How we score

We send surveys to insurers asking about the features and premiums of their products, and we use their responses to calculate each policy's score. The score is made up of the product features (70%), the price rating (20%) and a satisfaction component (10%). Each score is graded on a curve so that the average is 66%.

Premiums differ from customer to customer, so we can't estimate how much a policy will cost you. We came up with five policies to cover young people, families, good drivers, bad drivers and retirees. For each scenario we request two quotes per state and territory, one in the capital and one in the regions. Each policy is ranked according to how close those quotes are to the average in each state, $ being cheaper, $$$$$ being more expensive. It goes without saying you usually get what you pay for.

The satisfaction score is based on data from the Financial Ombudsman Service, which looks at how likely an underwriter is to get complaints, and how likely it is to negotiate an agreement with the customer.

By Daniel Graham