Our Commitment to the General Insurance Code of Practice
Budget Direct and Auto and General Insurance Company Limited are committed to the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code). The Code is a self-regulatory code to promote good relations between insurers and consumers, as well as describe standards of good practice and service. The code also stipulates that we need to have formal complaint and dispute resolution procedures in place.
We always strive to give you the best possible service. However, if you have a complaint you should, in the first instance, contact the appropriate department manager.
The following information will help you understand our Dispute Resolution Process.
Complaints
If you’re dissatisfied with an outcome and let us know, we will try to resolve the issue. All Budget Direct staff are committed to delivering first-class service and customer satisfaction. If your complaint can’t be resolved in the first instance, we’ll escalate it to the relevant department Team Leader or Manager for consideration.
We’ll respond to your complaint within ten business days, providing all information is to hand. If you’re not happy with our decision, we’ll give you the details of our Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process.
Disputes
Dispute Resolution Manager
As part of our commitment to the code, we have a Dispute Resolution Manager, as well as Dispute Resolution Staff who’ll impartially review any decision you disagree with.
The Process
The Dispute Resolution Manager will review all the documentation relating to your dispute. If they feel they need more information to make a decision, they will request it. Once they receive the relevant information, they will decide whether to maintain or change their decision.
IDR Service standards
We’re committed to making a decision promptly. If the Manager doesn’t ask for more information, we’ll give you a final decision within 15 (fifteen) business days. We’ll also tell you how you can access our external dispute resolution scheme, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
If the Manager does need more information to assess your dispute, we’ll let you know how long we think it will take to finalise our decision. Once we receive the required information, we’ll make a final decision within 10 (ten) business days of receiving the formal dispute.
If we can’t resolve your complaint to your satisfaction within 45 days (including both the complaint and internal dispute resolution process), we’ll let you know the reasons for the delay and that you can take your complaint or dispute to our External Dispute Resolution scheme, even if we’re still considering it. We’ll let you know you have this right, as well as the details or our External Dispute Resolution scheme (FOS), before the end of the 45-day period.
