Model S Insurance in Australia

[JOH]

On phone with Just Car at the moment and doesn't look great they don't have it on their system. Have so far struck out with AAMI, Gio, Bingle and can't use NRMA as I am in Victoria. Will report back after I go through a few more.

I think Youi uses a different system to these guys which is why they could give me a quote.

Update: Have now struck out with RACV, AAMI, GIO, Bingle and NRMA (as I'm in VIC). I also struck out with Shannons because the car will be under a carport, and even though I have a locked gate, that's still not good enough - they need a garage before they will insure the Model S.

So that only leaves a few more to try before I either have to go with Youi or get a broker.

I guess that's one good thing about being in QLD. While our deliveries will be delayed due to lack of service centre (likely same for Adelaide & Perth!), at least the insurance companies will get to sort things out and know what's going on by the time we need insurance.

 

[timpoo]

I guess that's one good thing about being in QLD. While our deliveries will be delayed due to lack of service centre (likely same for Adelaide & Perth!), at least the insurance companies will get to sort things out and know what's going on by the time we need insurance.

Where did you hear that?

 

[timpoo]

Try CGU
IIRC they are underwritten by IAG which is the insurance arm of NRMA.
Edit
They have the Model S in their on-line quote generator. I didn't finish my quote though.

Thanks for the suggestion - I gave the online quote for CGU a whirl - $3,239.09

Must be the fact that it's in a carport...or my age or something...sigh so expensive. How on earth did NRMA quote $1,100!!

 

[Dborn]

Thanks for the suggestion - I gave the online quote for CGU a whirl - $3,239.09

Must be the fact that it's in a carport...or my age or something...sigh so expensive. How on earth did NRMA quote $1,100!!

Try phoning CGU. A personal chat may yield a different result. It may also be where you live.
I just got 2809 with 1500 excess windscreen cover at fault protection from their web site.

 

[meloccom]

Thanks for the suggestion - I gave the online quote for CGU a whirl - $3,239.09

Must be the fact that it's in a carport...or my age or something...sigh so expensive. How on earth did NRMA quote $1,100!!

An increasingly important factor in premium calculation is the number of policies and the length of time you have been a customer.
You may need to consider taking all of your insurance to the one company to get a reasonable premium. If you currently hold a number of policies with one company, you need to call and present your entire portfolio of policies to get a reasonable response. Also if you are going to buy it in a company name you need to look at the tax benefits versus the higher cost of insurance.

 

[Mark E]

Try phoning CGU. A personal chat may yield a different result. It may also be where you live.
I just got 2809 with 1500 excess windscreen cover at fault protection from their web site.

That still appears to be at least $1000 more than Shannons. Did you get the max no claim bonus?

 

[Dborn]

Yes.
I have not made a serious attempt to get a proper quote, such as other policies. When I have a delivery date, that is when I plan to press. I have policies with NRMA and AAMI

 

[JOH]

Where did you hear that?

Various places......happened in China too. I believe Tesla will want to make sure they can service the customer before delivery. This may also be a legal requirement. Regardless, nothing stops a customer who lives/takes delivery in NSW from driving to QLD or elsewhere(or moving there). It's a matter of time, but the clear first priority appears to be NSW & VIC.

 

[voyxr6]

Just got my insurance quote in @ $1500. Very happy with that.

 

[Adapptor]

Where did you hear that?

I heard this too, whilst test driving in Sydney last week. At least I was told to expect Perth deliveries to be delayed until they have a service centre. I should probably not expect the car until end of this year/early next year. Only work around would be to change delivery address to a Sydney property and transport the car across the desert at my own cost.

 

[JOH]

Just got my insurance quote in @ $1500. Very happy with that.

Who are you using?

 

[salamagd]

Only work around would be to change delivery address to a Sydney property and transport the car across the desert at my own cost.

If you're going down that path, try to get it delivered to Canberra if possible - big stamp-duty savings!

 

[kieranu]

Indeed though anywhere is better than Perth. What are the implications when you transfer rego to Perth though?

 

[cynix]

If you're going down that path, try to get it delivered to Canberra if possible - big stamp-duty savings!

Can I just put down any random address in Canberra, or do I actually have to own or know someone at that address?

 

[kieranu]

From what I understand you'd need to know someone at that address so you can renew the registration every 12 months because if you transfer the rego to Perth you will need to pay stamp duty (@6.5%! - f'ing criminal in a post GST world) on the value of the vehicle.

 

[Mark E]

Indeed though anywhere is better than Perth. What are the implications when you transfer rego to Perth though?

You'd need to show that you've owned the car in Canberra for some time - meaning you'd need to live or work there, otherwise I doubt that the WA guys would transfer the rego without slugging you.

 

[Dborn]

Can I just put down any random address in Canberra, or do I actually have to own or know someone at that address?

Regrettably, you will need an address in ACT. Then leave it registered at that address for about a year, then transfer to WA. You need to ask your local motor registry what such a transfer or registration would cost in terms of fees and maybe stamp duty. My guess is that they are all over this one, so be careful!! I would like to do the same in NSW!!

 

[kieranu]

From what I can tell it doesn't matter whether you've worked there or not in terms of duty. In fact, if you've owned the car for less than a year and the car is more than a year old you just have more hoops to jump through (e.g. going over the pits).

License a vehicle from interstate

 

[cynix]

Regrettably, you will need an address in ACT. Then leave it registered at that address for about a year, then transfer to WA. You need to ask your local motor registry what such a transfer or registration would cost in terms of fees and maybe stamp duty. My guess is that they are all over this one, so be careful!! I would like to do the same in NSW!!

What's the benefit in transferring the rego to NSW (or whatever your home state is) though? Can't I just rent a PO box in ACT and keep the car registered there forever?

 

[Higgy]

Can I just put down any random address in Canberra, or do I actually have to own or know someone at that address?

The ACT is difficult – they have tightened up to cut down on license fraud. You will need either to have:

1. an ACT license - transferring your license from interstate requires proof of residency (a utility or rates bill in your name for a property located in the ACT), or

2. the creation of a Customer Reference Number on the registration database. You can get a CRN by signing a stat. dec. that the car will be garaged and predominately used in the ACT.

3. Asking an ACT resident to put the car in their name.

Eventual transfer to your home state is probably free as long as their is no ownership change(this assumes you are moving from the ACT) – I transferred cars in 2009 at minimal cost.

The ACT license option is very messy....and again it requires signing documents that have a legal status.

Buying the car through a proxy would mean the car would need to continue to be registered in the ACT. I am not sure what the legal and insurance issues are if you use the car in your home state but I assume that there would be issues. Eventual transfer to your name incurs a transfer fee and stamp duty in Victoria.

I guess this option MAY be viable if you had a company with a location in the ACT.

As an ex ACT resident, with continuing links to ACT, I looked at these options - signing an incorrect stat. dec. is fraud and can end up with a jail sentence. This probably also goes for signing the documents to get an ACT license (as well as the company option), so I have decided that these options are not worth the aggravation.

Additionally, if the registration authority noticed that EVs were being bought in the ACT and transferred to their state I would be concerned that they could investigate past transfers and charge the owners with fraud. I don’t want to spend the next N years looking over my shoulder!

For me it will mean close to $10k:cursing: ....but I do get to use my TSLA plates:biggrin:!

Cheers
David