Cove Insurance NZ Review (2025): Is It Worth It?

15 June 2025

Navigating the world of insurance can feel complicated, but modern insurers like Cove have certainly shaken things up with a digital-first approach in New Zealand. Promising a simple, fast, and hassle-free online experience, Cove has attracted a lot of attention. But is it the right choice for you?

This review looks at Cove Insurance in more detail. We'll break down what Cove offers, what to know about their insurance cover, and importantly, how to ensure you’re not just getting a good deal, but a great deal—with a One Month Free - up to $100 offer via Quashed.

Key takeaway: Cove offers competitive comprehensive car insurance and sharp prices for many drivers, but there some limitations to understand with their cover especially for young drivers and cars worth more than $100,000.

Who is Cove Insurance?

Cove is a NZ insurance company offering car insurance and pet insurance with the goal of simplifying the experience by removing complex paperwork and long phone calls.

In our review we find their main selling points are:

Sharp pricing
Competitive policy benefits
Streamlined digital experience
Local NZ customer support

For those that wants to know a bit more, Cove Insurance is underwritten by Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company Limited. They are part of MS&AD — Asia’s largest insurer and 8th largest general insurer in the world. This provides a level of confidence in their stability and assurance on their ability to pay claims.

Cove Insurance's Google review ratings is 4.6 stars (out of 5) from 448 reviews at the time of this article.

Quashed.co.nz has been comparing Cove's car insurance since 2021. Thousands of NZ consumers have since used Market Scan (our comparison tool) to compare their car insurance and have chosen to buy Cove Insurance. Read on to find out more about Cove Insurance and you can also compare to see if they are right for you.

What Insurance Does Cove Offer?

Currently, Cove's offerings in New Zealand are focused on two main areas:

Car Insurance (launched in 2018)
Comprehensive insurance only. Third Party and Third Party, Fire & Theft are not available.
Pet Insurance (launched in 2022)
Plans designed to cover vet bills for accidents and illnesses.

Cove does not offer home or contents insurance.

Cove's Car Insurance

Here is a summary of Cove's car insurance policy:

Comprehensive cover only
Insures most vehicle makes and models up to $100,000
Supports NZ and overseas licence (additional excess may apply)
No cover for young drivers (under the age of 21) and for business use
Excess options: $400, $500, $750, $1,000 and $1,500
Add-on benefits offered:
1. No-excess for car glass
2. Roadside Assist
3. Courtesy car hire

Get a quick car insurance quote from Cove Insurance

How Much Does Cove Car Insurance Cost in 2025

Let's take a look at how much Cove quotes for comprehensive car insurance cover for a 2015 Toyota Corolla and 2020 Toyota Corolla. The quotes below were generated based on:

35 year old male
NZ Full driver licence
No history of accidents in the last five years

Here's how much Cove Insurance cost based on quotes for Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

2015 Toyota Corolla ($15,000)	$500 excess	$1,000 excess
Auckland	$869.75	$692.10 (-20%)
Wellington	$948.72	$668.59 (-30%)
Christchurch	$908.58	$723.49 (-20%)

Here are the quotes for the 2020 Toyota Corolla using the same profile as above.

2020 Toyota Corolla ($25,000)	$500 excess	$1,000 excess
Auckland	$1,026.15	$803.91 (-22%)
Wellington	$1,094.35	$805.45 (-26%)
Christchurch	$1,072.13	$840.79 (-21%)

Quotes shown here exclude the "One Month Free offer (up to $100)" that is available via Quashed.

Cove Car Insurance: The Pros and Cons

Cove has gained a reputation for its competitive car insurance pricing. In fact, Cove was one of the first car insurers that Quashed.co.nz started comparing back in 2021 when we launched our Market Scan service. Since then, we've seen that their pricing is sharp, and thousands of NZ consumers have purchased a Cove policy after comparing and shopping for their car insurance policies via our platform.

Pros:

Competitive Pricing:
Our data shows their quotes are often among the cheapest in the market for eligible drivers.
Easy Online Process:
You can get a quote and buy a policy in minutes without speaking to anyone.
NZ Customer Support:
The local team is easily reachable via phone, email or their live chat service.
Customisable Cover:
Good level of policy customisation enabled such as "How many days per week does the car get used?"
Multi-Policy Discount:
Cove offers a multi-policy discount if you take out more than one car insurance policy with them. If your second policy is a pet insurance cover, this also qualifies for the additional discount benefit they offer.
One Month Free Offer:
Purchasing your Cove policy via Quashed gets you a One Month Free offer (up to $100).

Limitations:

Comprehensive Cover Only:
Cove does not offer Third Party or Third Party, Fire and Theft cover for their car insurance policy.
No Cover for Young Drivers (under 21):
Cove does not offer insurance for young drivers under 21.
Vehicles over $100,000:
It does not cover vehicles valued over $100,000 and also in some instances high performance vehicle that is under the value of $100,000.
Overseas Driver Licence - Excess:
Drivers with a non-NZ licence (from certain countries) may incur additional excess at claim time.

The Verdict: Is Cove Insurance the One for You?

Cove can be a great, low-cost option for many drivers aged over 25 with a standard vehicle and a clean driving record. Their competitive pricing is undeniable, their underwriter is well established, and their online process is seamless.

However, you must go in with your eyes open.

Check the Exclusions:
No cover for drivers under 21, no third party options, and no cover for cars over $100,000, and potentially additional excess for non-NZ driver licence means they may not be for everyone.
They Don't Cover Everything:
If you want to insure your car, house, and contents insurance with one insurer, Cove doesn't offer this as an option right now.

Exclusive Offer: Get One Month Free with Cove

If you are convinced that Cove Insurance is the right one for you, with Quashed, you get access to a super deal with them. Purchasing your Cove policy via Quashed gets you One Month Free - up to $100.

You have two ways to get this deal:

Compare First (Recommended):
Use our free Market Scan insurance comparison tool to compare quotes from multiple insurers. If Cove comes out on top for you, click through to purchase and the offer will be applied. This ensures you're making the smartest choice.
Go Direct (Instant Quote & Cover):
If you've already decided, you can use this link to purchase your Cove policy and get your one month free offer with them. It is up to $100 in value and will automatically be applied via the link below.

→ Claim Your One Month Free Cove Car Insurance (up to $100)

Looking for more?

If you're looking to compare car insurance and other insurance such as home, contents, life insurance and more check out Quashed.co.nz is the first insurance comparison platform of its kind in New Zealand.

It's quick and easy way to compare your car insurance in real-time with us. Whether you’re shopping for a new car policy, or you’re looking to compare your upcoming car insurance renewal, Quashed makes it easy.

It takes less than 3 minutes to shop and compare car insurance online with Quashed. You’ll be shown real-time pricing across a number of different insurance providers, and you get to see how the policy benefits compare across each insurer shown.

You can choose to upload and compare your existing car insurance policy against other options, or you can enter your information once and be served up a number of options without having to repeatedly enter the same information on the different insurers websites.

Let’s face it, no one likes shopping for insurance. But Quashed.co.nz makes it quick and easy, some might even say almost fun. Especially when you’re saving hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars.