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General Insurance in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Danny Martin Danny Martin Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: November 2024 ANZSIC K6322

Revenue

$111.4bn

2024-25

$111.4bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

47,063

Businesses

77

Wages

$X.Xbn

General Insurance in Australia industry analysis

Rising premiums continue to dictate insurance companies' performance. Following pressures from higher natural disaster frequency and claims payouts, general insurers allocated higher natural disaster allowances and accelerated premium price increases. Coverage for underlying assets, especially motor vehicles, is becoming more expensive. Natural disasters have been prevalent in recent years, heightening the number of claims insurers incur and encouraging them to pass on more costs to cover future payout forecasts. A slight reduction in payout events in 2024-25 has been a blessing to insurers, undershooting their allowances and resulting in fruitful profit margins. General insurers generate revenue from insurance policy sales and invest premium reserves in bonds, stocks and other assets. This year's relatively high interest rates and climbing equities markets are giving insurers healthy returns from their investment income channels. Industry revenue is expected to climb at an annualised 5.2% over the five years through 2024-25 to $111.4 billion. Eroding demand has slowed revenue progression, reflected in a modest uptick of 0.3% in the current year.

Trends and Insights

  • Policy renewal and uptake are under scrutiny. Consumer satisfaction has dwindled across the board as insurers have passed on costs, with many facing fines because of poor discount and claims conduct.
  • Private insurers underwrite the larger segments of reinsurance, motor vehicle insurance, home insurance, public and product liability insurance, and fire and industrial special risks insurance. Public insurers dominate compulsory third-party motor vehicle insurance and employers' liability insurance.
  • Insurers in Queensland and New South Wales are particularly exposed to costlier coverage. Risks in these states are much higher, with more opportunities for insurers looking to address these concerns. However, many consumers near flood plains struggle to obtain coverage.
  • Major insurers heavily invest in advertising in hopes of competing on brand recognition and loyalty. Insurers that face scrutiny from ASIC lose favour with Australians who doubt the fairness of their claims processes and pricing systems.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 5.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $111.4bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

General insurers have hiked premium prices to counter risks and meet their natural hazards allowances

  • Providers have lifted their prices following multiple large-scale natural disasters, steadily raising premium income in recent years to avoid large-scale losses.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
General Insurance in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Cash rate and equity market movements will have cascading effects on revenue

  • Insurers tend to invest heavily in less risky, more reliable government bonds or other interest-rate investment vehicles, whose returns are heavily tied to cash rate movements.

Biggest companies in the General Insurance in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Suncorp
14,111.9
IAG
12,943.7
QBE Insurance
9,116.7

To view the market share and analysis for all 6 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

General Insurance in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Motor vehicle insurance , Home insurance and Reinsurance. Motor vehicle insurance is the largest segment of the General Insurance in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Motor vehicle insurance policyholders continue to be lucrative for insurers

  • Motor vehicle insurance can cover the financial risks associated with damage, injuries, theft and other vehicle-related needs.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The industry includes general insurers and reinsurers. General insurers underwrite insurance policies to cover individuals' and businesses’ financial losses associated with property, casualty, liability and other risks. Underwriting involves assuming risks and assigning premiums. Reinsurers assume all or part of the risk associated with existing insurance policies that other insurers have underwritten.

What's included in this industry?

Motor vehicle insuranceHome insuranceFire and industrial special risks (ISR) insurancePublic and product liability insuranceProfessional indemnity insuranceEmployers' liability insuranceMortgage and consumer credit insuranceTravel insurance provisionCyber insuranceReinsurance

Companies

SuncorpIAGQBE Insurance

Purchase this report to view all 6 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

COMBINED RATIOALIEN INSURERSCOVERAGEUNDERWRITINGREINSURANCE

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 6322 - General Insurance in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Policy renewal and uptake are under scrutiny. Consumer satisfaction has dwindled across the board as insurers have passed on costs, with many facing fines because of poor dis...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Private insurers underwrite the larger segments of reinsurance, motor vehicle insurance, home insurance, public and product liability insurance, and fire and industrial specia...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Insurers in Queensland and New South Wales are particularly exposed to costlier coverage. Risks in these states are much higher, with more opportunities for insurers looking ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Major insurers heavily invest in advertising in hopes of competing on brand recognition and loyalty. Insurers that face scrutiny from ASIC lose favour with Australians who do...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Costly natural disasters have propelled companies' premiums. To avoid repeatedly exceeding their natural hazard allowances, insurers have set them at record highs, undershoot...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Suncorp's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of IAG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of QBE Insurance's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 3 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Suncorp, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for IAG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for QBE Insurance, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 3 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

An ever-rising number of households continues to propel demand for general insurance. Home and contents insurance represents a hefty segment of the General Insurance industry...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

General insurers have passed on motor vehicle policy costs as record premium growth. As premium prices climb faster than the expected claims costs, insurers have been able to...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the General Insurance industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the General Insurance industry in Australia is $111.4bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the General Insurance in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 77 businesses in the General Insurance industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 4.3 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the General Insurance industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the General Insurance industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 5.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the General Insurance industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the General Insurance industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the General Insurance market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the General Insurance market in Australia are Suncorp, IAG and QBE Insurance

What does the General Insurance in Australia include?

Motor vehicle insurance and Home insurance are part of the General Insurance industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the General Insurance in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Suncorp.

How competitive is the General Insurance industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and steady in the General Insurance industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Life Insurance in Australia
  • Health Insurance in Australia

Complementors

  • Superannuation Funds in Australia
  • Insurance Brokerage in Australia

International industries

  • Global Direct General Insurance Carriers
  • Global Reinsurance Carriers
  • Property, Casualty and Direct Insurance in the US
  • Reinsurance Carriers in the US
  • Pet Insurance in the US

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.