When it comes time to renew your car insurance policy, do you stick with your current provider, or shop around for a better deal? While it's easy to just renew your policy each year, you could be missing out on a better deal.
The insurance market isn't static. Policy costs are always moving (usually upwards) and insurers are always tweaking their policies, offering different perks and levels of cover. This is why Canstar's expert panel conducts annual research into the best products in the market, awarding the best each year our Outstanding Value Car Insurance Awards.
So if you're one of the 72% of car insurance customers who, according to Canstar's research, don't bother looking for a better car insurance deal when it comes time to renew, let Canstar take the hard work out of finding the best policy for you.
This year, our expert panel of analysts researched 12 insurance providers' comprehensive car insurance policies, across six driver profiles:
- 25-29 driver
- 30-49 driver
- Family with young driver
- 50+ driver
- Under-25: female
- Under-25: male
Using a sophisticated and unique ratings methodology that compares price and features across car insurance products, our team has drawn up a shortlist of top products and providers.
This enables consumers to narrow their search to just the best products that have been assessed and awarded Canstar's Outstanding Value Car Insurance Awards.
From the results of this year's research, three car insurance providers have earned our top Outstanding Value Awards:
- State
- AA Insurance
- AMI
- Tower
Outstanding Value Award winner: State
State's Provider of the Year Award comes hand-in-hand with an Outstanding Value Award, which it has also won for the third consecutive year.
This year, State reduced its standard excess from $500 to $300. However, to enable like-for-like comparison across providers, we quoted at $400 for our research.
But even at the higher excess, State's premiums remained stable year on year and sit well below the market average: around 8-9% for 25-29 and 30-49 year olds, and 18-25% for our Under-25s, Family and 50+ profiles.
State also removed its age excess for young drivers, so Under-25s pay the same as everyone else at claim time.
On features, State's comprehensive policy stands out for:
- Excess-free careless driving defence costs, covered up to $10,000.
- Excess-free keys and lock replacement for claims up to $500.
- Transport home for the driver, passengers and any domestic pets, plus up to $750 for one night's accommodation, if the car is undrivable after an accident.
State's Outstanding Value Ratings:
- 25-29 Driver – 5 Stars
- 30-49 Driver – 5 Stars
- Family with Young Driver – 5 Stars
- 50+ Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Female Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Male Driver – 5 Stars
Outstanding Value Award winner: AA Insurance
AA Insurance retains its Outstanding Value Award for the third consecutive year.
AA’s premiums have remained stable year on year and relative to its competitors, AA’s strongest price positions are across our younger driver profiles.
However, across all our research profiles, AA’s premiums sit below the market average: around 6% for 25-29 and 30-49 year olds, and up to 18% for 50+ drivers.
On features, AA’s comprehensive policy stands out for:
- Excess-free windscreen cover available as an optional extra.
- Lifetime repair guarantee: all repairs by an AA-approved repairer are covered for the life of the car, even after it’s sold.
- Rental car hire as an optional extra, with no set maximum day limit, which means cover runs until the car is repaired or the claim is settled.
AA Insurance's Outstanding Value Ratings:
- 25-29 Driver – 5 Stars
- 30-49 Driver – 5 Stars
- Family with Young Driver – 4 Stars
- 50+ Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Female Driver – 4 Stars
- Under-25 Male Driver – 4 Stars
Outstanding Value Award winner: AMI
AMI earns a back-to-back Outstanding Value Award in 2026 by continuing to offer a competitive balance of price and features.
AMI's premiums have remained relatively stable year on year, and its strongest price positions are in the Under-25 and 50+ profiles.
However, across all our research profiles, AMI's premiums sit below the market average: around 6% for 25-29 and 30-49 year olds, up to 14–17% for Under 25 and Family profiles, and over 20% for 50+ drivers.
On features, AMI's comprehensive policy stands out for:
- Accidental windscreen damage cover as standard with no excess payable, covering side and back window glass, windscreens and sunroofs.
- AMI Roadside Rescue at no extra cost, with unlimited 24/7 nationwide callouts.
- Key and lock replacement, excess-free, up to a limit of $500.
AMI's Outstanding Value Ratings:
- 25-29 Driver – 4 Stars
- 30-49 Driver – 4 Stars
- Family with Young Driver – 4 Stars
- 50+ Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Female Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Male Driver – 4 Stars
Outstanding Value Award winner: Tower
Tower wins an Outstanding Value Award this year, in part due to its significant premium reductions across our Under-25 profiles, which saw prices fall around 14% year on year.
But while Tower's premiums for Under-25 and 50+ drivers now sit 20-24% below the market average, the insurer's premiums in our Family with Young Driver profile increased around 7%.
Tower's premiums across our Family with Young Driver profile are, approximately, $200 higher than the insurer's Under-25 Male Driver premiums, which suggests a shift in how Tower is pricing family risk.
On features, Tower's comprehensive policy stands out for:
- New-for-old vehicle replacement when a car is written off within two years of purchase.
- No excess for claims when the car is stolen from a locked garage.
- Optional benefits, such as RoadWise nationwide roadside assistance and excess-free windscreen and window glass cover.
- Repairs by an approved repairer guaranteed for as long as the customer owns the vehicle.
- Up to $1000 excess-free on the first claim for lost, stolen or illegally duplicated keys and remotes.
Tower's Outstanding Value Ratings:
- 25-29 Driver – 4 Stars
- 30-49 Driver – 5 Stars
- Family with Young Driver – 3 Stars
- 50+ Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Female Driver – 5 Stars
- Under-25 Male Driver – 5 Stars
