Driving in Western Australia is unlike anywhere else in the country. You could start your day in Perth’s urban sprawl and find yourself around 15 hours later on the Nullarbor Plain – the longest straight stretch of road in Australia – with nothing but open sky and kangaroos for company.
In other words, WA drivers can cover some serious ground – and that means it can be worth having car insurance that suits your needs.
To achieve this, it makes sense to regularly review your car insurance in WA and compare multiple policies to keep tabs on whether you’ve still got the right level of cover for your current situation and budget.
“In a state where driving from Perth to Karratha takes longer than driving from Sydney to Melbourne and back, choosing the right car insurance is less about ticking a box and more about finding a policy that supports how you live, work and get around,” says Marni Jackson, Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Lifestyle.
To help WA drivers compare and choose car insurance cover confidently, we’ve put together this guide with some of the key factors to consider, some tips on how to help keep premiums down, plus some policy features that might come in handy when driving across this vast state.
Let’s start with what type of car insurance you need to drive a vehicle in WA.
What type of car insurance is available in WA?
If you’ve already started comparing car insurance in WA, you’ve likely discovered that there’s a range of cover options to choose from, including Comprehensive and Third Party Policies. But you mightn’t be fully across which – if any – are legally required.
The only car insurance that’s mandatory in WA is Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance.1,2 This covers you financially if your car is involved in an accident that injures or kills someone and the driver of your car is at fault. In WA, the cost of CTP insurance is included in your car registration fee.1
However, CTP insurance doesn’t cover damage to your car or anyone else’s1 – that’s where one of the optional types of car insurance comes in.
Youi offers three levels of optional car insurance cover in WA – Comprehensive, Third Party Fire & Theft and Third Party Property Only. We’ll go into these options in a little more detail later.
How does compulsory car insurance in WA compare to other states?
As with WA, CTP is the only type of insurance that’s mandatory in every Australian state and territory,2 but how it works can vary slightly from place to place. For example, in WA, people who are injured in an accident where they’re at fault can’t typically make a CTP claim, unless the injuries are deemed catastrophic.3
In contrast, for example, in New South Wales – where CTP is known as a Green Slip – even people who are at fault for an accident may be able to make a CTP claim if they’re injured.4
How to compare car insurance in WA
Weighing up a host of different car insurance policies may feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into a few key steps may help make the process more manageable.
1. Understand the types of insurance cover
Before you start to compare car insurance in Western Australia, it may be useful to take some time to understand what the different types of insurance do – and don’t – cover:2,5
- Comprehensive car insurance: This extensive insurance option covers accidental damage to your car and other people’s cars or property, even if the accident was your fault. It also covers your car if it’s stolen, damaged by fire or some severe weather events.2,5
- Third Party Fire & Theft car insurance: This covers the damage caused by your car to other people’s cars or property – and also covers your car for theft or fire damage.
- Third Party Property Only car insurance: This also covers the damage caused by your car to other people’s cars or property – but it doesn’t cover any type of damage to your car.
2. Think about the level of cover you need
In Australia, Comprehensive car insurance is the more popular option,6 with our own research showing that 77% of drivers have this level of cover for their cars. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the most suitable choice for your present circumstances.6
For example, if you have an older car, it could be worth considering whether a Third Party Fire & Theft or a Third Party Property Only car insurance policy might suit you better.6
Asking yourself the following questions could help you gauge which type of insurance may be right for you:2
- Can you afford to be without your car if it gets damaged, stolen or written off?
- Can you afford to repair or replace your car without insurance?
- Can you afford to pay to repair someone else’s car or property if you have an accident that’s your fault?
- Is your car usually parked on the street or in an area where there’s a higher risk of theft or vandalism?
- If you have a loan on your car, could you afford to keep repaying it if the car got stolen or damaged in an accident and you needed to buy another vehicle?
- If your car is financed, is there a minimum level of car insurance that your lender requires you to have?2
3. Compare key policy features across insurers
Once you’ve decided on the type of car insurance you think would suit you best, you might like to compare the specific features of similar policies from different insurers to help you determine how they stack up.2
Consider comparing:2
- The exclusions of different policies to see what isn’t covered, for example damage caused by certain weather events or intentional damage, such as vandalism
- The inclusions of different policies, some of which may be, for example, the contents of your car or roadside assistance if your car breaks down.2
4. Compare car insurance quotes in WA
After you’ve narrowed down the field of potential insurers, you might consider getting a quote for each one to see how they compare.
“If you do this, it’s important to try to make sure you’re comparing apples with apples,” says Jackson.
“Along with checking what each policy does and doesn’t include, it can also help to make sure every quote is based on the same excess amount, that’s the amount you pay when you make a claim. You’ll also want to check that they all use the same key details – like the age of anyone who’ll be driving the car, how the car is used day to day, and its make, model and age.”
Car insurance in Perth vs Regional WA: What you should consider
If you are doing a car insurance comparison in Western Australia and live in a rural or remote area, you might decide it’s important to look for insurance that includes cover for specific events – for example, if your car gets damaged in a kangaroo collision or wildlife car accident or if you experience a breakdown miles from the nearest town.
Depending on the insurer, comprehensive car insurance may include cover for damage caused by accidents with wildlife. However, if you have a Third Party Fire & Theft or Third Party Property Only policy, your insurance typically won’t cover any damage to your own vehicle if it’s involved in a collision with wildlife. It would generally only cover the cost of any damage your vehicle causes to other vehicles or property as a result of the accident.7
Similarly, if you live in a rural area, choosing a policy that includes towing and roadside assistance as standard may be particularly important to you so you’re not left stranded after an insured event or breakdown.
“Youi’s Comprehensive car insurance includes access to our Roadside Assist service, which means if your car breaks down or you get a flat tyre while you’re driving on an accessible road, help is just a phone call away, 24 hours a day,” says Jackson.8
“Our Comprehensive car insurance also covers the cost of towing to the nearest safe location, if your car needs to be towed and stored somewhere after an insured event.”
How you may be able to lower the cost of car insurance in WA
Regardless of the level of car insurance cover you choose, here are some things you can consider which may help to lower the cost of your premium.
Opt for a higher excess
Increasing your excess will generally result in a lower premium,2 but bear in mind what you could afford to pay if you needed to make a claim.9
Pay annually
Paying your premium annually rather than monthly or in instalments may lower the cost of your car insurance.2
Choose Market Value
With comprehensive insurance, you will often have the option to choose how your car is valued – ‘Agreed Value’ gives you more certainty about what you’ll receive if your car is stolen or written off, while ‘Market Value’ policies typically cost less because payouts reflect depreciation.2
Now that you know more about how to carry out a thorough WA car insurance comparison, you might like to explore our car insurance options to find out if they’re the right fit for you. Consider starting a quote online or give us a call on 13 9684.
1 Source: Insurance Commission of Western Australia – Insurance Policy
2 Source: Moneysmart – Choosing car insurance
3 Source: Legal Aid WA – Motor vehicle accidents – dealing with the damage, January 2025
4 Source: NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority – A guide for people injured in motor crash in NSW, March 2025
5 Exclusions, limits and additional fees may apply. For full details, see the Car Insurance PDS.
6 Source: CHOICE – How to find the best car insurance policy, April 2022
7 Source: Canstar – What to do if you hit a kangaroo while driving, June 2025
8 Youi Roadside Assist available with Comprehensive policies only. Exclusions, limits and fees may apply. Cover not available within 24 hours of taking out or upgrading to Comprehensive cover. For more details, see the roadside assistance T&Cs and Car PDS.
9 Source: Canstar – 11 tips to save money on your car insurance, July 2025
