An unlisted driver excess is an extra amount you must pay on top of your basic excess if someone who isn’t named on your car-insurance policy causes (or is involved in) an insurable incident. Depending on the insurer, that figure can sit anywhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars—enough to turn a manageable repair bill into a wallet-drainer or, worse, see a claim knocked back altogether.
Knowing the rules before you hand over the keys can save you hard cash and a heap of stress. This guide breaks down the real-world cost ranges, shows exactly when the charge kicks in, and explains the loopholes and exceptions hidden in the fine print. You’ll also pick up practical tips for keeping your driver list current, reducing excesses at claim time, and steering clear of the gotchas that trip up thousands of Aussie motorists every year.
1. What Exactly Is an Unlisted Driver Excess?
Simply, an “unlisted driver” is anyone not named on your policy when the car is damaged. Because the insurer hasn’t assessed that person’s risk, it adds an extra charge — the unlisted driver excess — on top of your standard excess. Also called an “unnamed” driver excess, it mainly applies to regular household users; many insurers waive it for valets, mechanics or parking staff.
Basic Excess vs Unlisted Driver Excess
Your basic (standard) excess is the compulsory amount every claimant pays — say $750. If the driver at fault is unlisted, the additional excess stacks on top.
| Excess | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic | $750 |
| Unlisted driver | $800 |
| Total due | $1,550 |
Age or off-road excesses can stack too.
When Does the Unlisted Driver Excess Apply?
Typical triggers: you lend the car to a friend, a partner starts driving weekly, or an adult child moves back home. Many insurers label anyone who drives more than 12 times a year as ‘regular’. Exemptions generally cover valets, mechanics and emergency tows.
Legal Basics the Driver Must Meet
Driver must hold the correct licence, be sober and use the car within policy terms. Unlicensed, suspended, drink-driving or commercial breaches can void cover outright—no excess will save the claim.
2. Typical Costs and How Insurers Calculate Them
How much extra you’ll hand over for an unlisted driver excess can vary wildly. Current Australian policies show add-ons as low as $400 and as high as $2,500—remember, that’s in addition to whatever basic excess you’ve already agreed to pay.
Insurers arrive at a figure using risk data and actuarial modelling; the less they know about a driver, the more buffer they build into the excess. The result is a sliding scale that can make a minor bingle suddenly feel eye-watering.
Common Pricing Bands and Brand Examples
Below is a snapshot pulled from public Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) and certificates issued in 2024. Use it as a guide only—amounts change often.
| Insurer | Listed in PDS as | Extra Excess* |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Direct | “Unlisted Driver Excess” | $600 |
| AAMI | “Additional Driver Excess” | $1,400 |
| GIO | “Unlisted Driver Excess” | $800–$1,500 |
| Suncorp | “Unlisted Driver Excess” | $1,400 |
*Payable on top of the basic excess; age or inexperience excesses may still stack.
Key Factors That Influence the Amount
- Age of unlisted driver (under-25 usually attracts a steeper load)
- Licence tenure and claims history in the household postcode
- Vehicle type—high-kilowatt hatches and prestige SUVs sit at the top end
- Garaging location: metro theft hot-spots cost more than rural postcodes
- Level of cover—comprehensive policies often carry higher additional excesses to offset broader benefits
Where to Find Your Exact Unlisted Driver Excess
- Log in to your insurer’s portal or app.
- Download the current Certificate of Insurance.
- Scroll to “Excesses That Apply” or similar wording—your unlisted driver excess will be listed in dollars.
If you can’t locate it, ring the helpline before you lend out the keys; surprises after a crunch are never pleasant.
3. Listing Drivers: Rules, Responsibilities, and Grey Areas
Disclosing who actually gets behind the wheel is the single best way to dodge an unexpected unlisted driver excess. Every insurer expects you to tell them, at the start and whenever things change, who has regular access to the car. “Regular” isn’t always crystal-clear: some policies define it as weekly use, others as more than twelve trips a year. Miss that subtlety and you could end up paying hundreds extra—or seeing the claim declined for non-disclosure.
Below are the practical rules most Aussie insurers follow and the trapdoors many motorists overlook.
Who Must Be Listed on an Australian Policy
- Anyone living in your household with ready access to the keys
- Friends, partners, or housemates who drive the car more than the policy’s “occasional use” threshold
- Learner drivers practising in the vehicle, unless the PDS explicitly waives listing for L-platers under supervision
Grey zone examples: a FIFO sibling who drives only when home on break, or an adult child who keeps a spare key at their share-house. When in doubt, add them—listing is usually free.
How Age and Inexperienced Driver Excess Intersect
Even when a young or newly licensed driver is listed, an additional under-25 or inexperienced driver excess often still applies. Stacking can look like: $750 basic + $1,000 under-25 = $1,750. If the same driver wasn’t listed, the insurer could add another $800 unlisted driver excess, pushing the out-of-pocket to $2,550. Listing early can therefore shrink the worst-case bill.
Updating Your Policy Mid-Term
Need to add or remove someone?
- Log in to your insurer’s portal or call the contact centre.
- Provide the driver’s licence number, DOB, and driving history.
- Confirm the change date—the cover only starts from the timestamp the insurer processes it.
Most brands apply a pro-rata premium tweak; admin fees are rare. Set a six-monthly calendar reminder to review your driver list before life events—house moves, new partners, uni holidays—catch you out.
4. How an Unlisted Driver Excess Affects a Claim
Once the crunch happens, your insurer works through a fixed order of maths and rules. If the behind-the-wheel culprit isn’t on the policy, the unlisted driver excess is automatically added to any other excess that applies. The following breakdown shows when you’ll have to cough up, when the claim might be tossed out, and the smart moves that can claw money back.
Claim Scenarios Where the Excess Is Payable
- At-fault crash with another vehicle — e.g. you lend the car to flatmate Jess; she rear-ends a ute.
- Single-vehicle incident — Sam’s unlisted sister backs into a pole on a learner practice run.
- Damage while parked but driver inside — mate rests a takeaway coffee, handbrake slips, car rolls.
- Weather or animal strike while unlisted driver is travelling.
In each case the basic excess, any age or inexperience excess, plus the unlisted driver excess stack.
Situations That Can Lead to Claim Refusal
- Driver unlicensed, on P-plates without legal supervisor, or over the alcohol limit.
- Misrepresentation: policy states “only me” yet multiple household users exist.
- Vehicle used for excluded activities (rideshare, paid deliveries, track day).
Here the insurer can void cover, meaning you wear the entire repair bill.
Minimising Out-of-Pocket After an Incident
- If not at fault, pay the excess upfront but supply dash-cam footage, witness details and the other driver’s full info; the insurer will chase recovery and refund once successful.
- Use the insurer’s preferred repairer network — many knock $50–$100 off the excess.
- Ask whether adding the driver retrospectively (some allow within 24 hours of incident) can substitute a cheaper age excess for the steep unlisted driver excess.
- Keep receipts and photos; clear evidence speeds liability decisions and can shorten the refund timeline.
5. Practical Tips to Avoid or Reduce Unlisted Driver Excess
Dodging or shrinking an unlisted driver excess isn’t rocket science; it’s mostly about housekeeping, shopping around and using common sense when you loan out the keys. Apply the quick wins below and you can keep hundreds of dollars in your pocket if something goes pear-shaped.
Keep Your Driver List Current
- Add new partners, housemates and returning uni kids the moment they start driving—listing is usually free.
- Sync policy checks with rego renewal or service dates; a two-minute portal login now beats a $1,400 bill later.
- If someone stops driving the car, remove them to avoid higher premiums.
Shop Policies for Lower Additional Excesses
- When comparing quotes, scan the excess table first; a $200 premium saving can be wiped out by a $1,000 extra excess.
- Some insurers let you buy down the unlisted driver excess for a modest fee—worth it if you share cars often.
- Use online calculators to model different basic–additional excess combinations before switching.
Safe-Loan Practices for Occasional Drivers
- Text the borrower a clear “Yes, you’re covered from 3 pm–10 pm today” so there’s a time-stamped permission trail.
- Confirm they hold a valid licence and won’t use the car commercially or off-road.
- Photograph the odometer and panels pre-handover; images can speed up disputes and recovery claims.
6. FAQs Australians Ask About Unlisted Driver Excess
Below are bite-sized answers to the most-googled questions so you can get clarity fast and get back on the road with confidence.
Are Unlisted Drivers Ever Fully Covered Without Extra Excess?
Occasionally, yes. Many insurers waive the extra charge if the car is used in an emergency (e.g., rushing someone to hospital) or is being driven by a valet, mechanic, or panel beater for test purposes. Always read the PDS for those carve-outs.
Do Learner Drivers Need to Be Listed?
In most states, L-platers are automatically covered when supervised by a listed driver, but some insurers still insist the learner be named once they hit a certain practice-hour threshold. If in doubt, add them—it’s usually free.
What Happens If the Unlisted Driver Is Not at Fault?
If your insurer recovers the full repair cost from the at-fault party, any excess you paid—basic or unlisted—should be refunded. Make their job easier by providing the other driver’s licence details, rego, insurer, and any dash-cam footage.
7. Choosing the Right Cover for Your Driving Reality
Renewing whatever your bank or dealership first sold you is an easy habit, but it can cost real money once multiple people start sharing the wheel. The trick is matching your policy to how the car is actually used—then double-checking how each insurer handles an unlisted driver excess. A city hatch that’s passed around flatmates needs broader cover than a country ute driven by one owner, and the wrong choice can leave you stuck with a sky-high excess or, worse, no payout at all.
Comprehensive vs Third-Party Policies and Additional Excesses
- Comprehensive cover pays for your own damage plus anyone else’s, yet most brands still bolt on an unlisted driver excess.
- Third-party fire & theft usually skips that extra excess because it doesn’t repair your car anyway—great if you never lend it out, risky if you do.
- Some pay-as-you-drive and usage-based policies waive additional excesses altogether but load the premium once you exceed the kilometre cap.
Key Questions to Ask Before Taking Out a Policy
- What is your unlisted driver excess and does it stack with an under-25 excess?
- Can I add or remove drivers mid-term for free and how fast does the change take effect?
- Do you offer a buy-down option to reduce extra excesses for shared vehicles?
- Will business, rideshare or occasional delivery work void cover for an unlisted driver?
Annual Policy Health Check Checklist
| ✔️ | Item to Review | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| [ ] | Driver list current | Dodges surprise unlisted driver excess |
| [ ] | Usage type accurate (private/business) | Prevents claim refusal |
| [ ] | Kilometres estimate realistic | Keeps premium fair |
| [ ] | Address & garaging updated | Reflects true theft risk |
| [ ] | Accessories & mods declared | Ensures full payout value |
Running through this five-point audit every 12 months takes minutes and can save you thousands when the unexpected happens.
Wrapping Up on Unlisted Driver Excess
Keeping your driver list current and knowing exactly what an unlisted driver excess could cost are the easiest ways to dodge a nasty claim surprise. Add regular users the moment they touch the steering wheel, double-check the excess table before you hand over the keys, and stash evidence if something goes wrong. Spend five minutes on a policy health-check now and you’ll save yourself a four-figure headache later.
Still not sure whether your cover fits your real-world driving? Chat with the specialists at National Cover – we’ll unpack the fine-print, trim unnecessary extras, and beat any like-for-like quote, putting dollars back in your pocket.
