Which car insurance companies offer the best value?
For an insurer that offers their clients a great combination of car insurance products and awesome service, get an OUTsurance car insurance quote today and see if you could save.
start a car insurance quoteQuestions you need to ask your insurer
At OUTsurance, factors such as fixed car insurance excesses, and comprehensive cover form part of our car insurance product offering. But, with other car insurance companies in South Africa, this may not always be the case.
Insurers may make assumptions about you and your risk profile. This may mean that you end up subsidising high-risk clients when you may be a low-risk client.
At OUTsurance, we don't make any assumptions: not about you, your car or your car insurance requirements. We work on facts only. That's why we ask you questions about the colour of your car, how far you commute every day, whether you use your car for private purposes only, etc. The way we see it - the more questions we ask, the better we're able to accurately calculate your car insurance premium and possibly save you money! You've got nothing to lose, get a quote from OUTsurance today.
What is included in your cover?
When you get a car insurance quote, make sure to ask what your policy covers. Are you insured no matter what may happen (i.e. theft, hail damage, fire, etc.) and what are the exclusions to your personal cover? Make sure that you're getting what you're paying for.
At OUTsurance, we're dedicated to making sure you get the best, all-inclusive car insurance package possible. That's why you'll be insured for anything from hijacking, theft, accidental damage, third party damage, hail damage, fire and any acts of nature. Not all insurers offer these as part of their standard car insurance cover.
Do you offer a fixed excess?
At OUTsurance, your excess is fixed - irrespective of the claim amount. Best of all - you determine the excess amount when you request a car insurance quote from us. A higher car insurance excess will result in a lower monthly premium and a lower excess amount, will increase your monthly car insurance premium.
Other insurers may charge you a proportionate excess which means that if, for example - you're involved in a car accident, you'll need to pay a set percentage of the total cost to repair the damage to the vehicle. You won't know how much an accident will cost you until it has actually happened.
Also, if for example, your car is valued at R300,000 and gets stolen or written off due to an accident, your percentage excess can easily be 10% which - in this case - means that you'll need to pay an excess amount of R30,000. This is a huge amount of money which you may not necessarily have available at the time.
Get a comprehensive car insurance quote from OUTsurance today and determine your own fixed excess amount.
When you take out insurance, ask the insurance company to explain to you how their car insurance excess differ based on different types of car insurance claims, how often your car insurance premium will increase, and under what circumstances your car will not be covered. Be sure to ask what benefits are automatically included as part of the car insurance product offering.
Contact OUTsurance to get a car insurance quote today.
Start a car insurance quoteWhen do car insurance companies increase premiums?
Car insurance companies in South Africa may increase your premium at what feels like a moment's notice. It may feel that once you submit a claim, you'll be hit with a hefty premium increase the very next month.
At OUTsurance, your car insurance premium is reviewed once a year on the renewal date of your policy, not after each claim submitted.
What should you look at besides price when comparing car insurance companies?
When you're shopping around for car insurance, it's about more than just price. You can also review the following:
- Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance Annual Report
Refer to the annual report published by the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance (OSTI) and view the rankings of the Short-Term Insurers in South Africa in terms of the number of complaints received per insurer. The report refers to the 'referral rate' which shows the number of complaints sent to OSTI, per thousand claims received by an insurer. You will also be able to view whether the Ombudsman agrees or disagrees with the insurer's decision.
- Short-term insurance industry awards
Typical Short-Term insurance industry awards include the annual News24 Business Award, the Ask Africa Orange Index Award, and the Ask Africa Icon Brands Benchmark Survey. You can also review the results from the Kantar BrandZ Awards.
- Readers' Choice Awards
The Readers' Choice Awards are awarded by readers of various newspaper publications who vote for their favourite from a shortlist of the best car insurance companies in South Africa. Examples of these include the Beeld Jou Keuse Award, Best of Pretoria Award, City Press Readers' Choice Award, and the Daily Sun Readers' Choice Award.
Can switching insurance companies save me money?
Yes. Different car insurance companies assess risk differently, which means premiums can vary. Getting a quote from another insurer could help you find the same or better cover at a more competitive price. OUTsurance is so confident that they can save you money on what you’re paying for car insurance somewhere else, you can ask them to pay you R500 if they’re more expensive. If you’ve been with the same insurer for more than three years without claiming, you can ask OUTsurance to pay you R1500 cash if they’re more expensive. Click here for more info on our car insurance promotion and for the applicable terms and conditions.
How do car insurance companies calculate premiums?
Car insurance companies use a range of factors to calculate your premium, including your vehicle, driving history, claims record, where you live, and how you use your car. Some insurers may rely on broad assumptions, while others assess your individual circumstances in more detail. At OUTsurance, we ask questions based on your unique risk profile to help calculate a premium that reflects your specific needs.
Are all car insurance companies the same?
No. Car insurance companies can differ significantly in terms of cover, excess structures, claims processes, customer service, and additional benefits. Taking the time to compare insurers can help you find a policy that best meets your needs and budget.
More questions about car insurance companies
There's no single cheapest option — car insurance companies each use their own underwriting model, weighing factors like your age, driving record, vehicle, and where it's parked differently. So the insurer that's cheapest for one driver can be among the priciest for another.
The only way to know is to get quotes from a few car insurance companies and compare premium, excess and cover together.
To see how premiums vary across different driver and vehicle profiles, have a look at OUTsurance's car insurance examples, then get your own quote.
To compare car insurance companies on service, look at independent review data. Hellopeter is widely used for this kind of benchmarking — its data feeds analytics firms like Data EQ and CE Index — and Google Reviews offers real-time customer feedback.
On both, OUTsurance performs exceptionally well: an average Hellopeter TrustIndex Rating of 9.99 out of 10 over the past year, and 4.89 out of 5 on Google Reviews between January and July 2025. For the full article and breakdown, please read OUTsurance surpasses previous benchmark.
More questions about car insurance companies
There's no single cheapest option — car insurance companies each use their own underwriting model, weighing factors like your age, driving record, vehicle, and where it's parked differently. So the insurer that's cheapest for one driver can be among the priciest for another.
The only way to know is to get quotes from a few car insurance companies and compare premium, excess and cover together.
To see how premiums vary across different driver and vehicle profiles, have a look at OUTsurance's car insurance examples, then get your own quote.
To compare car insurance companies on service, look at independent review data. Hellopeter is widely used for this kind of benchmarking — its data feeds analytics firms like Data EQ and CE Index — and Google Reviews offers real-time customer feedback.
On both, OUTsurance performs exceptionally well: an average Hellopeter TrustIndex Rating of 9.99 out of 10 over the past year, and 4.89 out of 5 on Google Reviews between January and July 2025. For the full article and breakdown, please read OUTsurance surpasses previous benchmark.