Multiple outlets report that Victoria, and particularly Melbourne, has the highest vehicle theft-related insurance claims in Australia. Data cited from the Insurance Council of Australia shows Victoria records greater claims for stolen cars than any other mainland state, with Victoria’s vehicle theft payouts exceeding the total of the rest of the mainland states combined. The Age and other outlets report that insurance payouts for stolen cars in Victoria reached about $243 million last year—more than the remainder of Australia combined. ABC Australia reports that around 10,000 cars are stolen or broken into in Melbourne each year, aligning with the higher claims profile for the state.
The Conversation adds that the pattern stands out because vehicle theft claims are generally declining across most of Australia while Victoria is moving in the opposite direction. While the articles use insurance claims as the measure of car theft and related incidents, they do not present a single agreed explanation for why Victoria’s figures are higher, instead focusing on the scale of the claims and the divergence from national trends.
