The Youi Wrapped 2025 report sets out changes in vehicle preferences, claim timing and geographic patterns across its Australian motor portfolio, outlining trends that may influence underwriting and pricing decisions over the next year. Drawing on internal data from Nov. 26, 2024, to Nov. 25, 2025, the analysis points to a larger share for SUVs, sustained demand for caravans and camper trailers, gradual growth in electric vehicles (EVs), and clear peaks in accident and claims activity by day, hour, and location.
According to Youi, SUVs remained the largest vehicle category in its book. SUVs made up 44% of new car insurance quotes in 2025, up from 42% in 2024, and continued to sit ahead of hatchbacks at 18% and sedans at 16%. Within the SUV segment, medium SUVs – including models such as the Mazda CX‑5, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Nissan X‑Trail – accounted for 40% of SUV quotes. Recreational vehicles also continued to represent a sizable share of the portfolio. Caravan quotes in 2025 were 347% higher than in 2017, while camper trailer quotes were 160% above 2017 levels. For insurers, this points to a persistent exposure to tow‑vehicle and towed‑asset risks rather than a short‑lived response to pandemic‑era travel patterns.
By vehicle age, the data shows that earlier growth in new car activity has eased but not returned to pre‑2019 levels. New vehicles accounted for about 30% of Youi quotes in 2019, rose to just over 40% between 2021 and 2023, and then fell back to 34.75% in 2025. Used vehicles – including dealer, private‑sale, and auction purchases – still made up close to 60% of new quotes, keeping a large proportion of the book in older vehicle segments.
EV penetration remains small but is increasing. EVs represented 2.65% of car insurance quotes in 2024 and 2.9% in 2025, a 9% year‑on‑year lift, while petrol and diesel vehicles continued to account for about 90% of new quotes. Within the EV segment, brand mix is changing. Tesla continues to attract the largest share of EV quotes but has lost ground over time, with its share falling from more than 80% in 2021 to 59% in 2024 and 46% in 2025. Over the same period, Chinese‑brand EVs increased their share of EV quotes from 23% in 2024 to 33% in 2025, extending a trend that began in 2022. The shift leaves insurers with a broader range of EV brands and models on risk.
Youi’s claims data also sets out where and when incidents are most likely to occur. After adjusting for the number of active policies, South Australia recorded the highest rate of parking‑related claims at 1.76%, while the Australian Capital Territory had the lowest rate at 1.41%. New South Wales and Western Australia followed South Australia at the higher end of the scale, with Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania in the middle.
Patterns by day of week show limited change from previous years. Friday again accounted for the largest share of incidents, with 15.8% of weekly accidents recorded on that day in 2025. Sunday remained the day with the fewest accidents at 10.79%. For motor underwriters and brokers, the distribution points to ongoing exposure around end‑of‑week commuting and travel. Incidents also cluster around particular times of day. Youi identified 3pm as the single hour with the highest share of daily accidents, coinciding with afternoon school movements and heavier mid‑afternoon traffic. In contrast, the period between midnight and 5am recorded the lowest volume of crashes, in line with fewer vehicles on the road during those hours.
Catastrophe‑related and seasonal patterns appeared in the 2025 claims profile. Youi reported that its busiest claims day of the year was Nov. 24, 2025, after a storm system moved across South‑East Queensland, bringing giant hail, strong winds, and widespread power outages. Christmas Day again produced the fewest claims, consistent with reduced driving activity as many policyholders stayed off the road.
Separate figures from AAMI underline shopping centre car parks as a regular source of motor losses, particularly in the lead‑up to Christmas. Using more than 17,300 car park claims lodged nationally between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025, AAMI found that December recorded the highest monthly volume of shopping centre car park collisions, with 1,876 incidents over the period. The insurer reported two main types of loss: accidental damage to parked vehicles (which accounted for 40% of car park claims) and collisions with fixed objects such as bollards, poles, and trolleys (which made up 24%).
The timing of these incidents is broadly consistent with Youi’s wider accident patterns. Fridays recorded the highest incident levels in AAMI’s car park data, with Thursdays and Saturdays also comparatively busy, while Sundays saw the lowest claim frequency. Most collisions occurred between noon and 4pm, aligning with peak trading periods and high turnover in busy car parks. By state and territory, AAMI identified the highest‑claim suburbs for shopping centre car park collisions as Doncaster in Victoria, Chatswood in New South Wales, Maroochydore in Queensland, Innaloo in Western Australia, Modbury in South Australia, Kingston in Tasmania, Belconnen in the Australian Capital Territory, and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
While Youi and AAMI data emphasise urban and suburban private‑motor exposures, NTI and the National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) point to additional pressures on freight routes during school holidays, when family travel overlaps with heavy vehicle movements. NTARC data shows that in 85.7% of fatal crashes involving a car and a heavy vehicle, the truck driver was not at fault. The figures point to the role of light‑vehicle behaviour and interaction with trucks in serious crash outcomes.
NTI supply chain technical manager Aaron Louws said differences in vehicle performance and limitations remain a key factor. “Trucks operate very differently to cars – they have larger blind spots and require longer distances and more time to slow down. A little patience on the road really can save lives. Being extra cautious on rural roads and driving within speed limits, and to conditions can help avoid putting anyone in a dangerous situation,” Louws said.
Louws said fatigue continues to feature in holiday‑period risk, particularly when families are travelling long distances on regional or unfamiliar roads. He noted that holiday‑period driving often involves longer hours, irregular sleep, higher traffic volumes, and more frequent stops at roadside facilities. Taken together with Youi’s and AAMI’s findings on vehicle mix, car park losses, and peak accident periods, these conditions are informing how insurers, brokers, and risk managers assess holiday‑season road exposure and related controls going into 2026.
