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Motoring
The most common car insurance claims
One type of car insurance claim occurred more often than any others, demonstrating a need for motorists to remain vigilant while driving.
Having adequate car insurance can help provide peace of mind should an unexpected event occur. But just what sorts of ‘unexpected events’ are motorists likely to experience?
Data from Insurance Manufacturers of Australia (IMA) dated August 2023 to August 2024, shows five types of claims were the most common during that period and accounted for more than 150,000 claims.
The most common type of car insurance claim
Collision claims were the most common type of claim recorded in the 12 months to August 2024, with a total of 104,857 lodged – almost double the combined amount of the other top claims.
The most likely cause for a claim was a third party failing to give way (17,291 claims) followed by a third party hitting the insured in the rear (16,305), and the insured hitting a third party in the rear (14,958).
The highest number of collision claims (8,876) were recorded in October 2023 and the lowest in June 2024 (7,398).
Read more: the most misunderstood road rules in Victoria.
There were also 12,907 claims for collisions made while reversing and 11,823 claims made for the insured party failing to give way.
The data does not specify the severity of the collision claims. Regardless, it can be helpful to know what to do if you are involved in a minor car accident as well as how to begin the claim process.
Getting a small chip repaired promptly may help avoid the need to replace the entire windscreen. Image: Getty
Glass and windscreen damage is common
Claims for glass damage, such as to windscreens, was the second most common claim type for the period. Data shows that a total of 27,804 claims for glass damage were made from August 2023 to August 2024, with claims peaking in January 2024 (2,654 claims recorded).
More than 90 per cent of glass claims were for damage that occurred to windscreens while driving (25,579), with only 1,906 claims recorded for damage that occurred to windscreens while parked. Common causes of chips or cracks to windscreens can occur to due impact, damaging weather (such as hail) or driving on unsealed roads.
A small chip may be able to be repaired by a specialist by injecting resin into the chip. Even small chips should be attended to as soon as possible, as they can crack further and become more expensive to repair the longer they’re left.
Damage larger than a one dollar coin generally requires the whole windscreen to be replaced.
Glass claims recorded as being caused by malicious damage accounted for 318 claims during the period.
There was a slight upward trend in theft claims from August 2023 to August 2024.
Damage and theft
Damage separate to collisions or glass damage was the third most common claim type, with 21,001 claims lodged during the period.
When it came to the reason for damage, 90 per cent of claims were for damage that occurred while parked (18,983 claims).
While small in comparison, malicious damage (1,071 claims) was the second most common cause recorded for damage claims, followed by fuel contamination (292) and third-party property damage (288).
Theft accounted for 3,325 claims made, with a slight upward trend visible across the period. June, July and August 2024 recorded the highest number of theft claims with 327, 344 and 304 respective claims made.
The data comes after Victorians were urged to check the security of their vehicles, with a 22 per cent increase in motor vehicle thefts or attempted thefts in the 12 months to March 2024. While many people may be more on their guard about vehicle security while travelling, the most common location for your vehicle to be stolen from is your home.
Of the theft claims made, most (1,902) were for vehicles which were recovered, followed by vehicles that were not recovered (546) and then attempted thefts (450).
There were also 426 claims made for theft from a vehicle, including 246 claims for theft of personal property and 180 claims made for theft of car parts or accessories. While it is well known that leaving personal belongings in your vehicle can make you a target for thieves, the theft of car parts, such as catalytic converters, is also a problem.
More than 1,000 claims for hail damage were made between August 2023 and August 2024. Image: Getty.
Wild weather causing car insurance claims
Rounding out the top five reasons for car insurance claims for the August 2023 – August 2024 period was wild weather and natural disasters
Storms, floods and earthquakes accounted for 2,371 claims over the 12-month period. A significant spike in claims occurred in January and February 2024, which accounted for almost half of the year’s entire storm, flood and earthquake claims lodged. While the exact cause of this cannot be determined, summer is the peak period for storms in Victoria.
Claims due to hail damage were also common with 1,257 claims lodged. The highest number of these claims (405) were made in January 2024, with hailstorms common in spring and early summer.
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.
