Real Insurance car insurance review: cover, features and how it compares
A neutral overview of Real Insurance car insurance in Australia — a direct-to-consumer brand offering several insurance lines — and how it compares for shopping purposes.
Overview
Real Insurance is an Australian direct-to-consumer insurance brand offering car insurance alongside several other personal insurance lines. It distributes online and via phone, and is underwritten by a partner insurer.
Specific cover terms, exclusions and limits sit in the Real Insurance PDS for each product. The underwriting insurer is disclosed in the PDS — worth checking, since they're the entity that pays claims.
Who Real Insurance car insurance may suit
- Drivers comfortable with direct-to-consumer distribution
- Customers wanting a multi-line insurer for car, life or other personal cover
- Drivers comparing a focused direct brand against mainstream insurers
Who it may not suit
- Drivers wanting in-person branch service
- Customers who specifically want a major insurer brand on the front end
- Higher-risk drivers who may need a specialist provider
Cover types offered
Real Insurance typically offers the following cover types. Specific inclusions, exclusions and limits sit in the Real Insurance PDS for each product.
- Comprehensive car insurance
- Third party property
- Third party fire and theft
For background on what each cover type means, see our explainers on comprehensive car insurance and third party car insurance.
Key features
Online and phone claims handled by the underwriting insurer behind the brand.
Standard and voluntary excess at quote, with age-based and inexperienced driver excesses applying per the PDS.
Hire car cover, choice of repairer and similar add-ons commonly available.
Online quote and policy management with phone support available.
Pricing positioning
Real Insurance is generally positioned as a value-focused direct brand. Whether it ends up competitive on any given quote depends on the profile — comparison shopping with matched inputs is the cleanest test.
For more on what shapes premiums in general, see our pages on car insurance cost and lowering your premium.
Pros and cons
- Direct-to-consumer model with online and phone access
- Standard cover ladder available
- Multi-line brand if you want car alongside other cover
- Backed by an established underwriter
- Front-end brand differs from the underwriter — worth confirming who handles claims
- Not always the cheapest option for every profile
- Limited branch presence
How Real Insurance compares with other Australian insurers
Real Insurance is most usefully compared against other direct brands like Budget Direct, Coles and Woolworths car insurance, plus mainstream insurers like AAMI for the same vehicle and drivers.
Related provider reviews worth comparing:
Useful background reading:
Frequently asked questions
Compare your options
The cleanest way to test whether Real Insurance is competitive for you is to quote it alongside a couple of other insurers using identical inputs. The pages below cover both the comparison framework and the quote process.
CoverScout may receive a commission or referral fee when you click through or apply for certain products. This does not change the price you pay. Our guides are written to help users compare options, but we may not compare every provider in the market.