Not recommend. Horrible customer service.

Their customerservice is so bad when I contacted them regarding my accident when it was not my fault as the other's driver reversed and hit my car.

They have repeatedly not to help me when I disputed the excess payment and liability.

They only interested in my excess payment. They have increased my premium more than $200 and downgraded my rating from 1 to 3 when my case is in reviewing stage.

I don't believe how they can treat their customers this way. Horrible and stressful experience that I have encounter in my life.

Budget Direct wanted 71% more premium for the building component of our home insurance compared to last year despite us not being in an area of risk of either flooding or bush fires, despite them increasing the insured value of the house by just 5% and despite us having been with them for six years with no claims. I phoned to ask why it had increased so much and whether they could do anything. Three times, they were supposed to phone me back and didn't. On the fourth time, they did call back but it took several more days before they said the price stood. They never did say why the premium had increased so much. I've gone with a different company.

Do not ever use Budget Direct for insurance. They make the claims process a nightmare and fight you on every tiny thing. They cancel things without informing you. They say one thing and do something else. They’re customer service staff are incredibly rude.

PLEASE, IGNORE "REVIEW RATING" ON BUDGET DIRECT WEBSITE!!!
I noticed that my negative review did not make it so clearly they skip some reviews, probably to keep their review rating high.

Worst experience Ever!!. (See Points below)

Never know what is going on, even if you login to the website and check claim status.

You leave messages and people don't call back.

Wait at least 20-30mins to get someone when you call.

Their primary focus appears to be finding whether they can find a reason to reject your claim before focusing on your well being etc. We spent 7 weeks without a functional shower.

They provided two reports that had discrepancies in them but they were happy to use them to reject my claim.

Approximate cost: $1250

I was promised that the car could not be bought back and must be sold "as is" due to legal reasons.
My sentimental attachment and value of my aftermarket wheels was not considered in the write-off payout.
[removed name] from your assessor department said I could buy the car with wheels from Manheim. The car is on Manheim with no wheels. So you have blatantly lied about this. Why could I not just ask for my wheels back?

Immediate contact is required as these wheels are probably being sold by a worker for personal gain.

My car was a statutory write-off. I was told I could buy the complete car back as a write off at auction, including my wheels which held substantial $$$ and sentimental value. At auction, the wheels have been removed and were probably sold for personal gain. This will be escalated to the appropriate authorities as theft, including consumer affairs and fair trading.

Prices are good. Had 4 cars and house with them for years until we actually made a claim. Apparently they don't like insuring people who claim for a genuine (minor) accident. Don't just make your choice on price alone.

Had one minor accident when our learner driver son was driving. Nothing reckless and an easy error to make, turning left, looking right when the car in front slammed on brakes when a car did an illegal U turn in front. Budget refused to re-insure the car while he was listed as a driver. How are learners supposed to get their hours up If they can't be insured. Car was a Mazda 2 - not a mean machine. Swapped to RACV (for the same price) who did not even require learners to be listed - they understand learners have fewer accidents than other categories of drivers.

I had been with Budget direct for my car insurance for over 11 years. One minor claim made during this time when I dented one of the doors which was easy to claim online. However, recently I bought a brand new car and contacted them to get a quote.
Summary:
Terrible customer service over the phone, took very long and details not required for a quote, provided wrong information, lied about existing information, lied about rules, was rude and argumentative, signed me up to a new policy when I only wanted a quote and included people into it when I specifically asked them not to do so. Found much better prices with higher coverage from another place.
Details:
The guys I spoke with (let's call him "D") at 2:58 pm on 31/5/21 took extensive information about the new car. He asked about specs for the car I had no idea about. 23 mins he asked & I answered to the best of my knowledge but once you start talking about motor this, engine that, suspension stuff I have no idea. I mentioned a few times that I would like the same as my current policy set up when he asked specific questions about mileage etc. He repeatedly said he did not have access to my existing policy.
Then he had to call me back because he needed to check, and I quote, "whether we will cover your car or not". He called back at 4:32pm and started asking more questions. At this point, I repeated that I was only looking for a quote to compare so just make it out to me and send the quote.
He said the name of the person currently on my insurance policy. (I thought he didn't have access to my existing policy?) He then gave me false information. He said, and I quote, "anyone living under the same roof must be included in the policy or else we won't cover you". He was becoming argumentative when I asked what if I didn't want anyone else driving my brand new car as yet. Apparently, according to him, it didn’t matter and he said it had to be done. At this point, I sternly told D to send me a quote based on the information I have provided thus far and just include me in the policy. He was rude, do not provide customer service and left me feeling angry and annoyed.
Later I received email confirmation that a NEW policy had been added to my existing policy, my existing policy was amended and the other person from my existing policy was included in the NEW policy!
I had to contact them again to get them to remove the new policy - I had only asked for a quote but instead, D had set up a new policy in my account ready for the first annual payment to occur in a week. There was no apology from the next person who had to correct everything, only saying that it was a system thing.
Since then I cancelled my policy with them. Unlike most companies Budget does not send you an exit survey with opportunities for improvements. No feedback was sought showing how little then actually care about their customers or their customers views. I would not recommend this company to anyone. If they can treat a loyal long standing customer like this, imagine how they would be with new ones.

This insurance company has been an absolute shoddy, unprofessional disgrace and has caused me incredible (unnecessary) stress. My car was hit by a reckless driver and was subsequently sent to a shoddy panel repairer in Melbourne, who did not repair the car properly. There was still a major problem when I picked the car up, so I was forced to return it for further repairs. Subsequent to this, they had to strip the car all over again and search for the problem over several days. During all of this I tried to contact Budget Direct to get a further hire car booking (which I was entitled to since the accident was not my fault). I've constantly had to call them over and over again to extend my hire car booking as the repairer kept extending out the length of the repair job. When I called Budget Direct to tell them that my car was back in the repair shop and that I needed to reinstate my hire car, I was just fobbed off to another department by the hire car team and then put on hold for well over an hour. I still have not had my car fixed and still have not been able to get in contact with anybody to reinstate my hire car booking. So I've been caught up in an accident that was not my fault and have been through nothing but stress ever since. I was with AAMI for several years and found them a much more professional operation. I will be ditching Budget Direct as soon as this mess is sorted out. A true disgrace: you should avoid Budget Direct at all costs.

Life is happy and joyful, except when you try to make a claim with Budget Direct. They suck, go with someone else, anyone else.

Approximate cost: $500

After Recent Storms, my parents who are pensioners were left with a damaged roof. They had contacted Budget Direct and had been told somebody will be there in 2 days. After 4 weeks and multiple phone calls later a builder had rocked up had a look and told them to leave immediately as the roof could collapse. It was extremely dangerous for my parents to stay in their home. A Couple of days later the roof did indeed collapse. They were moved to temporary accommodation while they assessed the claim. We were told that an Engineer would be onsite on Monday 2nd March. We waited a while and made a phone call to the insurance company to see where the engineer was. We had been assured an Engineer would be meeting us at my parents home to assess the roof. He had been booked in for 9am. I called and was told that the insurance company had not sent them the address and could not book anyone in. Once i got back to the insurance company to advise them of the issue, i also clearly made them aware that the roof had partially collapsed now and there was rain forecast that week. It was imperitive they send someone to Tarp the house or the house would flood inside. This had become URGENT. He advised me that he had spoken with the builder and that it was all fine, i let him know that the situation had now changed since he was out last and that there were large gaps in the roof due to the partial collapse. He advised me that he can only take the builders advice and that it was not required. I called the Builder and told him what the Insurer had said and he was furious at what they told me that he apparently said. The builder had advised them that the situation had changed. It had worsened.
He advised me to call the insurers back and insist with urgency that they organise to have the roof tarped as soon as possible.
I called back and was assured, they would ‘get onto it.’
2 Days Later and NO tarp. the rains have come and completely ruined all the plaster,ceiling and Timber flooring.
I called once again to let them know that now not only the roof was collapsed but the rain had totally destroyed the inside of the house. I was told not to worry as they will cover the damages the rain caused as it was too unsafe to have the Tarp put on.
That afternoon builders had arrived from the Insurer and put a Tarp on the roof. I Do not Understand how they can say it was to unsafe but then Organise to have somebody install the Tarp. Something that should have been done 2 days prior avoiding all the extra damage inside the house now.
Wednesday the Engineer finally arrived to assess the roof. i knew from the start this guy did not know what hd was doing. he had come to assess a roof yet did not even bring a ladder to get up there and have a look. He walked around the bottom of the house, took some photos from below and told me he had to call someone that k new more about roofs. really??!!
So the Budget Direct Engineer, has come to my parents ruined home and has basically not assessed anything because of the severity of the situation, yet he has submitted a report with his assessment. Apparently he knows how and why my parents roof collapsed.
We now have been notified that they have rejected the claim and will not be paying anything out, including all the damages inside the house caused by their delay.
They have said that they have looked on google earth from 2018 and have noticed a slight bow in the roof and that it was not structurally sound in the first place and that was the main cause of the roof failure, - not the Gail forced winds we experienced that uprooted hundreds of trees and caused so much damage around Sydney that afternoon in January this year.
They have told my parents that they now they have three more weeks and then they will have to vacate Temporary accommodation. three weeks. And go where??
My Parents are both elderly , on the Pension and my father forgets a lot. I come to the house and notice he has come past and he just walks up and down the drive way not knowing what to do. He has lived there for the past 40 years and has always paid his home insurance every year.
Its clear after the poor attempts from the engineer and also relying on google earth to make an assessment on the structural soundness of the roof that budget direct were always intending on rejecting this claim.
Its just outright wrong, and so unfair. they are putting profits over the lives of the elderly. My Parents have never had any prior knowledge of anything ever being wrong with the roof. There have never been any leaks or anything to suggest that the roof was structurally unsound.
I am helping my parents and will fight this all the way, but there are many elderly out there with out much or any support and it breaks me knowing that these things are going on especially to the most vulnerable.