319,323,326,353,357,360,369],[94,95,96,97,101,102,105,106,109],"p",{},"Car insurance premiums in Australia rose ",[98,99,100],"strong",{},"more than 42%"," between 2019 and 2024, then ",[98,103,104],{},"another 8%"," in 2024-25. When the corporate regulator, ASIC, checked how insurers explain those rises, it found that ",[98,107,108],{},"none"," of the insurers it reviewed explained, in their quotes or renewal notices, what drove the price or why it had changed from last year.",[94,111,112],{},"So the bill goes up, and the letter doesn't say why.",[114,115],"big-stat",{"label":116,"source":117,"value":87},"Rise in the average comprehensive car insurance premium from 2019 to 2024. Premiums rose another 8% in 2024-25.","Insurance Council of Australia (March 2025); CHOICE, as cited by ASIC REP 838 (August 2026)",[119,120,122],"h2",{"id":121},"how-much-car-insurance-premiums-have-gone-up","How much car insurance premiums have gone up",[94,124,125,126,129,130,133],{},"The insurers' own industry body, the Insurance Council of Australia, says comprehensive premiums were ",[98,127,128],{},"up 42% since 2019",", reaching an average of ",[98,131,132],{},"$1,052 a year in 2024",".",[94,135,136,137,140,141,144],{},"Canstar measures something different: quotes, not the Insurance Council's average, so its dollar figures are higher and the two can't be compared. Its 2026 ratings, based on more than 56,000 quotes, put the average comprehensive premium at ",[98,138,139],{},"$2,460 a year",", up 5% ($111) on 2025. Victorian drivers pay the most, at an average of ",[98,142,143],{},"$3,293",". Drivers aged 50 and over had the biggest rise: 10%.",[94,146,147,148,151,152,157,158,133],{},"It is also faster than prices in general. The ABS says insurance prices rose ",[98,149,150],{},"5.6%"," in the 12 months to August 2026, against 4.0% for ",[153,154,156],"a",{"href":155},"\u002Fstories\u002Faustralia-inflation-rate","Australia's inflation rate"," overall. For many households it lands in the same months as ",[153,159,161],{"href":160},"\u002Fstories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling","a bigger power bill",[119,163,165],{"id":164},"loyal-customers-paid-for-it","Loyal customers paid for it",[94,167,168],{},"Car insurance prices rose an average of 8% in 2024-25. But CHOICE found the price of new policies over the same period was flat: \"the price rise came entirely from policy renewals by loyal customers.\"",[94,170,171],{},"In other words, the people who stayed put paid for it. CHOICE also compared prices for new customers in January 2025 and January 2026: on average they rose 4.4%, but the change was very different from one insurer to the next:",[173,174],"bar-chart",{":data":175,":decimals":176,":diverging":177,"note":178,"source":179,"subtitle":180,"suffix":181,"title":182},"[{\"label\":\"Bingle\",\"value\":25,\"highlight\":true},{\"label\":\"CBA\",\"value\":19},{\"label\":\"BOQ\",\"value\":17},{\"label\":\"Aldi\",\"value\":16},{\"label\":\"Suncorp\",\"value\":12},{\"label\":\"Average\",\"value\":4},{\"label\":\"AAMI\",\"value\":-5},{\"label\":\"Kogan\",\"value\":-31}]","0","true","Average change in quotes for new customers across all cover levels. Selected insurers: CHOICE lists 30. Renewal prices for existing customers are not included.","CHOICE, The car insurers with the biggest price hikes 2026","Change in comprehensive car insurance prices for new customers, January 2025 to January 2026, per cent","%","Same year, very different price rises",[119,184,186],{"id":185},"what-asic-found-when-it-checked-car-insurers","What ASIC found when it checked car insurers",[94,188,189],{},"ASIC reviewed eight brands from five insurers, covering about 72% of the car insurance market: AAMI and Suncorp (AAI Limited), Allianz and TIO (Allianz Australia), NRMA and RACV (IAG), RAC Insurance and Youi. It also surveyed more than 2,000 Australians. Its report, released on 11 August 2026, found:",[191,192,193,200,206,212,218],"ul",{},[194,195,196,199],"li",{},[98,197,198],{},"No explanation of the price."," No insurer explained, in quote and renewal documents, the key factors behind the premium or why it had changed from the year before. Two insurers' renewal notices gave no reason at all; the other six gave generic ones.",[194,201,202,205],{},[98,203,204],{},"Generic reasons, usually \"rising costs\"."," Of the people who remembered being given a reason for a price rise, 73% got a generic one, typically rising costs.",[194,207,208,211],{},[98,209,210],{},"Paying monthly costs more, and they don't say how much."," Five of the eight insurers charged 10–20% more to pay by instalments than to pay annually, and renewal notices didn't make that saving clear.",[194,213,214,217],{},[98,215,216],{},"Most people just renew."," Two-thirds (67%) renewed with the same insurer, and 40% of them neither contacted their insurer nor compared quotes.",[194,219,220,223,224,227],{},[98,221,222],{},"Asking works."," Only 30% of people contacted their insurer about the renewal. About ",[98,225,226],{},"31%"," of those had their premium cut without changing their cover.",[94,229,230],{},"That last finding is the one ASIC itself flagged: it \"raises concerns about the fairness of insurers' pricing practices, as not all consumers have the time, capability or confidence to negotiate with their insurer\".",[94,232,233],{},"General insurance is also the financial product Australians complain about most. ASIC says it was the most complained-about financial product in 2024-25 (37% of complaints), more than half of those were about comprehensive car insurance, and the most common complaint was premiums.",[94,235,236],{},"ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said, as reported by the ABC: \"What we found is that insurers across the board are falling short,\" and \"This also shows that loyalty doesn't pay.\"",[119,238,240],{"id":239},"why-is-car-insurance-so-expensive-the-insurers-answer","Why is car insurance so expensive? The insurers' answer",[94,242,243],{},[244,245],"img",{"alt":246,"src":247},"A smash repair and mechanical workshop on a country main street in Coolah, NSW","\u002Fimages\u002Fcar-insurance-smash-repairs-coolah.jpg",[94,249,250],{},[251,252,253,254,260,261,133],"em",{},"A smash repair and mechanical workshop in Coolah, NSW. Photo: Mattinbgn, ",[153,255,259],{"href":256,"rel":257},"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby\u002F3.0",[258],"nofollow","CC BY 3.0",", via ",[153,262,265],{"href":263,"rel":264},"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FFile:Coolah_Auto_Smash_and_Mechanical_001.JPG",[258],"Wikimedia Commons",[94,267,268],{},"The insurers say it's their costs, not their profits. The Insurance Council says:",[191,270,271,278,284,290,296],{},[194,272,273,274,277],{},"the average ",[98,275,276],{},"claim cost rose 42%"," between 2019 and 2024, tracking premiums",[194,279,280,283],{},[98,281,282],{},"repair costs"," climbed 26% from 2022, and repairs are about 60% of claim costs",[194,285,286,289],{},[98,287,288],{},"new car prices"," are up as much as 39% since 2019 and used cars about 32%, which raises payouts for write-offs",[194,291,292,295],{},[98,293,294],{},"rental car costs"," for insurers rose 70% since 2019, partly because repairs take longer, and claims involving \"credit hire\" companies have quadrupled",[194,297,298,299,302],{},"motor claims and costs went from 89% of premiums collected in June 2019 to 94% in June 2024, which it says shows the product became ",[251,300,301],{},"less"," profitable",[94,304,305],{},"In October 2026 it said, as reported by the ABC, that the average motor claim had risen 32% to $6,266 over four years, and that \"The most effective way to ease pressure on premiums is to tackle the costs driving them.\" It wants governments to regulate the credit hire industry, address repair workforce shortages, and require manufacturers to make spare parts available in Australia.",[94,307,308],{},"Those cost pressures are real. But they don't explain why a loyal customer pays more than a new one, or why a renewal notice can't say what changed.",[119,310,312],{"id":311},"whats-being-done-about-it","What's being done about it",[94,314,315],{},"Not much, on price. ASIC doesn't set premiums. \"We don't regulate the prices that insurers offer to their customers,\" Mr Kirkland said. It is giving each insurer in the review feedback and says it will take enforcement action where premium disclosures are inaccurate or misleading. It is already in court against RACQ Insurance, alleging that at least 475,000 renewal documents sent over more than five years contained misleading premium comparisons. Those are allegations; the case is ongoing.",[94,317,318],{},"The federal government has committed $2.4 million to reforms to make insurance pricing more transparent, but that work is aimed at home and contents insurance for now. Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino said the government \"is considering the issue of premium transparency in the motor insurance market.\"",[119,320,322],{"id":321},"how-to-pay-less-for-car-insurance","How to pay less for car insurance",[94,324,325],{},"ASIC's own findings point to what works:",[327,328,329,335,341,347],"ol",{},[194,330,331,334],{},[98,332,333],{},"Call your insurer before you renew."," About 31% of people who did got a lower premium for the same cover.",[194,336,337,340],{},[98,338,339],{},"Pay annually if you can."," Paying monthly cost 10–20% more with five of the eight insurers ASIC reviewed.",[194,342,343,346],{},[98,344,345],{},"Compare quotes."," Canstar estimates a driver paying the average premium could save about $651 a year by switching to one of its top-rated policies.",[194,348,349,352],{},[98,350,351],{},"Check the renewal notice"," against last year's: the insured value, the excess and the kilometres.",[354,355],"faq",{":items":356},"[{\"q\":\"How much have car insurance premiums gone up in Australia?\",\"a\":\"The average comprehensive car insurance premium rose 42% from 2019 to 2024, according to the Insurance Council of Australia, and premiums rose another 8% in the 2024-25 financial year, according to CHOICE figures cited by ASIC in August 2026.\"},{\"q\":\"Why is car insurance so expensive in Australia?\",\"a\":\"Insurers point to higher claim costs: dearer repairs, parts and replacement cars, longer repair times and credit hire claims. The Insurance Council says the average claim cost rose 42% from 2019 to 2024. ASIC found in 2026 that insurers' renewal notices did not explain the key factors behind individual premiums.\"},{\"q\":\"Are car insurance premiums going up in 2026?\",\"a\":\"Yes. Canstar's June 2026 ratings put the average comprehensive premium at $2,460 a year, up 5% on 2025, and the ABS says insurance prices rose 5.6% in the 12 months to August 2026, faster than inflation overall.\"},{\"q\":\"Which state has the most expensive car insurance?\",\"a\":\"Victoria, on Canstar's June 2026 figures: an average comprehensive premium of $3,293 a year, against a national average of $2,460.\"},{\"q\":\"Can you negotiate your car insurance premium?\",\"a\":\"Often, yes. ASIC's 2026 survey found about 31% of people who contacted their insurer before renewing had their premium reduced without changing their cover. Only 30% of people made contact.\"},{\"q\":\"Is it cheaper to pay car insurance annually or monthly?\",\"a\":\"Usually annually. ASIC found five of the eight insurer brands it reviewed in 2026 charged 10–20% more in total to pay by instalments, and renewal notices didn't clearly show the saving.\"}]",[94,358,359],{},"Premiums are up by more than half in six years, and the regulator found that the letter telling you so doesn't explain why. Ring your insurer before you renew.",[94,361,362],{},[251,363,364,365,133],{},"Has your car insurance jumped at renewal? ",[153,366,368],{"href":367},"\u002Fsubmit-a-story","Send us your renewal notice",[94,370,371],{},[251,372,373,374,260,379,133],{},"Top photo: morning traffic on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway. Photo: BlackCab, ",[153,375,378],{"href":376,"rel":377},"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-sa\u002F3.0",[258],"CC BY-SA 3.0",[153,380,265],{"href":381,"rel":382},"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FFile:Congestion_on_Eastern_Freeway,_Melbourne.JPG",[258],{"title":384,"searchDepth":385,"depth":386,"links":387},"",2,3,[388,389,390,391,392,393],{"id":121,"depth":385,"text":122},{"id":164,"depth":385,"text":165},{"id":185,"depth":385,"text":186},{"id":239,"depth":385,"text":240},{"id":311,"depth":385,"text":312},{"id":321,"depth":385,"text":322},"2026-10-28","Car insurance premiums in Australia rose 42% in five years and another 8% last year. ASIC found no insurer explained why. What's driving it and how to pay less.",false,"md",[399,400,401,402],"car insurance premiums","car insurance premiums australia","car insurance increase","why is car insurance so expensive","\u002Fimages\u002Fcar-insurance-eastern-freeway-traffic.jpg","Morning peak-hour traffic banked up on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway",{},true,"\u002Fstories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent",[],8,{"title":85,"description":395},[412,415,418,421,424,427,430,433,436],{"title":413,"url":414},"ASIC: REP 838 Road testing transparency in car insurance premiums (11 Aug 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.asic.gov.au\u002Fregulatory-resources\u002Ffind-a-document\u002Freports\u002Frep-838-road-testing-transparency-in-car-insurance-premiums",{"title":416,"url":417},"ASIC: REP 838 full report (PDF)","https:\u002F\u002Fdownload.asic.gov.au\u002Fmedia\u002Fvk0oeudx\u002Frep838-published-11-august-2026.pdf",{"title":419,"url":420},"ASIC: 26-189MR Consumers left in the dark about rising car insurance premiums, ASIC warns","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.asic.gov.au\u002Fabout-asic\u002Fnews-centre\u002Ffind-a-media-release\u002F2026-releases\u002F26-189mr-consumers-left-in-the-dark-about-rising-car-insurance-premiums-asic-warns",{"title":422,"url":423},"Insurance Council of Australia: Insurance industry releases motor insurance roadmap (23 Mar 2025)","https:\u002F\u002Finsurancecouncil.com.au\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F03\u002F250323-Insurace-industry-releases-motor-insurance-roadmap.pdf",{"title":425,"url":426},"ABS: Consumer Price Index, Australia, August 2026","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abs.gov.au\u002Fstatistics\u002Feconomy\u002Fprice-indexes-and-inflation\u002Fconsumer-price-index-australia\u002Faug-2026",{"title":428,"url":429},"CHOICE: The car insurers with the biggest price hikes 2026 (11 Mar 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.choice.com.au\u002Fmoney\u002Finsurance\u002Fcar\u002Farticles\u002Fcar-insurers-with-the-biggest-price-hikes",{"title":431,"url":432},"Canstar: Car insurance costs rev up (8 Jun 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.canstar.com.au\u002Fnews\u002Fcar-insurance-costs-rev-up\u002F",{"title":434,"url":435},"ABC News: Car insurers warned over rising premiums by corporate regulator (10 Aug 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abc.net.au\u002Fnews\u002F2026-08-10\u002Fcar-insurers-warned-rising-premiums-corporate-regulator-asic\u002F107008124",{"title":437,"url":438},"ABC News: Car insurance premiums increase almost 60 per cent in four years (16 Oct 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abc.net.au\u002Fnews\u002F2026-10-16\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-well-above-cpi-asic\u002F107267070","stories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent",[441,442,443,7],"car-insurance","insurance","asic","6l3vw0odGDzKOr5qPw4Hckp-a_RBal-rwOogx_MJR2Y",[446,455,464,473],{"path":447,"title":448,"description":449,"date":394,"category":7,"author":86,"image":450,"imageAlt":451,"bigNumber":452,"bigNumberLabel":453,"readingTime":454,"featured":396},"\u002Fstories\u002Fcoles-down-down-court-case-discounts-not-genuine","Coles Down Down court case: 13 of 14 discounts not genuine","The Coles Down Down court case: a judge found 13 of 14 discounts weren't genuine. No penalty until 2027, Woolworths awaits judgment, and profits are up.","\u002Fimages\u002Fcoles-aisle-trolley.jpg","A shopping trolley in a Coles supermarket aisle lined with stocked shelves and yellow price tickets","13 of 14","Coles 'Down Down' tickets the Federal Court found misleading, because the discount wasn't genuine",7,{"path":456,"title":457,"description":458,"date":394,"category":7,"author":86,"image":459,"imageAlt":460,"bigNumber":461,"bigNumberLabel":462,"readingTime":463,"featured":396},"\u002Fstories\u002Frent-prices-australia","Rent prices in Australia now take a record 34% of income","Rent prices in Australia: the median is $713 a week, renters pay a record 34% of income, and a full-time minimum wage worker can afford 0.5% of listings.","\u002Fimages\u002Frent-paddington-terraces.jpg","A row of terrace houses on a leafy street at Fiveways, Paddington, in Sydney","34%","Share of pre-tax income the typical renting household spent on rent in June 2026, the highest on record",6,{"path":155,"title":465,"description":466,"date":467,"category":7,"author":86,"image":468,"imageAlt":469,"bigNumber":470,"bigNumberLabel":471,"readingTime":472,"featured":396},"Australia's inflation rate climbs to 4.3%. Here's why","Australia's inflation rate rose to 4.3% in September 2026, up from 4.0%. Petrol, up 23.6% in a year, and power bills after the rebates ended led the rise.","2026-10-27","\u002Fimages\u002Finflation-petrol-prices-brisbane.jpg","A United service station in Brisbane with its price board showing unleaded at 241.9 cents a litre and diesel at 295.9","4.3%","Australia's inflation rate, 12 months to September 2026",13,{"path":474,"title":475,"description":476,"date":467,"category":7,"author":86,"image":477,"imageAlt":478,"bigNumber":479,"bigNumberLabel":480,"readingTime":409,"featured":396},"\u002Fstories\u002Finterest-rate-rises-australia-2026","Interest rate rises in Australia: four in 2026, and the cost","Every RBA interest rate rise in Australia in 2026, why the Reserve Bank raised rates to 4.60%, and what they add to a typical mortgage: about $470 a month.","\u002Fimages\u002Frba-building-sydney.jpg","The upper floors of the Reserve Bank of Australia's office tower in Sydney","$470","Extra a month on the average new home loan after four interest rate rises in 2026",[482,487],{"title":483,"path":484,"stem":485,"description":486,"children":-1},"Suburban Rail Loop cost: $50bn promised, $96.4bn forecast","\u002Fstories\u002Fsuburban-rail-loop-cost-96-billion","stories\u002Fsuburban-rail-loop-cost-96-billion","How much will the Suburban Rail Loop cost? $33.3bn for stage one, says the government, but the Auditor-General says it could top $36bn. Two stages: $96.4bn.",{"title":448,"path":447,"stem":488,"description":449,"children":-1},"stories\u002Fcoles-down-down-court-case-discounts-not-genuine",1793586230294]