Fresh data from the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) today shows the number of motor vehicle theft claims decreased in every state during the last financial year except Victoria – which saw the largest annual increase on record.
Insurance Statistics Australia (ISA) data from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia has reaffirmed Victoria as the country’s car-theft capital.
The southern state recorded a 59 per cent increase in motor theft claims and a 70 per cent increase in incurred costs – with more than 12,000 claims totalling $223 million in the 12 months to June 2025.
Metro Victoria accounted for the majority of the claims and saw the largest increase. Claims were up 70 per cent and costs up 80 per cent; with 10,000 claims totalling $183 million in insured losses.
Nationally, the number of motor theft claims increased by 11 per cent to 30,000 claims totalling $466 million, up 20 per cent on the previous 12-month period.
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Queensland saw the largest reduction in motor theft claims (down 11 per cent to 6000), totalling $104 million in losses (down 10 per cent), marking the largest drop the state has seen in more than a decade.
Claim numbers fell by 10 per cent in Western Australia and South Australia, and 3.0 per cent in NSW – reducing to 4000, 1300 and 5800 respectively.
The incidence of motor vehicle theft as a percentage of total motor insurance policies (theft claim frequency) also decreased in all states except Victoria, where it increased from 0.26 to 0.45 per cent in metro Victoria.
“Motor theft claims have been climbing significantly over the last decade, and while they only make up a small part of overall motor claims, this is a growing concern,” said ICA CEO Andrew Hall.
“Everyone pays for car theft, through increased costs of policing, courts and ultimately insurance. We cannot accept this level of car crime as normal in Australia.
“It is encouraging to see car crime claims on the decline in majority of states and the reductions in Queensland, which was previously leading the country on the increases, are particularly pleasing.
“Insurers are in ongoing conversation with law enforcement agencies and continue to share data where appropriate.”
The spike in vehicle thefts nationally and especially in Victoria echoes the rise in theft more generally across Australia – also led by Victoria – as shoplifting becomes more brazen.
According to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), theft rates soared across the country in 2024, reaching their highest peak in more than 20 years.
Nearly 600,000 thefts were recorded nationally last year – the most since 2003 and close to the 700,000 peak recorded in 2001.
Victoria recorded the biggest increase of 29 per cent, followed by Tasmania (up 11 per cent).
The ABS data showed retail thefts rose from 32 per cent of all thefts in 2010 to 45 per cent in 2024. Meantime, thefts from homes fell to 25 per cent (down from 30 per cent in 2010) and reported motor vehicle thefts increased by 8.0 per cent to 65,603 in 2024.
Separate data from the Crime Statistics Agency shows overall offending in Victoria jumped by 15 per cent in the 12 months to March 2025.
While general crime increased by 15.2 per cent to 8839 per 100,000 Victorians, property and deception offences increased the most (up nearly 24 per cent to 370,587 offences).
Of about 240,000 thefts (up 58,000), almost 83,000 were thefts from vehicles.
“There were 595,660 recorded victims of theft in 2024. These thefts, which includes things like shoplifting and pickpocketing, but not motor vehicle thefts, have been continually rising since a drop during 2020 when COVID-19 restrictions were introduced,” said ABS head of crime and justice statistics, Samantha Hall.
Chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said: “Theft offences have continued to rise sharply, with nearly a quarter of a million offences recorded in the last year.
“Increases were largest for thefts from motor vehicles and retail stores, with many of these offences linked to repeat offending.”
