What’s covered by third party car insurance?
Third party car insurance offers basic protection; you can choose one of two levels of cover:
| Benefit | Third Party Property | Third Party Fire and Theft |
|---|---|---|
| Damage to other people’s property, including their vehicles, for which you’re liable | Up to $20 million | Up to $20 million |
| Legal costs | ||
| Damage caused by an uninsured driver‡ | Up to $5,000 (including recovery, towing and storage costs). | Up to $5,000 (including recovery, towing and storage costs). |
| Fire damage | ||
| Theft | ||
| Towing | ||
| Hire car following theft | Up to $1,000, up to 14 days | |
| Quote Now | Quote Now |
Third party property insurance, which is not mandatory, should not be confused with compulsory third party (CTP) insurance.
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, third party or third party fire and theft 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 third party 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. Make a claim on your third party car insurance policy.
More ways to save
Here are some ways you can reduce your third party car insurance premium even further:
How can I get these savings?
You can select your driver-age restriction and payment preferences 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.
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 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.
Want more cover?
Third party car insurance does not cover loss or damage to your vehicle due to:
| Crash or collision | No |
| Severe weather (e.g. hail or flood) | No |
| Malicious acts | No |
Comprehensive car insurance is the type of insurance which covers these events.
Frequently asked questions
What does car insurance cover?
The things your car insurance covers depends on the type of cover you have; in Australia, there are three broad types of car insurance:
- Comprehensive car insurance, which covers loss or damage to your car, as well as your liability for the damage it causes to other people’s property, including their vehicles. Read more
- Third party property car insurance, which generally only covers your liability for the damage your car causes to other people’s property, including their vehicles. Read more
- Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance, which covers compensation claims made against you for injuring or killing someone in an accident.
What's the difference between third party property and compulsory third party (CTP) insurance?
Third party property insurance, which is voluntary, covers your legal liability for damage your car causes to other people’s property, including their car. (It’s also known as third party property damage insurance.)
CTP insurance, which is compulsory, covers your legal liability for injuring or killing someone else in a motor accident.
Am I covered for the damage my car causes to other people's vehicles?
If you’re a comprehensive or third party property policyholder, we’ll cover your liability for the damage your car causes to other people’s property, including their cars and homes.
Does car insurance cover theft of my car?
If you’re a comprehensive or Third Party Fire and Theft policyholder, we’ll pay you the amount for which your car is covered if it’s stolen and not found.
You’ll need to report the theft to the police as soon as possible.
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Useful links
*Based on customers who have made a claim on Budget Direct Third Party Car Insurance, and who were surveyed between 10 February 2015 and 31 December 2021. Visit www.budgetdirectreviews.com.au for more details.
‡ Before lodging a claim, you must report the accident to the police; and, when lodging your claim, provide evidence the other vehicle is uninsured.
§ Your car would not be covered while it was being driven by someone under the restricted age.
