Suncorp says 2020 offers it a “unique and ideal opportunity” to roll out its new comprehensive car insurance brand Bingle Go as COVID-19 changes how and when people travel.

The new motor cover is designed specifically for customers who rely on forms of transport beyond their car for their everyday commute, Suncorp says.

Offering month-to-month policies from a smartphone app, it includes a “mobility bonus” discount of 20% off insurance premiums when customers travel on foot, bike or mass transit rather than in their car.

It also offers “Go-cover” third-party property damage for commuters who walk or use a skateboard, bike, e-scooter or other mobility device, as well as cover for valuables such as headphones and laptops when commuting without a car.

Bingle Go was built by US-based insurtech Trov and uses telematics to detect the mode of transport and trip distance to determine qualifying journeys.

The new protection “aligns perfectly with the rhythms emerging in personal mobility”, Trov founder and CEO Scott Walchek says.

Suncorp is running a Bingle Go pilot - which offers heavily discounted cover for 500 customers – only in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The pilot follows rival IAG’s introduction last year of Poncho, which offers multi-car, multi-driver monthly car insurance instead of traditional annual contracts.

Suncorp CEO of Insurance Product & Portfolio Lisa Harrison says customers can get a quote, purchase a policy and submit a claim directly in the app, making car insurance as accessible and as easy to manage as “your favourite subscription”.