QBE and Budget Direct have shared the honours in Canstar’s national award for outstanding value in car insurance.

The award is based on Canstar’s analysis of more than 22,000 quotes used to rate 61 car insurance policies from 53 providers.

Budget Direct has won the accolade nine times, and this year led the way in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

QBE was outright winner in SA and a “hair’s breadth away” in all other states.

The Canstar report says Budget Direct, a brand of Auto & General, prides itself on “rock-bottom premiums”, yet it retains many unexpected benefits.

QBE has cut premiums this year in all but two of the 42 profiles Canstar assessed.

“This resulted in QBE becoming very price-competitive, as well as retaining the ‘exceptional feature’ score it is famous for.”

NRMA Insurance was strongest in Queensland, and SGIO won in WA.