KOBA Insurance Comprehensive Car Insurance

Key features

Before we get into the tech-led innovations of Koba car insurance, let’s lay out the major coverage points. When you take out a Koba policy, you can rest easy knowing they’ll cover the cost of replacing your car with a vehicle that's the same make and model should it be written-off (as long as it’s driven under 40,000km and is less than 2 years old). 

You’ll be covered for damages caused by events like collisions, theft, vandalism, storm, hail, flooding and fire, and can get $500 put towards emergency travel and accommodation expenses (plus reasonable towing) if you’re more than 200km away from home and your car can’t be driven. There’s up to $500 cover for damaged baby seats per-claim ($1,000 total) and hire car cover for up to 14 days following a theft ($70 per-day). 

Optional extras – which come at an additional cost – include excess-free windscreen and window glass repairs and alternative travel cover up to $70 per-day for 14 days if your car is being repaired or replaced after a claim.

So, what makes Koba really stand-out from other comprehensive policies? Koba offers variable monthly premiums based on the distance you travel with a pretty basic rule: if you drive less often, you’ll pay less. There is a simple fixed cost (that you'll need to pay annually) as well as this variable per-km charge which sits between 3 cents and 8 cents per-km for most customers. This is different to some other pay-as-you-drive insurance policies, which offer reduced premiums when you stay under a set number of kilometres each year or month.

Koba offers this alternative using a kind of blackbox technology called the ‘Koba Rider’ which plugs into your car’s on board computer and tracks the kilometres you travel, sending that data to the linked Koba app. You’ll be sent the Koba Rider and need to download the app when you sign up.

And don’t stress out if you rack up major distances on a road trip. The kilometres you can be charged for maxes out at 250kms a day or 1,750kms per month, so everything after that for the day or that month won’t affect your premium.

Who is it good for

Australians who want comprehensive cover for their car but don’t drive very often, and want personalised premiums to match. You’ll also want to be handy with technology to manage your policy via the Koba app.

Any catches

Since the monthly premium is variable, you may see a larger monthly charge which you haven’t budgeted for if you happen to drive further than normal (variable premium payments are deducted automatically). So, be sure to keep an eye on your bank balance to ensure there's adequate funds to cover each installment, and the Koba app where all your trips and costs are displayed in real time.

Also, remember there’s an additional excess for young drivers that could cost you more at claim time if you're under 25.