About Greenslips

Setting Greenslip Prices

Greenslip prices are determined by the insurers and are regulated by the MAA.

Insurers each use different factors and apply different weightings to those factors to determine the premiums they will charge.

Primary factors used by the insurers and which affect greenslip prices are as follows:

• Geographic region
• Type of vehicle
• Age of vehicle
• Vehicle performance
• Age of vehicle owner
• Age of vehicle drivers
• Driving history

• Number of traffic offences
• Number of demerit points
• Number of years licenced

• Claims history

• Level of insurance and no claim bonus
• Number of at fault claims

Geographic regions and vehicle classifications are designated by the MAA.

There are five geographic regions. They are Sydney Metropolitan, Outer Metropolitan, Wollongong, Newcastle/Central Coast and Country. Insurers are not allowed to differentiate on the basis of locality within a designated geographic region.

The MAA issues Premiums Determination Guidelines as a mechanism to regulate the setting of greenslip prices.  The MAA also regulates the distribution and marketing of greenslips through the Market Practice Guidelines.  Both documents are available on the MAA website.

Insurers are required to submit premium filings to the MAA, setting out proposed premiums and additional information in support of those premiums. The MAA may reject a proposed filing of greenslip premiums if it considers the premiums will not fully fund the insurers liability, if it considers the premiums to be excessive, or if the premiums do not conform with the MAA’s Premiums Determination Guidelines. For the purposes of the act, a premium should be sufficient “to provide a profit margin in excess of all claims, cost and expenses that represents an adequate return on capital invested and compensation for the risk taken.”

The issue for the MAA is to ensure that the scheme is competitive and that greenslips are affordable. The scheme will only be competitive if a sufficient number of insurers are motivated to participate. Insurers will only participate if there is sufficient profit.

Greenslip prices do vary.

It is important to shop around and compare prices.

The MAA operates the price comparison service. A link to the price comparison service is on this site.