APIA Car Insurance - Comprehensive

Their price for insurance was really good for 14K car is was $850 less than AAMI offering. Experience/Interaction was very poor. Also I did have to call back three times to have my email removed from my aged mother accounts from 6 years ago. (I wander if the archive data ever!) Their telephone "AI" system is terrible and soo dumb. Its make me… Read more

mad every time I have to use it. It also insults me saying I have been identifed for special needs. Whoever coded this automation really did a bad job and their QA testing was quick. I confused it when I added Australia to my address. Seriously it couldn't even process that. I raised a formal complaint and the unprofessional complaints officer reminded me no one complained before even though it been in for two years. She didn't bother reviewing the phone recording and her excuse was she didn't have access to it. (Seriously the complaints officer has no access to voice recordings for quality or training?!) Some of the customer service people are really nice though not always able to assist. (PS: Also their virtual assistant apparently ALWAYS signs the emails though I am sure the virtual assistant didn't write the emails. Very Odd) AAMI uses the same system but for some reason I have never had an issue with probably because I just ignore it as probably 99% of others do. ... my guess) I am surprised they have a "AI" system designed to train their user base 50+ to only ever deliver the correct information to the automated system in the correct strict format without actually coding the "AI" system to correctly / parse or interpret the data being being presented to it... (AKA the system is incapable of any "AI" or smart coding actions} PS: 2nd level IT support person from APIA called it an "AI" system not me

I have recently finished working and discussed my monthly payment with APIA who advised they were able to reduce the payment as I was not working. This was great. I then shopped around for other quotes and came back to APIA with a competitor's quote and asked them if they were able to match it. They reduced the premium further as "I do not drive… Read more

in peak hour traffic at least three days per week". I had never been asked this question by them or any other insurer, so make sure to ask for this discount to your premium when shopping around if you're eligible. It's not a huge amount, but every cent counts in the current climate.

Was so stressed about this as I gave my son my car for 2 days and he was hit up the back after picking up car. The lady I spoke to did everything on phone and car was booked in to be fix in 2 days. I am so glad I'm with Apia. When I had been with NRMA it was a nightmare to deal with. Thank you Apia for being so customer friendly Show details

Took some time waiting on the phone but once I got through the claim was dealt with efficiently. After that there was a long wait to get a booking with the appointed repairer the subsequent service was excellent. Show details

Absolutely terrible service. The repair work on the car was done poorly, leaving it undriveable and the overseas call-centre staff were inexperienced and unhelpful. There is no dedicated claims manager. I made five calls trying to speak with someone to help (two to a complaints department) and never received a call back. You essentially are the… Read more

claims manager dealing with the repairer directly then doing all the chasing up to get the claim resolved. I’m still waiting for a response from their complaints department.

Eventually after saying l was going to the ombudsman l got a call from an assessor. He was pressuring us to drive the car back to the repairer when it would be deemed as unsafe to drive. As a result, we are currently without a car for over a week due to the repairer’s faulty work. It still hasn’t been sent back to the repairer. The assessor did say it’s common cars have to be taken back to their repairers because of the volume of cars they need to get through. They use SMART capital repairs absolutely terrible job.

Apia also make no effort to accommodate seniors, which was extremely disappointing. Overall, the entire experience was stressful, frustrating and far below the standard expected for the huge insurance premiums we pay and after more than 15 years as a customer.

I live in regional NSW and recently made a claim against my APIA comprehensive car insurance. They have ignored my needs, been obstructive and written my car off without consultation, leaving me stranded without any transportation whatsoever. The damage to my car is completely superficial and functions absolutely normally. For them, the claim is… Read more

low payout and high yield, as they will take possession and sell it for parts. They are meant to be protecting my interests but are bullying me into a course of action that protects their own interests, regardless of the difficulties this creates for me. Looking at the rest of these reviews, I see I am not alone. Shame on APIA for taking advantage of vulnerable older Australians. Disgusting behaviour.

Absolutely appalling! Over a decade with this company, three different insurance products. The first time we need to claim on our car... atrocious from start to distressing finish. Firstly, no contact for weeks. Only after we hear second hand from the repair shop that APIA is "taking the car", we reach out to find out what's going on. They have… Read more

elected to write it off (after MINOR damage, as assessed by independent repairers). They took the excess, and then slugged us for an extra $600 fee. We are elderly. This leaves us with no car, and no means to buy a new one. We could have had our car repaired on our own and would still be driving it. After hours on the phone they were nothing but rude and unhelpful. Abysmal service. Zero compassion. A product that appears to be a total waste of money. We are pulling all our insurances immediately.

*** BEWARE APIA CAR INSURANCE *** TERRIBLE TO DEAL WITH , NO CUSTOMER SERVICE – ** BEWARE ** MISLEADING , NO CUSTOMER SERVICE , RUDE TO CUSTOMERS . *** TERRIBLE COMPANY **** Provide poor information , provide no support , do not respond to requests . *** BEWARE *** Show details

Just the worst experience ever from the moment that woman backed into me in Nov 24 been waiting 7 mths to get my car repaired treated like absolute garbage by the panel beaters and the hire car experience an absolute nightmare as well still waiting to get my bond back from hertz 4days and still no sighn of it I cannot go through this again will be shopping around for another insurance company Show details

Two weeks and fourth attempt to cancel policy by phone. Previous calls were on endless hold and transfers to the 'right dept'. 1hr 2 mins into this current attempt and I am still on hold while "the right dept' pushes ''the right' button. Show details

Called to cancel old policy as we had already purchased a new policy with Apia, getting a better deal online than the renewal. Unfortunately the operator cancelled both our policies and I then had to call back to explain the error. Show details

1 star because 0 isn't an option. If I could sum up my experience with Apia in one word, it would be: Kafkaesque. If I could use two: Kafkaesque circus. Trying to update an insurance policy after the death of my father—something that should have taken five minutes—became a bureaucratic farce so convoluted it could be taught in political science… Read more

classes as a case study in systemic dysfunction.

Despite providing: ✔ My father’s death certificate ✔ A medical certificate stating my mother has advanced Alzheimer’s and no decision-making capacity ✔ A legal Enduring Power of Attorney naming me as her representative ✔ Clear written instructions

…I was told, and I quote, that my dead father would need to request the policy change himself. That’s right. Apparently, at Apia, the afterlife comes with email access and a policy number.

The replies I received from their "Assisted Digital Specialists" were a masterclass in missing the point—tone-deaf, robotic, and so utterly detached from human logic that I began to suspect I was corresponding with a particularly smug toaster.

Eventually, someone with a pulse and a working brain did remove my father from the policy. Congratulations, Apia—you’ve successfully achieved the minimum. I now await the moment you acknowledge my legal authority (again), stop blocking me from managing my mother’s policies, and add my aunt as a backup contact, as requested.

Bottom line: if you are grieving, exhausted, and managing the affairs of elderly parents, avoid Apia like a pothole on the Pacific Motorway. They will not help. They will confuse, delay, contradict themselves, and make you question whether you’ve accidentally enrolled in some kind of insurance-themed psychological experiment.

I’m still dealing with the fallout. But hey—if you’re looking for a case study in administrative incompetence, look no further. Apia delivers.

Service? What service? You cannot contact this company – Son in law had an accident driving my car. Car was towed to their repairer. On January 10, I got a text saying repairs are approved. Feb. 16 today, and heard nothing since. Repairer said it's written off. Then why haven't I been paid out? I have phoned but as I work I cannot hold on 45 minutes, the wait time they quoted, so I emailed, days… Read more

later, no reply, I tried the contact box, no reply. Tried the chat box, got cut off after 20 minutes waiting. How do you contact this company? There's a postal address, perhaps I have to write a letter? It will probably be ignored as well. It is now 2 months since the accident, no car. Getting nowhere. Avoid this company like the plague.

It took 28 days from my car accident to having the car fixed and returned to me. I made the claim within 60 minutes of the accident occuring. It was acknolweged that the accident was not my fault. Far too long for a damaged front door panel and right front wheel arch panel to be replaced and painted. Inacurrate and infrequent communications from… Read more

APIA. The car was returned to me with a strong smell of paint and thinners in the cabin as well as an incorrectly repaired/replaced rubber door seal. The right front door could not be fully opened because the door seal had been incorrectly positioned. I fixed it myself. I am currently checking my options to ditch APIA and take all my insurance business elsewhere. Not happy Jan.

No contact/untrained staff/ AI assess claims – Apia decided I was at fault. I submitted photos and diagram. 2 weeks later they reversed their decision- after hours on phone- speaking to call centres that continually transferred my calls to other people- and time hanging on. I was frequently cut off, emails unanswered. Eventually- 3 weeks later a human accepted my explanation. When I returned… Read more

my hire car to Hertz they inspected it and gave me back my deposit. They then lodged a claim with Apia saying it was damaged. They said they had dated and time stamped photos. This evidence was at 1am on the day I returned the car at 9.50am. Apia billed me for excess. Would not speak to me/reply to email. Would not cancel my policy because I owed them money. I’m on direct debit so cancelled my card to escape them. Changed to racv- saved$300. Also changed house and contents- saved $450 Car accident was November 8 2024- just finalised details 18 Feb 2025. Absolutely horrific experience over a small car ding. Imagine if you lost your house!!!!

One-way traffic as an APIA customer! – I've been a loyal customer for 15 years plus but have finally had enough. My car insurance premium was jacked up by ONLY 20 per cent this year after years of 30 per cent plus increases. Renewal premium was quoted at $2260 whilst car value decreased by more than $50k over 3 years.Going online as a "new" customer I was quoted $1440 for same car,… Read more

same cover. So much for loyalty. New company is charging $1800 for better cover.

Combine that with appalling telephone waiting times ( I reckon 30-40 minutes on average ), 5 months of unbelievable hassle for a $500 no-fault claims experience last year and I am truly over it. My wife's car, house , contents and landlord policies will all follow suit.

SHOCKING – Rang on 27th November to change banking details for two motor vehicle policies. On the 5th December 1 direct debit from new bank account. On 6th December direct debit from old account - now have fees to pay to bank. When I rang 27/11/24 and again today 9/12/24 same woman - in the Phillipines - hard to understand and the phone call on the 9/12… Read more

she just kept repeating that I was at fault - I ended up hanging up mainly in frustration and secondly for blaming me when she was the one that took the new details for policies - she did not even have my phone number correct. DO NOT INSURE WITH APIA AS YOUR PHONE CALL WILL BE SENT A) OVERSEAS B) THE WAIT TIME ON PHONE IS LONG AND C) APIA STAFF CANNOT TAKE DOWN YOUR DETAILS CORRECTLY. I did receive an email from APIA late this morning - another unusual name and strangely worded letter - usual apologies etc - what a lot of crock.

Bad for Car Insurance – Do not take out car insurance with APIA. The claims process is POOR and unnecessarily long. When this is over my Aunt will be moving her car insurance elsewhere - stay away from APIA Show details

Difficulty proving we sold the car to cancel insurance – Never had any issues with them but make sure if you sell your vehicle that you get the new buyer to sign the bill of sale as they don't accept it even if it's a printed copy from dep transport...otherwise they keep billing you for a car you no longer own....we sold the car three months ago and they refunded us for two months ...it was very difficult to prove we sold it to get it cancelled without the dealers signature.. Show details

Check every tiny clause, do not believe the sales person – Been insuring with APIA for years. Went to make a windscreen claim and was told that it wasn't covered. Somewhere without my knowledge it had been removed. Another claim for some body damage - Was offered to take my excess from $550 to $750 with a small reduction in fees earlier. At no stage did they mention the $750 was added onto the $550, I am… Read more

absolutely sure of that. No more automatic renewals for me, will search the market but it won't be APIA.

They have redeemed themselves – They have really taken their previous reviews on board and completely changed their functionality, punctuality and fairness. An amazing company to be insured with, they have recently taken care of me, bth with my personal home and contents insurance and my car insurance. Show details

Apia are thief's – My car insurance increases every 12 months had no claims and the car is depreciating every year it's a 2011 Mk hyundi and these thief's are charging me 72 dollars a month Show details

Apia is ripping you off – Omg , in 2022 my insurance was $1030 , in 2023 it went up to $1330 , this year my renewal has come in at $1795 . No claims , medium excess , aged 59 , car is locked in a garage and 10000 per year driving ! ! Insurance companies are part of the reason that inflation is high and they are ripping off everyone . That is a 30% increase year on year . Time to shop around and stay away from Apia no matter what age you are . Show details

DO NOT INSURE WITH APIA – We have paid full car comprehensive policies upfront each year for the past 3 years. We recently put a claim in on my fathers vehicle and the follow up and communication is horrendous. I do not recommend them for any insurance. They are not accommodating, each time a follow up call was put in, we would have to repeat the process of going over… Read more

details only to be told the same thing for 1 month. Experience and ease of processing a claim for the 1st time in 3 years with APIA proves too difficult. We will not be renewing with APIA again.

What a rip off – My mother who has never had a claim in her driving life is moving from NSW to QLD. Went to update her policy and reduced the yearly km travelled to 5000. Policy is now going from $66 per month to $163! Outrageous! Looking for new policy now! Show details

APIA ruthless – Most unhelpful. No meaningful communication; bog standard responses to queries. Irrationally difficult. Don't know the meaning of 'in good faith'. Show details