Does Budget Direct Home Insurance suit your needs? Review and policy comparison.
One of Australia’s largest insurance brands, Budget Direct offers a suite of home insurance policies to its customers. Having insured more than 1.5 million Australians since 2000, Budget Direct Home Insurance offers policies underwritten by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited. Customers can choose from Home Insurance, Contents Insurance, Home & Contents Insurance, and Landlord Home & Contents Insurance and Renters Insurance. Keep reading to find out more about Budget Direct Home Insurance.
Budget Direct Home Insurance cover options
Home Insurance
Budget Direct Home Insurance is designed to protect your most important and valuable asset. This policy protects your building against fire, explosion, theft, malicious damage and many more risks. The sum insured amount is adjusted at every renewal and Budget Direct Home Insurance offers a 24-hour online claims notification system.
Budget Direct Home Insurance protects your building against loss or damage caused by:
- Fire
- Explosion
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Malicious acts
- Storm and rainwater
- Lightning
- Earthquake
- Escape of liquid
- Impact
- Accidental breakage of glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures
- $20 million of legal liability protection
Contents Insurance
If you want to protect your treasured possessions and valuables, Budget Direct Contents Insurance can help. It covers your belongings against loss or damage caused by fire, explosion, theft, storm, impact and many more. The sum insured is automatically updated each time you renew your policy.
This policy option covers your possessions against:
- Fire
- Explosion
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Malicious damage
- Storm
- Rainwater
- Lightning
- Earthquake
- Escape of liquid
- Impact
- Accidental breakage of glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures
- $20 million of legal liability protection
Home & Contents Insurance
Combining your Budget Direct Home and Contents Insurance policies entitles you to an impressive discount of 35%. This means you can protect your home and your most valued belongings against everything from fire and theft to storm and explosion damage, while available options include accidental damage cover, personal effects cover and motor burnout cover.
If you combine home insurance with contents insurance and purchase a policy online, you can enjoy a discount of up to 35%. Budget Direct Home & Contents Insurance protects your building and your belongings against all the events mentioned above, plus it also provides legal liability cover.
Option cover: Landlord Covers
If fire, theft or storm damage a property your Budget Direct Landlord Covers can offer the financial protection you need. It also covers loss of rent if your home is not fit to live in following an insured event, plus optional extras include tenant default cover and protection against theft and malicious damage by tenants.
This policy is designed to protect a rental property owned by a landlord. It protects the property against:
- Fire
- Explosion
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Malicious damage
- Storm
- Rainwater
- Lightning
- Earthquake
- Escape of liquid
- Impact
- Accidental breakage of glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures
- Loss of rent if your home cannot be lived in following an insured event
- The loss of fixtures and fittings is covered after an insured event
- Additional cover include protection against theft, vandalism and rent default by your tenants
| Benefit | Home & Contents | Home Insurance | Contents Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accidental breakage of glass, ceramic & sanitary fixtures | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Contents while moving address | Yes | No | Yes |
| Credit card cover up to $1,000 | Yes | No | Yes |
| Debris removal and extra costs of rebuilding | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Earthquake cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Escape Of liquid | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Explosion cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fire cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Funeral expenses up to $7,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Impact cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lightning cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lump sum or instalment payments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Malicious damage, vandalism, riot or civil commotion | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mortgage discharge costs | Yes | Yes | No |
| Open air contents cover - contents in the open at the insured address | Yes | No | Yes |
| Replacement of locks up to $500 | Yes | No | Yes |
| Storm & rainwater damage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temporary accommodation costs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Theft or attempted theft | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unattached equipment cover up to $500 | Yes | No | Yes |
| Uninsured guests' contents cover up to $500 | Yes | No | Yes |
| Up to $20 million legal liability cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Optional Benefit | |||
| Accidental damage cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Choice of excess options | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Landlord - tenant default cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Landlord - theft and malicious damage by tenant cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Motor burnout cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Personal effects cover | Yes | No | Yes |
| Sum insured safeguard | Yes | Yes | No |
| Flood cover | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What exclusions do I need to know about?
Your Budget Direct Home Insurance claim will not be paid if:
- It is caused by flood (unless an optional benefit is purchased)
- High tide or any other action of the sea
- It results from underground water seepage or pressure
- It is caused by the presence of asbestos
- It results from you performing any criminal or illegal act or omission
- It results from you failing to comply with any laws or regulations concerning things such as pool fencing, emissions, dangerous goods, assault and malicious damage
- It is for loss or damage to any part of the home that is specifically used for business purposes
- It is for consequential loss of any kind
- It is caused by any biological, chemical or poisonous pollutant or contaminant
- It results from a design fault, structural defect or faulty workmanship that you knew about but failed to fix
- It arises because you failed to maintain your home or contents in good condition
- It is for mechanical or electrical breakdown
- It is caused by erosion, landslide or subsidence. However, earth movement that occurs within 72 hours and as a direct result of earthquake, explosion or storm or rainwater will be covered
- It is for rust, corrosion, rot, mould, mildew or wear and tear
- It results from an intentional act by you or by someone acting with your consent
- It is for the cost of recovering, reinstalling or replacing electronic data
- It is for loss or damage to your home or contents caused by the lawful seizure, repossession or confiscation of anything
- It is caused by tree lopping or felling or by the roots of trees, shrubs or plants
- It is caused by loss or damage that occurs when your home has been unoccupied for more than 60 consecutive days
- It results from loss or damage caused by insects, birds, vermin or rodents.
How much is this going to cost me?
A number of factors can influence the cost of your Budget Direct Home Insurance premium, including:
- The sum insured you select. The higher the amount you want to cover your home and/or contents for, the more expensive your premiums will be.
- The location and construction of your home. If your home is located in a high-crime area or a region prone to severe storms, this will be reflected in the cost of your insurance. Certain homes, for example those constructed of brick, are also more likely to withstand damage.
- The security devices fitted. If you have an alarm system fitted to your home to deter thieves, you can expect to save on your insurance cover.
- Your previous claims history. An insurer will always take your previous insurance experience into account when assessing the level of risk you pose.
- The optional extras you select. Optional extras, for example accidental damage cover, can be included in your policy for an additional cost.
What does excess mean?
In the insurance world, an excess is the amount you have to pay to contribute towards the cost of a claim. Depending on the cover you have in place, one or more excesses may apply to your Budget Direct Home Insurance policy. For example, you may have selected a higher excess in order to reduce your premium. In any case, the excesses that apply to your individual policy will be listed on your certificate of insurance.
Back to topAny tips for saving on my policy?
- Choose a higher excess. If you can afford to pay a higher excess in the event of a claim, you can select a higher excess in return for a lower premium.
- Buy online. Buy your policy online and you can save 20% on the cost of your Budget Direct Home Insurance.
- Bundle your cover. Taking out a Home & Contents Insurance policy from Budget Direct Home Insurance and purchasing your policy online means you can enjoy savings of up to 35%.
- Use online calculators. Budget Direct Home Insurance offers some extremely handy online calculators to help you determine the amount of cover you need. The Express Building Calculator, Full Building Calculator and Contents Calculator can help you estimate just how much cover you need and help prevent problems of over - or under-insurance.
How do I make a claim?
If your home or contents suffer loss or damage, or if an incident occurs which may lead to a claim, there are certain steps you will need to follow. First, take all reasonable steps to prevent any further loss or damage occurring. Any incidents involving theft or malicious damage should also be reported to the police.
Next, contact the underwriter as soon as possible to provide the full details of your claim. If asked, you’ll need to provide evidence of the value or your ownership of the items or property that have been lost, stolen or damaged. You’ll need to give the underwriter the opportunity to inspect the damaged goods or property and will have to supply any other information or documentation they request in order to process your claim.
Back to topFAQs about Budget Direct
Q. Does Budget Direct Home Insurance cover me against flood?
- A. Yes, Budget Direct Home Insurance does offer flood cover if you purchase this as an optional extra.
Q. Do you offer cover for my jewellery?
- A. Yes, the replacement value of your jewellery is included in contents cover when your jewellery is at home. If you want coverage for your jewellery away from home, you’ll need to take out personal effects cover.
Q. What insured events are covered?
- A. Fire, storm and rainwater, theft, attempted theft, malicious damage, vandalism, riot, civil commotion, lightning, earthquake, escape of liquid, and impact. The accidental breakage of glass, ceramic and sanitary fixtures is also covered.
Q. What payment options are available?
- A. You can elect to pay your Budget Direct Home Insurance premiums fortnightly, monthly or annually. Payment can be made via credit card, debit card or PayPal.
Q. What is motor burnout?
- A. For an additional premium you can have cover for motor burnout, which covers for loss or damage to electric motors where:
- the burnout is caused by power surge or electric current
- the motor is burned out at the home.
Q. Is my laptop, mobile or tablet covered?
- A. Budget Direct Home Insurance covers loss or damage to these items if they're damaged in the home by an insured event.
Can I have your contact number I would like to speak to a consultant
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for getting in touch. If you would like to reach Budget Direct you can call them on 1800 182 310.
All the best,
Richard
does a claim on optional extras count on your having made a claim in the last 5 years
Hi Colin,
Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. According to the Budget Direct website:
“You will not lose your No Claims Discount on renewal if:
For other claims, Budget Direct will reduce your NCD on renewal by 2 years for each claim, and your insurance cost may increase accordingly.”
I hope this was helpful,
Richard