FAQs
| Please click on a question below to see the answer |
General Questions About Budget Direct
- Who is Budget Direct?
- Why do we record our telephone conversations?
- Is your call centre in Australia?
Car Insurance Questions
- How can I purchase a car insurance policy?
- Is it safe to purchase car insurance online?
- What if I have to make a car insurance claim?
- What are the best ways I can save money on my car insurance?
- How long does it take to get car insurance?
- Can I buy car insurance online?
- How can I pay for my car insurance securely online?
- What are the benefits of purchasing car insurance securely online?
- If I purchase car insurance securely online from Budget Direct when will my insurance start?
- Are there different ways I can adjust my car insurance premium?
- What benefits should I seek out when choosing a motor vehicle insurer?
- What are some of the factors, which contribute to why I have a different car insurance premium to my friends?
- What is the difference between a vehicle's agreed and market value?
- What is the difference between the following types of car insurance Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft and Third Party Property Damage?
- What personal effects are associated with car insurance?
- What is a No Claim Discount (NCD) and how does it affect car insurance premiums?
- What is the difference between a Rating 1, No Claim Discount and No Claim Bonus?
- Will I lose my NCD if I have a car accident?
- What happens if I don't tell Budget Direct about my driving record, past accidents or claims if I am asked?
- If I choose market value how do I know how much my car is insured for?
- I am having trouble purchasing securely online, what should I do?
- Who is the underwriter for Budget Direct's car insurance?
General Questions & Answers About Budget Direct
1. Who is Budget Direct?
Budget Direct forms part of an international group of companies, which first began operating in the insurance industry in the early 1980s.
Since then the group has grown to become an international innovator in personal insurance, and is the largest direct personal motor vehicle insurer in South Africa, and one of the largest personal lines intermediaries in the United Kingdom. The group administers over 3 million policies internationally and more than A$1 billion in annual premium.
In 1999 the group expanded its operations to include Australia, and A&G Insurance Services Pty Ltd was established to handle insurance for a variety of market segments.
Click here for more information.
2. Why do we record our telephone conversations?
Telephone calls are recorded for a number of reasons. This is to allow us to avoid all the paperwork you might otherwise encounter. It also means we can offer immediate cover, as we are not waiting on forms to be filled out and processed. It also allows us to manage the claims process.
Another reason is that it allows us to undertake service quality assessments, which helps us ensure all our call centre operators are focusing on delivering you the best possible customer service.
3. Is your call centre in Australia
As a Budget Direct customer you will be pleased to know that our friendly call centre staff all work in our state-of-the-art call centre facility located on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.
Car Insurance Questions & Answers
1. How can I purchase a car insurance policy?
You have three options to choose from when purchasing car insurance from Budget Direct:
- Quote and then buy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, securely online at www.budgetdirect.com.au
- Complete a quote online then simply call one of our helpful consultants on the number provided at the end of the quote to complete the purchase of your policy
- Call one of our helpful consultants on 1800 700 027 to do a quote and purchase over the phone
To purchase a policy securely online click here and complete an online quote. Once the quote is complete simply follow the "How to apply online" instructions. Purchasing insurance online with Budget Direct is easy and available 24 hours a day! Our online quote and purchase system is secure, convenient and simple to use.
To get an online quote and then purchase over the phone click here. To purchase the policy please call the 1800 number provided at the end of the online quote quote process. Make sure you have the quote reference number associated with the online quote to hand when you call, this number is provided at the end of the online quote process. Our call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 8.00pm (EST) and Saturday 8.00am to 5.00pm (EST).
If you wish to take out a Budget Direct car insurance policy over the phone, please call 1800 700 027 and let one of our friendly consultants take you through the quote and purchase process. With Budget Direct there are no forms to fill in - even if you make a claim. Our call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 8.00pm (EST) and Saturday 8.00am to 5.00pm (EST).
2. Is it safe to purchase car insurance online?
To protect your confidential data we have invested in an SSL certificate from VeriSign, the world leader in Internet data security.
This VeriSign certificate confirms this web site has been authenticated and verified and it enables sensitive data to be safely encrypted.
To view our VeriSign verification page please click here.
Start the process now with an online quote.
3. What if I have to make a car insurance claim?
If you need to make a car insurance claim call 1300 139 591 and one of our claims consultants will help you get back on the road as soon as possible.
In most cases you will be able to deal with any car insurance claims requests over the phone. We aim to have all claims processed promptly to avoid any inconvenience.
4. What are the best ways I can save money on my car insurance?
There are several ways to make your premium more affordable. These include: restricting drivers by age, increasing your excess, and by installing a combined alarm and immobiliser to reduce the risk of car theft.
If you wish, you can spread the cost of your insurance by paying by monthly instalments. This means you are not paying for your insurance all in one payment.
Budget Direct believes it can offer low cost policies.
5. How long does it take to get car insurance?
In most cases you can be insured in one easy online session or phone call. You should have at hand details of your car and driving record and it won't take long at all. You can be insured the day you go online or call and take out a policy, or you can choose a later date for your cover to begin.
You can take out insurance online now by clicking on the link below or by calling 1800 700 027.
Start the process now with an online quote.
6. Can I buy car insurance online?
Yes you can. To find out how click here
Start the process now with an online quote.
7. How can I pay for my car insurance securely online?
You can pay for your car insurance online using either a Visa or Mastercard credit card.
8. What are the benefits of purchasing car insurance securely online?
There are many benefits when purchasing insurance online:
- Being able to take out insurance at a time that's suitable for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Don't have to sign any forms - ever
- Purchasing car insurance online can be up to 20% faster than doing it over the phone
Start the process now with an online quote.
9. If I purchase car insurance securely online from Budget Direct when will my insurance start?
Just like purchasing insurance over the phone your insurance cover will begin on the date you request the cover to start. You will also receive your policy documents via mail within 5 business days of the purchase date.
10. Are there different ways I can adjust my car insurance premium?
At Budget Direct, to help you get the right price, we allow you the option of tailoring your policy.
You can restrict drivers by age, which will reduce the level of perceived risk, therefore lowering the premium you need to pay.
At Budget Direct we believe that if you are a good driver and your car insurance company has all the right information and is evaluating your risk level effectively you should not have to pay exorbitant prices.
Other optional benefits include:
- Reduce your windscreen excess.
- Protect your No Claim Discount
11. What benefits should I seek out when choosing motor vehicle insurance?
Benefits, which could be important to you include:
- Lifetime guarantee on repairs for as long as you own the vehicle
- Nominate your preferred repairer
- Rating one for life option
- No forms to fill in ever, including application and claim forms
- 21 day money back guarantee if you cancel your policy and have not made a claim
Terms and conditions apply. (Please see our Product Disclosure Statement for details).
12. What are some of the factors which contribute to why I have a different car insurance premium to my friends?
Car insurance premiums are calculated based on the level of 'risk' the insurance underwriters associate with you and your car. So simple factors that differentiate you and someone else contribute to the assessment of 'risk'.
Risk is primarily affected by the make and model of the car, the age of the driver/s and the driver's history, as well as residence. For example, not all insurers treat each suburb the same. In addition where you park the car at night will often affect your premium.
Your driving history and the frequency of claims are also considered carefully.
Our underwriting is more comprehensive than most other car insurers, which allows us to offer more competitive rates to Australian drivers.
13. What is the difference between a vehicle's agreed and market value?
Market value is the reasonable cost to replace your vehicle with one of the same make, model, age and condition as your vehicle at the time of loss or damage. It does not include any allowance for warranty, stamp duty or transfer costs.
Agreed value is the amount we agree to insure your vehicle for during each term of insurance. The value may change each time you renew the policy.
Please see our Product Disclosure Statement for details.
14. What is the difference between the following types of car insurance Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft and Third Party Property Damage?
Comprehensive offers the broadest level of cover as it covers damage caused by the car to other people's property, plus cover for to the car up to the value you insure it for.
With Third Party Fire and Theft cover, you will get third party property cover below, plus cover for your own car if it is stolen or catches fire.
Third Party Property Damage is the narrowest level of cover we offer; it covers only your liability for damage caused by the car to other people's property, plus a limited amount of cover for the car if damaged in a no fault accident with an uninsured vehicle.
Terms and conditions apply to each type of cover. For more details please see our Product Disclosure Statement for details
15. What personal effects are associated with car insurance?
Personal effects are your personal belongings that are in your car at the time of an accident.
At Budget Direct if you have comprehensive cover we provide cover for damage to your personal effects resulting from a collision involving your car. Limits do apply (Please see our Product Disclosure Statement for details)
16. What is a No Claim Discount (NCD) and how does it affect car insurance premiums?
It is a discount on your car insurance premium. Your No Claim Discount is calculated on your years of driving experience and your claims record. It means as you gain more years of claim free driving experience you receive a discount from the full priced premium until it reaches a maximum discount (also known as Rating 1). This is because we believe you are less likely to make a claim than a less experienced driver.
17. What is the difference between a Rating 1, No Claim Discount and No Claim Bonus?
They are different terms for a scale that insurers use to rank your driving history and risk. Rating 1, NCD and NCB, all refer to a discount that is applied to the full premium.
18. Will I lose my NCD if I have a car accident?
You can protect your Rating 1 (maximum No Claims Discount) by selecting our NCD protection option. This allows you to have 1 car insurance claim per 12-month period of having a Budget Direct car insurance policy, or up to 2 claims in 3 years without affecting the Rating 1.
If you have NCD protection with us for 2 consecutive claim free years, you will qualify for a Rating 1 for life. (Which means all car insurance claims have no effect on your NCD for as long as you have NCD protection). However, you will not lose any NCD on renewal following a window glass claim, or if the other vehicle in a collision is entirely at fault and the driver is identified to us. For other claims, your NCD may be reduced at renewal.
19. What happens if I don't tell Budget Direct about my driving record, past accidents or claims if I am asked?
This is called non-disclosure and affects an insurer's ability to accurately assess your risk or calculate the correct premium. It can lead to a claim being paid only in part, or not paid at all and/or your policy being cancelled.
20. If I choose market value how do I know how much my car is insured for?
Market value is the reasonable cost to replace your vehicle with one of the same make, model, age and condition as your vehicle at the time of loss or damage. It does not include any allowance for warranty, stamp duty or transfer costs.
If you want an idea of what your car may be worth you can search for your car on Redbooks website.
Please see our Product Disclosure Statement for details.
21. I am having trouble purchasing securely online, what should I do?
If you are having trouble purchasing online please call 1800 700 027 with your quote reference number to hand and our friendly call staff will be able to help.
Our call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 8.00pm (EST) and Saturday 8.00am to 5.00pm (EST).
22. Who is the underwriter for Budget Direct's car insurance?
Budget Direct's car insurance policies are underwritten by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited. Auto & General Insurance Company Limited is an Australian Insurer authorised to conduct insurance business in Australia by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA). Auto & General Insurance Company Limited is a member of the Insurance Council of Australia and participates in the Insurance Code of Practice.
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