You could score a 15% online discount from this Finder award winning car insurance offering from Budget Direct. Recently taking home the award for 'Car Insurance - Value' and getting Highly Commended in both the 'Car Insurance - Features' and 'Car Insurance Customer Satisfaction SA' - categories. Read on to find out whether this provider is for you.
Our verdict
Pros
Budget Direct's comprehensive car insurance policy won this year's Finder Award for value because it provides a similar level of cover to other insurers but at a lower price.
You get access to its hail alert service, Hail Hero.
You can get a 15% online discount on your first year's premium for a new policy purchased online.
It's legal liability limit is $20,000,000 while some other insurers, like Australia Post, offer higher limits at $30,000,000.
Budget Direct's comprehensive policy covers personal effects Up to $500 while other insurers like Youi cover Up to $750.
"Budget Direct Car Insurance has been a great product to have for peace of mind. I have Third Party, Fire and Theft because I drive an older car (that I would replace if it were damaged or broke down) and the pricing has consistently been better than other options I've looked at. "
Taylor Blackburn
Finder crew member
How does Budget Direct compare with other car insurers?
As part of our 2024 car insurance awards, we compared 814 features and got over 1,800 quotes across 35+ comprehensive car insurance policies. Here's how Budget Direct performed next to other insurers.
We analyse over 100 car insurance products and rate each one on price and features. What we get out the other end is a nice round number between 1 and 10 to help you start comparing.
To make sure we're comparing apples with apples, we collect quotes for 8 different personas, then work out the value of 19 different car insurance features. Our team then does some fancy maths to get the Finder Score, taking both price and features into account.
Each year, our experts and insights team asks Australians to score their car insurance provider. As part of the Car Insurance Customer Satisfaction Awards for 2023, we asked over 5,700 Australians to rate their car insurer on value for money, features and benefits, ease of application and customer service. Of the 15+ insurers scored, these were the top 5. See our methodology for how each provider was scored.
Budget Direct's comprehensive car insurance policy offers a wide range of included coverages, and other add-ons.
Vehicle damage: If you're ever involved in a crash, you'll be covered for repairs or a new vehicle. This cover extends to things like theft, intentional damage from a break-in, fire, floods and storms.
>Vehicle towing: If your car is stolen or in an accident, Budget Direct will pay to recover your car and tow it to the nearest authorised storage location.
Transport or accommodation: If you can't drive your car home, Budget Direct will cover the costs to get you home, or arrange for accommodation if transport can't be organised.
Child seat protection: Baby seats aren't cheap, so Budget Direct will pay up to a certain cost for any capsules that are in your car at the time of the incident.
What additional cover options are available?
Restricted driver discounts. Receive a discount on your premium by restricting the youngest driver of your car. You can choose to restrict the youngest driver age to either 21, 25, 30, 40 or 50.
Roadside assistance. Don't want to be stranded on the side of the road with a flat battery or tyre? You might want to take out roadside assistance cover.
Hire car. Get your hire car costs reimbursed if your car is stolen or in an accident.
Choice of repairer: If you have a garage or smash-repairer of choice, you can choose to add on "Choice of repairer" so you can have your car fixed by the business of your choice.
Compare Budget Direct policies
Deal
15% online discount on car insurance
Receive 15% off car insurance when you purchase cover online.
A good policy for you will differ to what a good policy for your friend is, because how good a policy is depends on your personal circumstances and what you need out of the policy. Budget Direct comprehensive car insurance won the 2023 Finder Award for Value because it has a similar level of coverage to other more expensive insurers but for a cheaper cost. If you're looking for a good-value policy with a nice balance of features at an affordable price, then Budget Direct may be a good car insurance option for you.
Budget Direct is underwritten by Auto & General Insurance Company Ltd.
You have two available options for lodging a claim with Budget Direct. You can use the online self-service portal or the traditional way of over the phone. The upside to using the website is that you can lodge a claim 24/7 in the event that you have to.
Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio
Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 650 Finder guides across topics including:
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Do you have any insurers that cover caravan insurance?
Thanks
Hi MJ,
Yes, you can review some options here.
Hope this helps!