Budget Direct Car Insurance

Why consider Budget Direct Car Insurance?

It’s probably no surprise - given their name - that Budget Direct’s Car Insurance policies are tailored to those of us who are careful spenders and mindful savers!

Here are just a few reasons why Budget Direct may be a good choice for your Car Insurance ​​​​(conditions may apply):

• They won Money magazine’s Award for Best-Value Car Insurance in 2023.¹
  
  
• They offer an online discount of 15 percent off your first year’s premium for a new Car Insurance policy.²
  
  
• You may be able to lower your premiums by restricting your policy to drivers over a certain age​​​​​​.³
  
  
• ​​​​​​​​​If you drive less than 10,000 kilometres per year, then you may be eligible for a lower premium by choosing the Gold Low Kilometres Comprehensive policy.⁴

What types of Car Insurance does Budget Direct offer?

Like most insurers, Budget Direct Car Insurance offers three types of cover: Comprehensive Car Insurance, Third Party Property Only Insurance, and Third Party Property, Fire and Theft Insurance.

• Comprehensive Car Insurance: As the name suggests, this policy gives you the widest range of cover. It includes cover for loss or damage to your vehicle due to events such as accident, theft, severe weather, malicious damage, and fire. It also covers your liability for accidental damage if your car damages another person’s property.⁵
  
  
• Third Party Property, Fire and Theft Car Insurance: This covers your liability for damage your car causes to other peoples’ property and vehicles, with extra protection against loss or damage to your own vehicle due to fire or theft.⁶
  
  
• Third Party Property Only Car Insurance: This is the lowest level of cover offered by Budget Direct Car Insurance. It covers your liability for damage your car causes to other peoples’ property and vehicles.⁷

What are the benefits of Budget Direct Comprehensive Car Insurance?

As well as offering good value, quality insurance in general, there are several features that help Budget Direct really stand out:

• Tailor-made cover: By restricting your policy to drivers over a certain age, you could save on your premium. Budget Direct offers some of the biggest range-of-age options of any major insurer, giving you more chances to save. You can choose 21+, 25+, 30+, 40+ or 50+.⁸ Getting older does have its perks, after all!
  
  
• Lifetime repair guarantee: When you’re insured with Budget Direct, any authorised repairs to your car will have a lifetime guarantee for as long as you own the car.⁹
  
  
• 24/7 claims: This means you can lodge a claim any time, day or night, 365 days a year (that’s 366 in a leap year!). That’ll save you from waiting and worrying as you can lodge your claim straight away, and Budget Direct will take control.¹⁰
  
  
• Towing costs sorted out for you: Budget Direct Car Insurance will cover you for towing costs if your car can’t be safely driven after an accident.¹¹
  
  
• ​​​​​​​​​​​Hire car following theft or when an accident isn’t your fault: If Budget Direct agrees to pay your claim after your car is stolen, or after an accident when you’re not at fault, they will provide you with a hire car, so you won’t be left totally car-less. Conditions Apply.¹²

That’s quite a selection! Hopefully, these benefits will make your drives a little less stressful too.

Some benefits of Budget Direct Car Insurance:¹³

*Eligibility criteria apply.
✔​ ​​​​​​​​​​Limits and conditions apply – please read the Product Disclosure Statement.

What other ways can I tailor my Budget Direct Car Insurance?

If you choose to take out a Comprehensive Car Insurance policy, Budget Direct Car Insurance offers many options (for an additional premium).

• Accident hire car: If your at fault claim is accepted, a hire car can be covered for up to 14 days while your car is repaired.¹⁵
  
  
• Reduced window glass excess: You can lower the excess for damage to your vehicle’s windscreen or window glass (excluding sunroof) to just $40.¹⁶
  
  
• Choice of repairer: Adding this option means that you can nominate your preferred repairer in the event you need to make a claim.

As with any Car Insurance policy, there will be certain exclusions that apply, so it’s worth reading the relevant Product Disclosure Statement to really get a hold of every tiny detail!

How does excess work at Budget Direct?

You’ve probably heard the term ‘excess’ before.

Simply put, ​a​n excess is the amount you must pay when you make a claim.

In some cases, you may have to pay more than one excess, which could include your basic excess, plus any additional excesses that apply.¹⁷

Your basic excess and the additional excesses will be shown on your Insurance Certificate.¹⁸ You can check exactly what those excesses will be before you take out your policy. If you make a claim, you’ll be told which excesses apply and when and how to pay them.

At Budget Direct, if the accident is deemed a no fault accident, then you may not have to pay any excess at all!¹⁹

Can I change my excess with Budget Direct?

When you’re taking out a Budget Direct Comprehensive Car Insurance policy, you may be asked if you want to increase or lower the excess on your policy.

If you opt for a higher excess, this can reduce the premium, but if you choose a lower excess, your premium could be higher. It's important to choose the excess you'll be comfortable to pay in the event of a claim, also taking into account any additional excesses that could apply.

What are Budget Direct’s additional excesses?

When making a claim with Budget Direct, you may need to pay an additional excess if:²⁰

• ​​The driver is under 25.
• ​​​The driver hasn’t held a full or open Australian licence for two or more years.
• The driver isn’t listed on your Insurance Certificate.
• You hold a Gold Low Kilometre Comprehensive policy and your car has exceeded the kilometres per year selected, you didn’t provide an odometer reading, or you provided an invalid odometer reading, such as one that is higher or lower than the actual reading at the time.

Phew! That’s enough about excesses.

How do I pay for my Budget Direct Car Insurance premium?

​​​Paying for your Car Insurance premium is a total breeze with Budget Direct!​​​​​​

​​​You can pay via direct debit from your bank account or credit card. ​​ Your payments can be made fortnightly, monthly, or annually.​²¹​​

​​​Keep in mind that if you choose to pay annually, you’ll pay a lower premium as you’ll​​ ​​avoid instalment processing fees!​²²​​​​​

How can I learn more about Budget Direct Car Insurance?

​​​Good question! iSelect’s helpful team members are available to talk through your options and discuss what Budget Direct might be able to offer.*​

​​​Call today on ​​13 19 20, or begin our Car Insurance comparison process and review any eligible Budget Direct policies online.

^{Sources:
1 Budget Direct - Our Awards
2 Budget Direct - Car Insurance Quotes
3 Budget Direct - Comprehensive car insurance, More ways to save
4 As above.
5 Budget Direct - Comprehensive Car Insurance
6 Budget Direct - Third Party Car Insurance
7 As above.
8 Budget Direct - Comprehensive car insurance, More ways to save
9 Budget Direct - Comprehensive Car Insurance, More reasons to choose us
10 As above.
11 Budget Direct - Comprehensive Car Insurance, What’s covered by Comprehensive Car Insurance?
12 Budget Direct - Comprehensive Car Insurance, Upgrade your comprehensive cover
13 Budget Direct - Car Insurance, Product Disclosure Statement - Part A, page 3.
14 Budget Direct – Comprehensive Car Insurance
15 Budget Direct - Comprehensive Car Insurance, Upgrade your comprehensive cover
16 As above.
17 Budget Direct - Car insurance excess
18 As above.
19 As above.
20 Budget Direct - Car Insurance Excesses, If I make a car insurance claim, what will the excess be?
21 Budget Direct – Paying for car insurance
22 Budget Direct - Paying for Car Insurance, Is it cheaper to pay my Car Insurance premium annually?}​