Absa Car Insurance
Driving-behaviour rewards on motor premiums.
Read the guide →Car insurance pays for damage to your car, or damage you cause to someone else's, in exchange for a monthly premium. This guide explains how cover works in South Africa, what drives the price, and how to compare insurers without getting caught out by the excess.
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You pay a premium, usually monthly, and the insurer agrees to cover certain events up to an agreed value. When you claim, you pay the first part of the cost yourself, called the excess, and the insurer pays the rest. Four things decide what you actually get:
Which events are covered: just damage to others, or also theft, fire and accidents involving your own car.
What the insurer pays if the car is written off. Retail, market or trade value can differ by tens of thousands of rand.
What you pay per claim. Extra excesses often apply to young drivers, new licences or single-vehicle accidents.
Rules you must follow, like keeping the car locked or in a garage at night, or having an approved tracker fitted.
Read the conditions carefully. A claim can be reduced or rejected if the car wasn't kept where you said, or someone other than the regular driver was using it, and the policy didn't allow for that.
No, not for private cars. Unlike the UK, South Africa has no law forcing you to insure your car. The Road Accident Fund (RAF), funded through the fuel levy, compensates people injured or killed in road accidents, but it never pays for damage to vehicles or property. If you cause an accident without insurance, you can be held personally liable for the other driver's repair bill.
In practice: if your car is financed, the bank will insist on comprehensive cover. If you own it outright, at least third party cover protects you from paying for someone else's car. Do you need car insurance? →
| Cover type | Your car: accident | Your car: theft, hijack, fire | Damage to others | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Financed, newer or valuable cars |
| Third party, fire & theft | – | ✓ | ✓ | Older cars you could afford to repair yourself |
| Third party only | – | – | ✓ | Low-value cars, as a minimum |
| Total loss / limited cover | Write-off only | Usually | Lower limit | Older cars where only a write-off would hurt |
Names vary by insurer. MiWay calls its levels Comprehensive, Lite and Total Loss; OUTsurance has an Essential option for older, unfinanced cars. Always read what's actually listed rather than relying on the name.
You deal with the insurer yourself, online or by phone. Examples: OUTsurance, MiWay, Budget, Dotsure, iWYZE.
An intermediary compares insurers and helps at claim time. Examples: Santam via a broker, PSG, Affinity.
Your bank's own insurer, often with rewards linked to your account. Examples: FNB, Absa, Nedbank.
One form, several quotes. You still buy from the insurer. Example: Hippo. See how comparison sites work.
Our car insurance quotes guide has a full checklist and a quote request form.
Plain-English guides to 17 South African car insurance brands: how you buy, who underwrites the cover and what to check.
Driving-behaviour rewards on motor premiums.
Read the guide →Vitality Drive rewards for good driving, including fuel cash back.
Read the guide →OUTbonus: cash back after three claim-free years.
Read the guide →Three cover levels and an excess you can adjust.
Read the guide →Santam CashBack after three claim-free years.
Read the guide →Broker-led service from a specialist underwriting manager.
Read the guide →Car cover arranged as part of wider financial planning.
Read the guide →A personal adviser for cover and claims.
Read the guide →Existing policies carried over when the business merged.
Read the guide →Cashback for claim-free years, plus MyCover add-ons.
Read the guide →Name Your Price: switch parts of the cover on or off.
Read the guide →eBucks rewards on your premium.
Read the guide →Several car insurance quotes from one form.
Read the guide →Direct cover backed by Old Mutual.
Read the guide →A long-established insurer you can reach through a broker.
Read the guide →An annual payment holiday and a cash back bonus after two claim-free years.
Read the guide →Repairs to factory specification with genuine parts.
Read the guide →Compare all car insurance companies side by side → · Our picks by need →
Car insurance doesn't cover everything. These separate products fill some of the gaps. They're optional, so only buy what you'd actually use.
Small cosmetic repairs you wouldn't claim for on your main policy.
Mechanical and electrical breakdowns, which car insurance doesn't cover.
Waivers for a hired car, and car hire while yours is being repaired.
Many insurers require an approved tracker on higher-value cars, and most give a discount when one is fitted. See which trackers insurers accept or estimate your saving.
No. South African law doesn't require private car owners to have car insurance. The Road Accident Fund, paid for through the fuel levy, covers some injury and death claims, but it doesn't pay for damage to your car or anyone else's. If your car is financed, the bank will require comprehensive cover. More in our guide: do you need car insurance?
Third party only is usually the cheapest, because it covers only damage you cause to other people's property, not your own car. Third party, fire and theft costs a little more and also covers your car if it's stolen, hijacked or burnt. Comprehensive costs the most and covers the widest range of events.
There's no single price. Premiums depend on your car's value and model, your age and licence history, where the car is kept overnight, how far you drive, your claims history and the excess you choose. The only reliable way to know is to get several quotes for the same cover.
Either can work. A direct insurer is usually quicker and you deal with it yourself. A broker can compare several insurers and help you at claim time, but may charge a fee. If you use a broker, ask how many insurers they compared.
Often, yes. Many insurers give a discount when an approved tracker is fitted, and some require one above a certain vehicle value. Check your insurer's approved list first. See insurance-approved car trackers.
Tracker Prices SA is an independent information site. We are not an insurer or a licensed financial services provider, and nothing here is financial advice. Insurer details are summarised from each insurer's own published information, last checked September 2026. Cover, benefits and prices change, so always confirm them in your quote and policy wording. For a complaint about an insurer you can contact the free National Financial Ombud Scheme.
Tell us about your car once and we'll arrange for quotes to be sent to you, so you can compare premiums and excesses side by side.