^ Online Discounts Terms & Conditions

  1. Discounts apply to the premium paid for a new Budget Direct Home & Contents, Home only, Contents only, Comprehensive, Third Party Property Only or Third Party Property, Fire & Theft Car Insurance policy, initiated online on or after 29 March 2017, and for a new Budget Direct Comprehensive, Third Party Property, Fire & Theft & Third Party Property only Motorcycle Insurance policy, initiated online on or after 4 June 2020 and for a new Pet Insurance policy, initiated online on or after 18 February 2021. This online discount does not apply to Roadside Assistance that is added to a Budget Direct Car Insurance policy.
  2. The new policy discount amount varies by product: 30% discount on combined Home & Contents Insurance (consisting of 15% discount for combining Home & Contents covers and 15% discount for policies initiated online), 15% for Home only or Contents only policies, 15% discount on Comprehensive, Third Party Property Only and Third Party Property, Fire & Theft Car or Motorcycle Insurance and 15% discount on Pet Insurance.
  3. A 15% discount applies to the premium paid for a new Budget Direct Travel Insurance policy initiated and purchased online on or after 22 February 2023.
  4. Discounts do not apply to any renewal offer of insurance.
  5. Discounts only apply to the insurance portion of the premium. Discounts are applied before government charges, taxes, levies and fees, including instalment processing fees (as applicable). The full extent of discounts may therefore be impacted.
  6. We reserve the right to change the offer without notice.

§ Life Insurance 1 Month Free Offer Terms and Conditions

Apply for cover and if issued, you’ll not start paying premiums until one month after the commencement date of the cover. This applies to any one or more Budget Direct Premium Life Direct cover types you take out. Offer available once only per new customer and may not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Only available whilst this campaign is current; we reserve the right to withdraw the offer without notice of withdrawal, and to change the offer.

‡ Standalone Roadside Assistance, 15% Online Discount Offer Terms & Conditions

  1. The 15% discount applies to the first year's membership fee paid for a new Budget Direct Standalone Roadside Assistance membership purchased online only, using the promotional code SOLVED15.
  2. This offer does not apply to Roadside Assistance that is added to a Budget Direct Car Insurance Policy.
  3. Offer is valid from 1 July 2021 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
  4. The 15% online discount does not apply to any renewal offer of membership.
  5. We reserve the right to change the offer without notice.
Exceptional Value Young Driver Insurance
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Insuring the car your child learns in

In most states and territories in Australia, teenagers can apply for a learner driver permit (or Ls) when they’re 16 years of age or older.

Generally, once your child has completed a road safety program and passed a road rules test and eye exam, they’re allowed to drive under your supervision.

(This is assuming, of course, you hold a full, or unrestricted, Australian driver licence.)

Before getting into the passenger seat, you’ll no doubt want to ensure the car your child intends to learn in is properly insured.

Should I add my child to my car insurance?

Whether you add your teenage son or daughter to an existing car insurance policy or buy a new one will depend on the car they learn in.

If your family is like most families in Australia, it’ll be your car (or your spouse’s or partner’s) they learn in. To insure them driving your car, you’ll need to add your child to your existing policy.

If you or your child buy another car for them to learn in and they’ll be driving it more often than anyone else, you’ll have to get a quote and buy a new car insurance policy, listing the child as the regular driver.

What type of insurance is best for my child’s car?

How do I add my child to my car insurance?

You can add your child to your Budget Direct car insurance policy by contacting us or following these steps:

  1. Log into your online account.
  2. View your car insurance policy.
  3. Click on or tap the ‘Modify Policy’/’Edit Policy’ button.
  4. Remove any driver-age restrictions you’ve imposed (21+, 25+, 30+, 40+ or 50+).
  5. Add your child to the list of ‘household member drivers’ (assuming your child lives with you).
  6. Follow the prompts.

It’s critical you make these edits as your car will not covered while being driven by a person living with you and who is not listed on your policy or who is under the restricted driver age.

How much does it cost to insure a learner driver?

Car insurers like us base the amount we charge policyholders – their premium – on the likelihood of a driver of their car having an accident.

If you add a teenage learner driver to your car insurance policy, your premium may increase.

That’s because younger drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident.

Car insurance excesses and learner drivers

A car insurance excess is the fixed amount you pay towards a claim for loss or damage to your car.

The following table shows the excesses that apply to Budget Direct car insurance claims – unless it’s a no-fault accident.

You're required to pay a...
Basic Excess¹ Varies by state/territory
…as well as any additional excesses that apply…
Driver is under 21 years of age $600
Driver is 21 to 24 year of age inclusive $500
Driver has not held a full or open Australian licence for 2 or more years $500

1. This excess is payable regardless of a driver’s age, licence type, or driving experience.

Your excesses are shown on your insurance certificate and can also be viewed in your online account.

Read more about car insurance excesses

Learner licence conditions

To be insured against loss or damage resulting from a car accident, drivers must comply with the conditions of their licence. In the case of learner drivers, these conditions can include:

  • clearly displaying L-plates on the outside of the car
  • driving under the supervision of a full Australian licence holder§
  • adhering to maximum speed limits (80kmph for learners in some states)
  • not using a mobile phone while driving (including hands-free, wireless headsets, and speaker phones)
  • having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of zero
  • not being under the influence of illegal or prescription drugs
  • not accumulating more than the maximum number of demerit points permissible.

For more information about learner licence conditions, contact the road transport authority in your state or territory.

Learner drivers on short leash

In Australia, learner drivers are allowed to accrue far fewer demerit points than fully licensed drivers. Indeed, a learner has to infringe only one or two times to have their licence suspended.

In Queensland, for example, a learner found using a mobile phone while driving receives a $1,000 fine and four demerit points.

This is the maximum number of demerit points they’re allowed to accrue in a 12-month period.

It means that, if they’re caught using their mobile just once, their licence will be suspended for three months.

It shows how little tolerance there is for driving offences committed by learners.

What type of car insurance is best for my child’s car?

Budget Direct offers three types of car insurance for you to choose from.

Our Comprehensive policy provides the most protection, covering damage to your child’s car and their liability for the damage their car causes to other people’s property, including their vehicles.

However, if your child’s car has a low market value, you may decide a Third Party Property Only or Third Party Property, Fire and Theft policy is all you need.

Read more about the different types of car insurance

Provisional licence

After your child has held their Ls for a certain amount of time, logged the required number of driving hours and/or passed a practical driving test, they’ll be issued with a provisional licence.

Once they’ve qualified for their Ps, they’ll be able to drive unsupervised.

For practical reasons, you or your child may decide to buy a car for them to drive regularly. If so, we recommend you or your child get a quote and buy a new car insurance policy.

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§ Typically, a full (or unrestricted or open) Australian driver licence holder who supervises a learner driver must have held their licence for a minimum period. In the Australian Capital Territory, for example, it is four years. For more information, contact the road transport authority in your state or territory.

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