Congratulations to State, for winning Canstar's prestigious Insurer of the Year Car Insurance Award for the third year in a row.
Whether your car requires you to pump gas or power up a battery to get rolling, it's sure to be worth more to you than just an agreed value. Cars are the main form of transport for most Kiwis: it's how we get to work, taxi the kids around and stock up at the supermarket. Without a ready and reliable set of wheels, we'd be lost.
That's why car insurance is so important. Not only can it be a financial life-saver, it can help provide alternative transport if your own car takes a ding and is up on blocks at the body shop getting repaired.
However, while Canstar's research for our latest car insurance awards reveals that we understand the importance of great car cover – 86% of insured drivers have comprehensive insurance – far fewer of us (28%) bother to shop around for a better deal each year when our car insurance is up for renewal.
But finding the best deal in car insurance doesn't have to be as gruelling as a Monday morning commute in heavy rain. Because here at Canstar, we've done all the hard work for you! Our latest awards research directs you straight to the best in car insurance.
Canstar's Car Insurance Star Ratings use a sophisticated and unique ratings methodology that compares price and features across Comprehensive car insurance products.
We then award the best products and providers our 5-Star ratings for Outstanding Value Car Insurance, and the best insurer in the market our prestigious award for Insurer of the Year Car Insurance. This recognises the insurer that delivers consumers outstanding value through its products, services and levels of customer satisfaction.
This year, our expert panel's research covered 12 providers and policies, across six consumer profiles:
- 25-29 Driver
- 30-49 Driver
- Family with Young Driver
- 50+ Driver
- Under-25 Female Driver
- Under-25 Male Driver
For the customer service element of the award, car insurance policyholders were asked to rate their satisfaction with their insurers across five key areas:
- Communication
- Comprehensiveness of cover
- Cost
- Customer service
- Value for money
Car Insurer of the Year Award Winner: State
Awarding State our Car Insurer of the Year title for the third consecutive year, our research team noted the insurance provider's consistent, competitive performance across all the driver profiles in our research analysis, and for its market-leading performance in our customer satisfaction assessment.
State's customers' highlighted the insurance provider's high levels of service and communication, and the comprehensiveness of its cover as key areas of satisfaction.
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
Across all six driver profiles, our research team awarded State perfect 5-Star ratings for value:
- 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
State's car insurance products
State has a choice of three levels of car insurance – full cover, third party fire & theft, and third party – plus optional add-ons, such as roadside assistance, windscreen and glass excess buyout, and car hire.
State also offers EV-specific insurance and benefits to its customers, such online sign-up and claims.
What's covered by State's comprehensive policy?
State's comprehensive car insurance policy is designed to give full cover for collision, fire & theft. It also provides you with legal liability, should you damage someone else's property.
Some of the key benefits are:
- Accidental loss or damage to your car, including by flood or storm
- Accidental windscreen and glass damage
- Kids' car seats
- Legal liability protection up to $20m for damage, and up to $1m for injury
- New car replacement
- Protection against uninsured drivers
- Replacement keys and locks
- Transport and towing expenses
- Up to $500 to replace keys and locks
Optional extras include: roadside rescue, no-excess windscreen and glass cover, car hire.
