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Car insurance FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car insurance. You can make a claim online at any time or read our claims guide

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Manage your policy

You can make changes to your policy in the RACV App and your online account.

This includes:

  • updating your vehicle details
  • adding options or extras
  • changing your excess
  • changing your policy type by cancelling your existing policy and purchasing a new one.

Go to your online account and select your policy to make changes.

You can also call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store.

At RACV, we care about your privacy.  

To make changes on your insurance policy, another person will need to be either:

  • insured on your policy
  • listed as an authorised representative on your account.

This helps us keep your account secure.

To add someone as an authorised representative, call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store.

When your insurance is due for renewal, you'll find the details on your renewal notice. 

You will receive this via mail or email, depending on your communication preferences. You can also find a copy in your online account.

To renew your policy in the RACV App:

  1. Click on ‘My products’.
  2. Click on the product you want to renew.
  3. Click ‘Make payment’ when you’re ready to renew. 

To renew your policy online:

  1. Go to your online account
  2. From your dashboard, review your policy details
  3. Click ‘Make payment’ when you’re ready to renew. 

When to pay

  • If you have monthly direct debit payments set up, you don’t need to do anything – we’ll take payment on your regular date.
  • If you pay your policy annually, you should make a payment before the due date.

You can pay online, over the phone, in one of our retail or agency stores, or at your local post office. Payment methods include Visa or Mastercard, PayPal or BPAY.

Learn more about billing and payments.

You can cancel your car insurance online. 

Go to your online account and choose the policy you want to cancel.

If you don't have an online account, you can create one with your Member details. 

From there, click the ‘cancel policy’ button.

If you prefer to have one of our team cancel your policy, call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store.

Yes, you can transfer your car insurance policy to another vehicle.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Your premium may change based on your updated vehicle. This means you may be charged an additional premium or be refunded for a portion of your premium.
  • If you transfer your insurance to a new vehicle, your previous vehicle will no longer be covered.

To transfer your policy to a different vehicle:

  1. Go to your online account.
  2. Click on your product.
  3. Click ‘view details’.
  4. Click ‘edit’ and enter your vehicle details.

You can also call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store.

No matter who's driving, RACV Motor Insurance offers cover for all licensed drivers provided they meet the underwriting criteria, including any additional excesses that may apply to unlisted drivers.

This includes:

  • learner drivers when being supervised by a fully licensed driver
  • drivers with an international driving license.

You don't have to list all additional drivers using your car, but it’s worth considering based on how frequently others drive your car and any additional excesses that may apply to unlisted drivers.

Keep in mind that naming additional drivers may change your premium.

To add or remove drivers to your policy:

  1. Go to your online account
  2. Click on your policy
  3. Scroll to ‘The drivers’ section
  4. Click ‘edit’ and enter driver details.

If you’ve sold your car and purchased another vehicle, you can transfer your insurance policy from your previous vehicle to your replacement one.

Find out how to transfer your insurance to another vehicle

If you’re selling your car and no longer need car insurance, you can cancel your existing policy online.

You can also call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store.

If you cancel your insurance policy before your renewal date, you may receive a refund, depending on the period you’ve paid for.

Annual payments
You will be refunded any premium paid from the cancellation date to the renewal date listed on your Certificate of Insurance.** 

Monthly payments
If you cancel your policy midterm, your premium covers you for any time held in cover as shown on your latest Certificate of Insurance, until the cancellation date.

This means:

  • If you have paid more than the time held in cover, you will be entitled to a refund.**
  • If you have paid less than the time held in cover a final amount may still be debited from your nominated account.

**In the event of a total loss, your policy comes to an end and no refund of premium is due to you. If you’re paying monthly, the remaining instalments will be deducted from the amount you are paid in settlement of your claim.

You don’t need to have a driver’s licence to insure a car. However, to be covered in an incident, the driver of the vehicle needs to be licensed.

To better understand your eligibility for RACV Motor Insurance, call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store.

Update your details

You can update your details via the RACV App and online.

This includes your vehicle details, registration number, home address or contact information. 

To update your details via the RACV App:

  1. Go to the ‘Account’ page in the menu.
  2. Click on ‘Personal details’ or ‘Home and product addresses’ depending on which you’d like to update.

To update your details via your online account:

  1. Go to 'View details' next to your product to update product information.
  2. Go to 'Update personal details' to change your contact information. 

Keep in mind

  • Changes to some information – like your home address – may affect your premium.
  • You can’t change your name, date of birth or gender online.
  • You may not be able to make certain changes online during your policy term.

Premium and excess

If you have Complete Care® or Comprehensive policies, you can choose your basic excess amount when you join or renew your policy. 

If you want to increase your basic excess, you can do this at any time. 

Keep in mind

  • If you choose a higher basic excess, your premium may decrease.
  • Changing your excess may also affect the types of incidents for which you can make a claim. For example, if the damage is not above the basic excess, you’ll be unable to claim.

Your basic excess amount will be shown on your Certificate of Insurance.   

To update your car insurance policy:

  1. Go to your online account.
  2. Click on your product.
  3. Click ‘view details’.
  4. Under ‘Options and excesses’ click ‘edit’.

You can also call us on 13 72 28 or visit a retail store. For more detailed information, read the Premium, Excesses and Discounts Guide.

There are a few things you can do to save on your premium.

Increase your excess
Choosing a higher basic excess may reduce your premium. But remember: if you make a claim, you’ll pay more out of pocket.

You can change your basic excess at your policy renewal time through your online account.

Pay annually
When you pay your insurance upfront, instead of in monthly instalments, you may pay less.

Add more policies
When you have two or more eligible RACV Insurance policies, you’ll save 10% off each thanks to the Multi-Policy Discount*. That means combined building and contents policies automatically save.

But it’s not just for home insurance – all RACV motor, caravan and trailer, and boat insurance policies are also eligible.

Stick with RACV
The longer you’re a Member, the more you can save on RACV Insurance policies (and other eligible products) with our Years of Membership Benefits loyalty discounts program#*. It’s our way of thanking you for staying with us.

# RACV Years of Membership: at 5 years Bronze cardholders receive a 5% discount, at 10 years Silver cardholders receive a 10% discount, at 25 years Gold cardholders receive a 15% discount and at 51 years Gold 50 cardholders receive a 20% discount.

* The Multi-Policy Discount and Years of Membership Benefits exclude Travel, Business and Farm Insurance products. To qualify for the Multi-Policy Discount, you must hold two eligible RACV Insurance policies. For further details, see the Premium, Excess and Discounts guide at racv.com.au. Discounts will only be applied until any applicable minimum premium is reached. On renewal, any increases or decreases in your premium may be limited by factors such as your previous year’s premium. You may not save more with more eligible policies and by staying with RACV Insurance longer if a minimum premium is reached, or limits have been applied to increases or decreases in your premium.

An excess is the amount you contribute toward the cost of a claim once it has been accepted. There are three types of excess: basic, age and special.

Some situations where you'll need to pay an excess:

  • you or the person driving your vehicle was at fault in an incident
  • the incident wasn't your fault but you don't have the details of the at-fault party
  • the damage is caused by collision with an animal
  • your car was damaged by an event (such as hail, or a tree during a storm).

When you start a claim online, you'll find out whether an excess is payable. If you have an excess to pay, you can log in to pay it online.

For more detailed information, see the Premium, Excesses and Discounts Guide (PED).

You may have seen an increase to your premium when you received your renewal notice.

There are a few things that may impact the cost of your insurance year-on-year, like:

  • inflation
  • increased wild weather
  • being involved in a recent incident
  • parts and labour shortages
  • changes to your circumstance like changing your address
  • adding optional covers.

These can affect your premium even if you’ve never made a claim and your personal circumstances haven’t changed.

RACV Insurance can help protect what matters to you the most, should you ever need to make a claim. As an RACV Member, you can manage your premium with flexible excess options (for Complete Care and Comprehensive), monthly and annual payment options.

To understand how your premium is calculated check out the Premium, Excess and Discounts Guide.

Your car insurance premium may change if another driver is named on your policy.

If an unnamed driver is found to be at fault for an incident while driving your car, you will need to pay any additional excesses that apply to them.

For more details on how your premium and excesses are calculated, read the Premium, Excesses and Discounts Guide.

What you’re covered for

Open the RACV App or your online account to view your products and check what you're covered for. 

Your Certificate of Insurance will also include details about your cover, any limits that apply and additional extras.

For more information on your insurance policy, read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement.

Yes, modifications are covered if they are attached to your vehicle. This includes things like:

  • hand controls and hoists
  • 4x4 modifications
  • wheelchair ramps.

You don't need to list these on your policy, as they’re covered as part of the agreed or market value listed on your Certificate of Insurance.

Go to your online account to check your level of cover, or find it on your Certificate of Insurance.

This depends on which policy you have.

Complete Care® Insurance
You're covered for the cost of towing your vehicle to the repairer after any damage covered by your policy, whether it can be driven or not.

Comprehensive Insurance
You're covered for the cost of towing your vehicle to the repairer after any damage covered by your policy, if the vehicle cannot be driven.

Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance
You're covered for the costs of one tow from an incident, covered by your policy, to a safe place or repairer.

Third Party Property Damage Insurance
You're covered for the cost of towing your vehicle to the repairer only if claiming the Uninsured Motorist's Extension section of the policy.

For more information, read the Product Disclosure Statement.

With RACV Comprehensive or Complete Care® Car Insurance, you're covered for a range of incidents, including collision with an animal.

You'll need to pay the applicable excess.

Damage caused by swerving to avoid hitting an animal and then hitting something else, such as a pole, is considered an at-fault incident. This may impact your premium when you renew your policy.

With Complete Care® and Comprehensive Insurance, you're covered for most items kept in your vehicle.

This includes most personal items that are not permanently fixed to the vehicle and are damaged in an incident.

Cover for personal items

  • With Complete Care®, you’re covered for loss or damage of personal items up to $1000 in value.
  • With Comprehensive, you’re covered for damage to personal items, up to $500 in value (excluding motorcycles).

Personal items do not include cash, mobile phones, tools of trade or any standard equipment, option or accessory fitted to the vehicle

Cover for Baby capsules/child seats
With Complete Care® and Comprehensive Insurance you’re covered for loss or damage of baby capsules or child seats up to $500 per item.

Yes, learner drivers are automatically covered under your RACV Motor Insurance policy. This includes both cars and motorcycles.

When the learner driver is behind the wheel under your supervision, you are treated as the driver.

This means your policy will provide the same level of cover if you and your learner driving your car are involved in an incident that it would if you were driving.

Understand your policy

RACV Motor Insurance has different policies to help suit a range of needs.

Complete Care® Car Insurance

This is the highest level of RACV Motor Insurance. You’ll be covered for damages caused in an insured incident and have access to inclusions like:

  • no excess for windscreen, sunroof and window glass repairs
  • vehicle pick-up and return after a claim has been made
  • post-repair vehicle inspection
  • hire cars after incidents
  • emergency transport and accommodation (up to $1,500)
  • any repairer of your choice.

Comprehensive Car Insurance

You'll be covered for damage to your vehicle and other people's property or vehicles in the event of a collision.

You can also choose to add extras to your policy, including:

  • no excess for windscreen, sunroof and window glass repairs
  • hire car after incidents
  • the option to choose your own repairer.

Comprehensive Car Insurance insures your vehicle for an agreed or market value.

Third Party Fire and Theft

You’ll not only be protected if you unintentionally cause damage to other people’s property, but also covered if your car is stolen or damaged by a fire.

You won’t be covered for costs to repair your damaged vehicle following an incident when you’re at fault.

Third Party Property Damage

With this cover, you’ll be protected for unintentional damage you cause to another person’s vehicle or property - such as driving into someone’s car or fence.

You won’t be covered for costs to repair your damaged vehicle following an incident when you’re at fault.

To find out what policy suits your needs, you can compare our car insurance options.

For full details of what is and isn’t covered, see the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

Agreed value
This is how much RACV Insurance agrees to insure your vehicle for. You can choose from within a value range, and it remains fixed for the term of the policy.

At renewal, RACV Insurance considers the changes in your vehicles agreed value using local market values. Check your renewal notice for any changes.

Market value
This is an assessment of your vehicle’s value at the time of an incident you’re making a claim for. It considers local market prices and the age and condition of your vehicle.

For more information on what’s included in your agreed or market value, check the Product Disclosure Statement.

You can only choose between agreed value and market value if you purchase a Comprehensive Car Insurance policy.

You can find your Product Disclosure statement in our policy document library. 

You'll also find guides to premium, excess and discounts, target market determination and other key documents.

Looking for something else?

Still need help?

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Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? You can email us for support.

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# RACV Years of Membership: at 5 years Bronze cardholders receive a 5% discount, at 10 years Silver cardholders receive a 10% discount, at 25 years Gold cardholders receive a 15% discount and at 51 years Gold 50 cardholders receive a 20% discount.

* The Multi-Policy Discount and Years of Membership Benefits exclude Travel, Business and Farm Insurance products. To qualify for the Multi-Policy Discount, you must hold two eligible RACV Insurance policies. For further details, see the Premium, Excess and Discounts guide at racv.com.au. Discounts will only be applied until any applicable minimum premium is reached. On renewal, any increases or decreases in your premium may be limited by factors such as your previous year’s premium. You may not save more with more eligible policies and by staying with RACV Insurance longer if a minimum premium is reached, or limits have been applied to increases or decreases in your premium.

The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.