New South Wales is one of the few places in Australia where the compulsory part of car insurance is genuinely a purchase rather than a line on a registration notice. The Green Slip is bought from a licensed insurer of your choice, and you need it before the vehicle can be registered.
Because the cover itself is fixed by legislation, insurers compete purely on price and service. A cheaper Green Slip is not thinner cover, which makes NSW unusual and worth ten minutes of comparison.
You buy the Green Slip first, then register. If you sell the car or cancel the registration partway through the term, you are generally entitled to a refund of the unused portion from your CTP insurer, but it is not automatic — you have to ask. People routinely forget this when selling a car, and the money simply stays with the insurer.
The State Insurance Regulatory Authority runs the scheme and publishes price comparison information, so you are not reliant on individual insurer quotes to see the spread. Because the statutory benefits are identical whoever you choose, the only reason to pay more is if you value something the insurer bundles alongside it.
Density and congestion drive collision frequency, and Sydney's theft rates for certain models are among the highest in the country. Coastal storms and periodic severe hail add a weather component that only comprehensive responds to. Regional NSW generally prices lower, though it trades that for wildlife strikes, which are frequent on country roads at dawn and dusk and are often not what drivers expect to claim for.
It is the NSW name for compulsory third party insurance. You buy it from a licensed insurer before registering, and it covers injury to people — not damage to any vehicle.
Generally yes, for the unused portion, but you need to contact your CTP insurer and request it. It is not issued automatically when you transfer or cancel registration.
No. The benefits are set by NSW legislation and are identical across licensed insurers, so price differences reflect the insurer's pricing rather than the cover you receive.
Medicare Levy Surcharge thresholds and government rebate percentages are reviewed regularly, so this page does not quote them. For the current figures see the ATO and the government's privatehealth.gov.au.
