Be Aware of Disaster Chasers

If your property has been damaged by recent severe weather events, be aware that independent contractors and third-party service providers (commonly referred to as 'storm chasers' or 'disaster chasers') might approach homeowners in affected areas. These companies usually offer help with assessing damage, lodging claims, managing claims, and coordinating repairs.

Important: These companies are not affiliated with Budget Direct. We will never send anyone to your property without letting you know first, regardless of any claims they might make.

Be aware that these companies often charge fees or take a commission from your final insurance payout, which reduces the money available for your repairs.

Storm chasers are people or companies who show up in areas hit by disaster—sometimes within hours of an event, or even months later. They offer to manage your insurance claim and repairs,  advertising on social media and other platforms.

Storm chasers typically:

• Door knock without prior contact or invitation

• Claim to have identified damage you weren't aware of

• Offer "free inspections" as a way to get their foot in the door

• Give high pressure sales tactics for you to sign contracts on the spot

• Request upfront fees or take a percentage of your settlement

• Promise unrealistically quick repairs, claims process or suspiciously low quotes

• Claim they can get more money from your insurer than you could yourself

• May falsely state they've been sent by your insurance company

Contact us directly. Our Claims team is here to guide you through the entire claims process: from lodging your claim, assessing damage, to completing your home repairs. We'll guide you through the process at no extra cost, and we’ll also provide a warranty on the authorised repair if anything goes wrong.

Don’t let anyone pressure you to sign anything. We recommend talking to our Claims team before using any external service providers or if you have any concerns.

Budget Direct will always contact you first before sending assessors, builders or restorers to your home.

If you've already signed a contract with an external company, there is a cooling-off period. Contact us immediately—we can help you end the relationship with the storm chaser.

If you let work start that we haven't approved, we might not pay for it if your policy doesn’t cover the damage. Storm chasers often push for quick cash settlements, leaving you to manage repairs yourself—with no warranty or guarantee from us.

You've already paid for Budget Direct insurance, which includes claims management. We‘ll help you with your claim and any questions you have. There's no need to pay someone else and be out of pocket.

Storm chasers can charge fees that your insurance policy doesn’t cover. Some contracts include cancellation penalties, making it expensive to walk away even if you change your mind.

Budget Direct does not guarantee repairs that we haven’t authorised. If something goes wrong, you‘ll need to work through that process on your own.

We hold an AFSL, and all of our contractors have builder's licences in the states they work in. Using an external company that we haven’t authorised could mean unlicensed work. 

Trust your instincts. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

You don't need storm chasers. Budget Direct is here to help you—and you've already paid for that service.

Protect yourself and your property by coming directly to us.