The Australian state of Victoria has recorded a surge in motor vehicle theft claims, countering the national trend as every other major state has seen declines. The Insurance Council of Australia, citing data from the Insurance Statistics Australia, said Victoria's theft claims rose 25 percent between 2024 and 2025, while incurred costs jumped 37% to A$243m ($173.2m) across more than 12,500 claims. The state's total losses exceeded the combined value of theft claims in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia.
The rise is primarily attributed to the sharp increase in metropolitan Victoria, where claims increased 30% by volume and 42% by value. Metro areas accounted for around 10,400 claims costing insurers A$205m. For context, Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland posted significant declines in theft claims of 15% , 14%, and 12%, respectively. New South Wales, meanwhile, recorded a modest 1.6% decrease.
On a national level, motor vehicle theft claims rose 2.5 percent to 29,000 in 2025, with total incurred costs reaching A$485m. However, excluding Victoria, claims would have fallen by 10% and costs by eight%. The figures come despite a 2.2% increase in comprehensive motor insurance policies nationwide.
ICA CEO Andrew Hall said Victoria’s vehicle crime problem continues to worsen while other states make progress. “A car is stolen or broken into every 42 minutes in Victoria. This level of crime is not acceptable. Each year, Victoria's numbers stand apart from the rest of the country, and that gap is widening.”