Car Insurance Calculator

Unlike a simple price list, insurers are trying to predict the likelihood of you making a claim. The higher they think the risk is, the higher the premium. Here are five common factors they look at.

The Driver: Who You Are

Age and experience: Younger drivers with less experience are more likely to be involved in accidents, which is why premiums for drivers under 25 are significantly higher.

Driving history: If you have made claims in the past 3 to 5 years, you will need to disclose them, and this will likely increase your premium.

The Vehicle: What You Drive

Make, model and value: The cost and availability of parts, the complexity of repairs, and the vehicle's theft statistics are all factored in. A common Toyota Corolla will generally be cheaper to insure than a high-performance European car or a heavily modified vehicle.

Electric and hybrid vehicles (EVs and HEVs): Insuring an electric or hybrid vehicle introduces new considerations. Insurers now specifically assess risks related to the high cost of the battery and cover for charging equipment.

Agreed vs market value: Agreed value provides more certainty, meaning you and the insurer agree on a fixed amount that will be paid if the car is written off. Market value cover, on the other hand, will only pay out the market value of your vehicle if it is written off. This can mean cheaper cover, but also that you may not get the amount you paid when you purchased the car.

The Location: Where You Live and Park

Suburb and city: An address in a dense urban area like Auckland, with more traffic and higher rates of theft, will typically attract a higher premium than one in a quieter, regional town. Our Q1 2026 Quashed Index shows Auckland drivers pay an average of $1,478 per year for comprehensive cover, compared with $1,166 in Canterbury and $1,115 in Wellington.

Parking and storage: Where your car spends its nights is a key indicator of risk. A vehicle parked in a locked garage is considered the most secure and will result in the lowest premium, while parking on the driveway or street is viewed as more risky and could cost you more.

The Usage: How You Use Your Car

Personal vs business use: If you use your car for work, like visiting clients or carrying tools, you are on the road more often, which increases your risk.

Annual kilometres: While not every insurer uses this, some will factor in how many kilometres you drive per year. Lower mileage can sometimes lead to a lower premium.

The Policy Choices: How You Structure Your Cover

Level of cover: Your choice between comprehensive, third party fire and theft, or basic third party is the biggest lever. Comprehensive is the most expensive as it covers damage to your own car, while third party is the cheapest because it only covers damage you cause to others.

The excess: This is the amount you agree to pay out of pocket when you make a claim. Opting for a higher excess will lower your premium, while a lower excess will cost more.

Listed drivers: To reduce costs, some policies allow you to exclude cover for drivers under a certain age (for example, 25 years old).

To find out more about car insurance in NZ, check out our comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Comparing Car Insurance in NZ page.

Price matters, but so does what you actually get. Coverage limits, excesses and benefits vary widely between insurers, and the cheapest option is not always the right one. Comparing both price and policy features helps you find the cover that fits your budget and your needs.

Car insurance policy benefits comparison

To compare more insurance providers and policy benefits, use Market Scan for free.

Market Scan by Quashed is a free, easy-to-use tool that more than 100,000 NZ consumers have signed up for. It pulls real quotes direct from insurers, so you will not pay more for using it.

Chuck Wareham: “Quashed made it very easy to look at different options for my vehicle insurance. I was most impressed with the comparisons and in the process saved over $500 on one car. I will now look at the other vehicle insurance when it comes due.”

Zara Coghill: “I've just done a comparison for my car insurance. It was very simple and easy to use, especially if you have your current policy documents handy. Instead of needing to answer the same questions over and over for each company, you can answer them in one place and get a really good comparison report that outlines what is and isn't covered.”

Isaac Owens: “Easy to use, saved me about $700 a year on my house insurance alone and with better cover and perks. Nice to see a spread of cost options.”

Chris Pilipczuk: “Quashed made it super easy to upload my current policy, and they did the rest, quickly displaying alternative options. I ended up saving nearly $1,300 on my annual car insurance. Unlike other providers that charge a lot for adding a learner or restricted driver, Quashed found me a much better deal. Plus, their support team (James) was super fast and friendly, making the whole process smooth and stress-free. Highly recommended.”

Ready to see your numbers? Run a free Market Scan or read the full average cost of car, house and contents insurance in NZ report for the latest Q1 2026 data.

Want to dig deeper into any one type of cover, or get on top of your wider household budget? Start with these guides.

• Ultimate NZ Guide to Car Insurance: Compare comprehensive, third party fire and theft, and third party only cover, work out the level of insurance you actually need, and learn the proven ways to lower your premium without losing essential protection.

• Ultimate NZ Guide to House Insurance: Set your sum insured correctly, decode the policy fine print, and see why Wellington homeowners are paying more than double the Auckland average for the same cover.

• Ultimate NZ Guide to Contents Insurance: Calculate the value of your belongings, choose between replacement and indemnity value, and unlock savings without leaving high-value items underinsured.

• Average Cost of Car, House, and Contents Insurance NZ 2026: See the latest Q1 2026 Quashed Index data on what Kiwis are paying across all three policy types, with regional breakdowns for Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury, plus where the biggest savings are sitting right now.

• 7 Best Free Budgeting Apps in NZ 2026: Compare the top free budgeting apps used by Kiwis, including MyBudgetPal and PocketSmith, to take control of your spending and free up cash for the things that matter

• Car Ownership Costs NZ 2026: Registration, Insurance and Total Running Costs Explained: A full breakdown of what it actually costs to run a car in New Zealand, covering rego, Warrant of Fitness, insurance, fuel, and maintenance, with the latest 2026 fee changes factored in.