Insuring a 2006 Toyota Estima - Help :(

Uncle Roger on 15/04/2026 - 11:55
Last edited 15/04/2026 - 13:21 by 1 other user

Hey all, would love some assistance with this please!

Have a 2006 Toyota Estima, which is a Japanese import.

Have been using RACV over the past few years, even though its going up and up. My renewal offer was $2500, up from $1900 last year, and when I called up, they gave me a HUGE $90 discount…

Have tried a number of websites for other quotes, but the car doesn't get picked up due to the import status.

Called AAMI and they can't help as its not in their system, called Shannons and they cant help as I'm not an enthusiast (?), even called NRMA without realising they don't service Victoria… I submitted a quote request through MB Insurance, but that was the only one that went through so far :(

Car is registered in Victoria.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

Automotive Car Insurance Insurance Toyota Estima

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  • plmko on 15/04/2026 - 12:30
    +22

    Why are you paying $2k insurance for a car basically worth nothing? Buy 3rd party insurance It won't more than $900.

    • Uncle Roger on 15/04/2026 - 12:31

      Why you say its worth nothing haiyaaa… agreed value is $10K approx, which seems to line up with current listings online

      • plmko on 15/04/2026 - 14:57
        +13

        Yes $10k for a car is nothing these days.

        3rd party covers for $5k.

        But again why would you pay 20%+ of a cars value every year . Just self insure. It's a terrible financial decision.

        • safrane on 15/04/2026 - 19:17
          +5

          Having comprehensive insurance avoids being Fked over by the other insurer in any accident, even if it's not your fault.

          When two insurers are involved, there's a gentlemen's agreement and everyone's happy. When one party is uninsured or only have 3rd party, the other insurer will always try to screw them over even if they're right.

          OP should just sell the minivan and let someone else worry about it.

        • Hardlyworkin on 15/04/2026 - 18:04
          +1

          He enjoys getting rogered.

      • Brotality on 15/04/2026 - 12:51
        +6

        clearly the best course of action is to sell the car for 10k and use the money to buy something you can ensure
        /s … ?

      • Make it so on 15/04/2026 - 18:32
        +3

        I'd expect Uncle Roger to be better at math!
        Look at it this way - based on a $2k premium for a maximum payout of $10k (more like $9k after excess), you're only going to be ahead if the chance of you totaling the car (full write off) is larger than 1 in 5 during any given year. Are you in the habit of getting involved in car crashes resulting in total loss more than once every 5 years on average? If not, then you shouldn't be insuring for this much.

        And online listings are often not a good reflection - cars often sell for considerably less than the advertised price.

      • cloudy on 15/04/2026 - 16:16
        +1

        You don't wanna pay anywhere near 2k for 10k value. I mean after a few years plus excess it'll be the whole value of your car.

        Easier to take (the value of ) your car by selling you insurance than stealing it.

  • Iwantthebestprice on 15/04/2026 - 12:23
    +17

    For Shanon’s just say you are an enthusiast and they will insure you.
    They also cannot deny you insurance, in the event of a claim, because you are not a car enthusiast lol the ombudsman would have a field day if they tried that.

    • Ocker on 15/04/2026 - 16:55
      +1

      Making a false declaration gives them grounds to void any claim

      • Codybyrne on 15/04/2026 - 16:58
        +8

        seriously though, how does one quantify if a person is an "enthusiast" or not?

        Must be a fan of Estimaforums.com?
        Must have an Estima tattoo?

        I don't get this.

        • ninjadefuse on 15/04/2026 - 19:58
          +2

          I have insurance with Shannons, and they are always the cheapest for me. When I recommended Shannons to a friend, they did the same thing and questioned him whether he was an enthusiast. When he said yes, they grilled him by asking all sorts of questions about being an enthusiast and in the end they declined to even quote him.

          If you can manage to get a policy, then it's no issue, but that isn't too easy if you aren't really an enthusiast. Might depend who you get on the phone as well, not sure.

        • Randolph Duke on 16/04/2026 - 06:13
          +1

          seriously though, how does one quantify if a person is an "enthusiast" or not?

          Generally by the car you’re insuring.

          • S Baldrick on 16/04/2026 - 22:04
            +1

            @Randolph Duke: I drive a hot hatch and they still asked me if I'm an enthusiast lol

            • smog on 17/04/2026 - 10:42
              +1

              @S Baldrick: Same with my Mx5. Back when they didn't have online quote, I called them up and after getting grilled, they even told me to use another insurer since I wasn't an 'enthusiast'.

      • Iwantthebestprice on 15/04/2026 - 17:20
        +1

        You cannot just void a claim because of any reason, there has to be a legal reason to void a claim. There are strict rules in place that allow an insurer to void a claim. There is no legislative rules or regulations around what is a “car enthusiast” so if Shannon’s decided you don’t attend enough car meets up and voids your insurance claim, you take the matter to the Ombudsman who would obviously find in your favour.

        • TrivagoTeeth on 16/04/2026 - 19:18

          Some blah blah "obtained under false pretenses", no?

      • Eeples on 27/04/2026 - 19:59
        +1

        If you have a Japanese imported car you are an enthusiast. Clearly.

    • tenpercent on 15/04/2026 - 13:56

      That seems like the obvious solution.

  • JIMB0 on 15/04/2026 - 11:59
    +13

    Why aren't you an enthusiast? I am.

    • Uncle Roger on 15/04/2026 - 12:00

      haiyaa :(
      Just wanna insure my darn vehicle!

      • JIMB0 on 15/04/2026 - 12:49
        +7

        Well you need to be an enthusiast to go with Shannon's. You'll qualify if you take your imported Camry Van to car shows or do the mechanical work yourself? They don't do much probing beyond asking you. 😉

      • Gunnar on 15/04/2026 - 12:47
        +2

        Just quote Uncle Hector and you’ll be treated as an enthusiast

        • JIMB0 on 15/04/2026 - 12:52

          Wrong uncle, they'll see right through it.

          • Mikeer on 16/04/2026 - 01:16
            +2

            @JIMB0: I one you a 10-second car. And what this is about - this is about Race Wars.

      • juki on 16/04/2026 - 08:45
        +2

        you have to explain to shannon you are an enthusiast, ask them who else would drive a 2006 estima ?!
        i think i am currently with allianz, usually if the car isnt in their website you can try calling them up and let them know (its not like these are worth millions :) ) - there is also a facebook page about estimas, do a search there they will explain the insurance routine

      • Dr Phil on 16/04/2026 - 14:27
        -1

        You've basically answered your own question.
        Stay with RACV as you dont have a choice.
        Consider yourself lucky that they havent declined recently.

        For a full import its far more difficult AND expensive to source parts.
        Especially a 20 year old one!
        Therein lies your problem and thats why your insurance is so expensive.
        I suggest its time to sell the old beast and buy a local car.

        • TrivagoTeeth on 16/04/2026 - 19:16

          Depends on the car/country.
          American muscle has insane options, and cheaper than anything for a local car IMO

        • juki on 17/04/2026 - 22:29

          nah these pretty much are taragos, no issues sourcing parts

  • joka on 15/04/2026 - 12:33
    +13

    Just stick a Tarago badge on it

    • koplik88 on 15/04/2026 - 14:35
      +1

      Depends what the rego papers say

      • Euphemistic on 15/04/2026 - 14:42
        +8

        Cross out estima and write in tarago.

        • brendanm on 15/04/2026 - 16:36
          +6

          Insurers hate this one simple trick.

        • koplik88 on 15/04/2026 - 15:28
          +2

          Do a Stat Declaration. That's a legal document saying that it is a Tarago

  • Marcsie on 15/04/2026 - 14:37
    +8

    Sell the car, buy something else!

  • Cluster on 15/04/2026 - 12:42
    +7

    $2.5k for a really old vehicle is brutal, but this is a key problem with buying JDM imports. Most insurers don't have an Estima on their books as it was never sold here.

  • jaybo on 15/04/2026 - 19:56
    +7

    Shannons market themselves as more of a "club" than an insurance company and i guess their goal is to get customers who take pride in their cars and generally want to make extra effort to garage/clean/protect their cars.

    just say you love watching motorsport and you saw all the Shannons ads so you thought you'd give them a shot.

    personally i reckon owning a JDM import kinda qualifies you :P

    • Gunnar on 15/04/2026 - 21:54
      +1

      Just say ‘G-O-GG-O’ on the call. Any follow up questions say “not the Dart’

      They’ll love your originality and will know you’re an enthusiast

  • ReaperX22 on 15/04/2026 - 15:27
    +6

    Lol I thought maybe it was a Caldina or something… a lil more spicy.

    It's a damn van/people mover.

    3rd party it and/or sell and get something not imported, sorry.

    That said, I'm all for keeping older cars running/if it ain't broke yada yada… - I reckon if you like it, it's reliable and good to you; just stick to 3rd party, and put aside the amount you save on comprehensive for a 'just-in-case' kitty, let it build a bit of interest in the meantime in your normal savings account/whatever.

    I do recognise for the size/practicality of this car, though, you probably won't find a lot else for 10k.. But as someone who kept paying for comprehensive for a car worth 6k (to be fair, my comp was ~700? ish, car was always parked off street/garaged, not used for work, not stored elsewhere during the week), it ain't worth it! I pay 1.5k for a 2024 civic hybrid with an agreed of over 50k so… Paying 2k+ for yours seems downright silly.

  • Gunnar on 15/04/2026 - 12:50
    +4

    Unfortunately this is one of the issues with grey imports. Insurance can be hard to get and will be expensive! Sorry I don’t have any other advice but you may have slim pickings on insurance options

    • Fredfloresjr on 15/04/2026 - 12:59
      +1

      Not related to grey imports why it is expensive, it's because OP wants $10k agreed value in his 20 years old TOYOTA estima.

      • Uncle Roger on 15/04/2026 - 13:04
        -2

        How much would you value it at?

        • BOGOF on 15/04/2026 - 13:21
          +2

          $4206.90

  • brendanm on 15/04/2026 - 13:54
    +4

    Haaiiiyaa, is it even worth insuring for full comp? Do third party and put the difference in a saving account.

    • BobLim on 15/04/2026 - 19:47
      +4

      Depends if OP is planning to have an at-fault writeoff event within a year or two. Based on other Estima drivers stick a policy might actually be worthwhile…

  • JimB on 15/04/2026 - 14:41
    +4

    20yo car, just go third party

  • ozzie freddo on 15/04/2026 - 19:19
    +4

    Unfortunately parts are hard to source and repairers are reluctant to take them on and thus write offs are common for relatively minor damage.
    These write offs ripple back to higher premiums.

    • JIMB0 on 15/04/2026 - 21:39
      +4

      That is the trouble with these grey import cars. The savings you make over buying the locally delivered model you'll end up spending several times over on insurance. It only makes sense for cars you can't get here. You'll also lose out again when you try to sell it and no one wants to buy it for the above reasons.

      • Gunnar on 15/04/2026 - 21:52
        +2

        Yeah this. If you’re buying a grey import you get something that is desirable to the car community. A rebadged Tarago is only desirably to the bang bus crowd

        Also for $10k value anything that happens to the car will more or less make it a write off if you’re going through insurance

        • JIMB0 on 15/04/2026 - 21:55
          +1

          A lot of people get swindled into buying these thinking they're getting a deal due to the price/features. It's not until they try to insure it that they realise they have an import.

  • tman88 on 15/04/2026 - 20:28
    +2

    I was able to insure the exact same car as you with Shannons around the end of last year over the phone without being asked if I was an enthusiast.

  • TheFreaK on 15/04/2026 - 23:50
    +2

    Uhh.. why do you have full comp for such a vehicle?

    The second that full comp is greater than ~15% of the cars value its shot. Move to third party. It’s so expensive because your agreed upon value is more than what the car actually is worth

  • Lancerx on 16/04/2026 - 01:59
    +2

    wtf is estima?

    • aekt on 16/04/2026 - 02:10
      +4

      Toyota Tarago

      • cnrmlj on 16/04/2026 - 07:28
        +1

        LOL

  • TimmyTims on 16/04/2026 - 10:54
    +2

    Insurance council website lists all the insurers who cover imports (will save you ringing and asking if they do imports)
    https://insurancecouncil.com.au/insurer-category/imported-ve…

    I have my Japanese import insured through Shannons, they've consistently been he cheapest for the last 3 years which surprised me.

    Just call up (or use the website), say you recently joined a car club and they recommend Shannons as the insurer.
    If they ask which club, just say Japanese imports Australia Facebook group

  • Wiadro on 15/04/2026 - 13:36
    +1

    $935.58 per year with allianz via auswide bank (bonus $150 giftcard)

  • knasty on 15/04/2026 - 15:39
    +1

    I found enthusiast.com.au way cheaper than Shannon's.

    • ReaperX22 on 15/04/2026 - 15:57
      +2

      I legit thought this was a troll /s post because OP was 'not an enthusiast' well well well don't I have egg on my face…

      • knasty on 15/04/2026 - 16:01
        +3

        I am a genuine Enthusiast enthusiast.

        • ReaperX22 on 15/04/2026 - 16:02
          +1

          Do you ever get… overly enthusiastic? Maybe even.. knasty?

          I'll go sit in a corner now

      • Uncle Roger on 15/04/2026 - 16:20

        They guy at Shannon's legit said they can't insure me because I'm not an enthusiast… I was too stunned to reply lol

  • Hol on 16/04/2026 - 08:58
    +1

    Try Youi?

  • dlakers3peat on 16/04/2026 - 22:39
    +1

    I pay $1500 comprehensive insurance on a 80k car so you are getting screwed big time. Like most said either sell or just get 3rd party insurance. I had to look up what an estima is and man that is one of fugliest cara i have ever seen.

  • tanksinatra on 17/04/2026 - 09:29
    +1

    Bro it's a 20 year old people mover. It's old enough to vote.
    Either go third party property or sell it and get a locally delivered Tarago.

    This is one of those pitfalls with imported cars that car dealers never tell you about. Basically without spare parts availability no insurer wants to be liable for repair costs. The risk is that they have to write it off after a small prang because there are no spares. Hence they pass that risk on to you in the form of insurance premiums.

  • OneJay on 17/04/2026 - 11:51
    +1

    I’m with RACV Classic (vehicles older than 15 years). For me it’s $300/year for full comprehensive, insured for $3000, for a 2000 Subaru Liberty wagon.

    The problem with Estimas and Lucidas is that they are narrow body, compared to the Tarago-equivalent Previa. The bonut (sic), tailgate, grille etc aren’t locally available as Tarago spare parts.

  • Pufff on 15/04/2026 - 15:06

    Did you put your leg down from the chair when they couldn't insure you?

    As others have said get 3rd party. Save/invest the difference.

    Insurance is about volume and pricing. Random odd cars just increase complexity for them and not worth their time or they pull a crazy number out of their bum to scare you away or make the policy profitable from day 1.

  • JIMB0 on 15/04/2026 - 16:45

    Serious question. Is it Shannon's or Shannons? @Checkmate3023

  • NevC on 15/04/2026 - 18:47

    Just make up some sort of story about being an enthusiast. That's what I did many years ago to get them to insure a Toyota Surf. It was insured by Suncorp at first, but they wanted to double my policy cost after many years.

  • cnrmlj on 16/04/2026 - 07:28

    Sell it, buy a go go mobile and insure it with Shannons. You’re welcome.

  • Easyteas85 on 16/04/2026 - 10:20

    I have an imported Alphard and used mb insurance, all seems fine.

  • Naigrabzo on 16/04/2026 - 13:45

    Learn how to change air filter. Enthusiast status unlocked

  • Fobsessive on 16/04/2026 - 17:51

    Just walked by a black 2006 Estima in Sydney CBD tonight. Insane coincidence

  • Eeples on 27/04/2026 - 19:59

    I almost bought an Estima. Do you plan to go camping in it?

  • rhino86 on 16/04/2026 - 18:45
    -1

    ASK IF THEY INSURE A TOYOTA TARAGO
    IF YES

    THEN ASK HOW COME THEY ARE BIAS TOWARDS TO THE ESTIMA LINE.

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