What’s covered by Comprehensive Car Insurance?
Upgrade your Comprehensive cover
For an additional premium, you can customise your comprehensive car insurance by adding one or more of these optional benefits to your policy:
How do I add an optional benefit to my policy?
You can add one or more of these benefits when you get a quote and buy a policy or — if you’ve already bought one — by contacting us or logging into your online account and editing your policy.
(Note that you can reduce your window-glass excess only within 21 days of buying your policy, renewing it, or transferring it to a replacement vehicle.)
Get a quote online and save 15%^
Because we don’t insure unsafe drivers, we can keep our premiums low for safer drivers like you.
Get a comprehensive car insurance quote and buy a policy online and you’ll receive a 15%^ discount on your first year's premium.
Find out more
The information on this page is a summary only. For more details about Budget Direct Comprehensive car insurance, including the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply, please read the product disclosure statement (PDS)
How to make a claim
If you need to make a claim, we’re here to help you get back on the road as quickly and smoothly as possible. Make a claim on your Comprehensive car insurance policy.
Award-winning Australian car insurance
After comparing over 42,000 quotes, comparing 51 Comprehensive Policies offered by 41 insurance providers, across 36 Consumer profiles, Canstar awarded us one of only two national awards for Outstanding Value Car Insurance in 2021 — a record 15th year in a row we’ve won the award.
We also won Money magazine's Best of the Best 2022 winner for Best-Value Car Insurance 4 years in a row (2019-22); and a Mozo Experts Choice 2021 award for Exceptional Value Car Insurance.
We were also rated 5 stars by LMI ClaimsComparison for our Motor & Home & Contents service. The rating is based on both quantitative and subjective data, as well as policy features that are deemed by LMI ClaimsComparison as important to a positive claims experience.
More ways to save
Here are some ways you can reduce your comprehensive car insurance premium even further:
How can I get these savings?
You can select your driver-age restriction, kilometres travelled and/or Basic Excess when you get a quote and buy a policy or — if you’ve already bought one – by contacting us or logging into your online account and editing your policy.
More reasons to choose us
Roadside Assistance
For just $89.95 a year – less than $1.75 a week – you can take advantage of our 24/7 nationwide Roadside Assistance service.
It can be purchased with or without a Budget Direct car insurance policy.
With our Australian network of more than 2,500 contractors, you’re never too far from help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay an excess if the accident was not my fault?
You do not have to pay an excess if you have a no fault accident.
A no fault accident is one that meets the following criteria:
- we decide the driver of another vehicle (or another person) was entirely at fault, and
- you tell us, or we obtain, the at fault driver's full name, address, and vehicle registration number.
Is my car covered for hail and storm damage?
If you’re a comprehensive car insurance policyholder, we’ll cover the cost of repairing damage to your car due to severe weather, including storms, floods, and hail.
Can I transfer my no-claim bonus or driver rating from my current insurer to Budget Direct?
Yes – as long as you send us proof of your current no-claim bonus (or no-claim discount, as we call it) or driver rating.
This proof – which you must send us within 14 days of the start of your Budget Direct policy – can be in the form of a renewal offer or letter from your current insurer.
First, please check to see if you have received an email or SMS from Budget Direct with a secure link that will allow you to upload your NCD proof - don’t forget to check your junk or spam folder. If you haven’t received either an email or SMS, then please send any renewal offer or letter – with the subject line ‘NCD [policy number]’ – to:
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 07 3377 8855
Post: Auto and General Services
PO Box 342
Toowong QLD 4066
We’ll factor in the rating when we calculate your premium.
Does car insurance cover business use?
Yes — we’ll cover a car you use for your business or occupation, as long as:
- you select ‘business use’ when you buy your policy; and
- the car is not used for any of the following:
- carrying passengers for payment, including taxis and/or ridesharing (e.g. Uber)
- carrying or delivering other people’s goods for payment, whether you’re a contractor, employee or something else (e.g. parcel or food delivery)
- driving tuition for payment
- hiring the car to other people.
I’m selling my car — what do I need to do?
If you’re selling your car and buying another one, you can quickly and easily transfer your Budget Direct car insurance to your replacement car.
Simply call us on 1300 306 560 and tell us the year, make and model of the replacement car.
We’ll then guide you through the process of shifting your insurance from your previous car to your new one.
If you don’t intend to replace your car, we can help you cancel your existing insurance policy.
Car Insurance Knowledge Base
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Useful links
*Based on customers who have made a claim on Budget Direct Comprehensive Car Insurance, and who were surveyed between 10 February 2015 and 31 December 2021. Visit www.budgetdirectreviews.com.au for more details.
‡ Your car would not be covered while it was being driven by someone under the restricted age.
# Click here to read Canstar's award report and rating methodology.
