Victoria car theft insurance claims reach $244 million

Insurance claims for motor vehicle theft and burglary in Victoria reached $244 million during the 12 months ending June 30, 2026, representing a nine per cent increase from the previous financial year. According to the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), Victoria has become the nation’s leader in vehicle theft, with more cars stolen or broken into in Melbourne annually than in all other Australian capital cities combined.

The ICA reported that while vehicle-theft claims have declined in every other Australian state and territory, Victoria’s rates continue to climb. In the first half of 2026, claims in the state rose by 28 per cent. ICA CEO Andrew Hall noted that in Victoria, a car is stolen or broken into every 43 minutes.

Property theft and burglary claims also showed Victoria performing worse than other jurisdictions, though total payouts for that specific category dropped from $67.2 million to $57 million. Ahead of the state election scheduled for November 28, 2026, the ICA has proposed ten policy recommendations, including a dedicated statewide strategy to reduce crime and reforms to modernize civil liability laws.