Overview

• New insurer figures show Victoria’s theft claims jumped 59% in the year to June 2025 to more than 12,000 vehicles, topping $200 million in losses.
• Metropolitan Melbourne accounted for most of the increase, with claims up about 70% to roughly 10,000 and $183 million incurred.
• The surge lifted national motor‑theft claims 11% to around 30,000, with total claim costs rising 20% to $466 million.
• Other states moved the opposite way, with Queensland down 11% to about 6,000 claims, Western Australia and South Australia down 10%, and New South Wales down 3%.
• Insurers and experts warn of increasingly sophisticated theft techniques, and ICA chief Andrew Hall says the growing burden ultimately raises costs for everyone.