Budgetdirect Reviews 

1,124
TrustScore 3 out of 5

3.1

While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more

To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more

Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 644 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Many customers appreciate the competitive pricing, often finding policies significantly cheaper than previous insurers. Reviewers frequently highlight helpful, friendly, and patient staff who explain things clearly, making the process of getting insurance easy and less overwhelming. People are generally satisfied with the straightforward online quotes and the overall service received. However, a significant number of people were dissatisfied with the claims process, reporting delays, lack of communication, and outright denial of claims. Some customers also noted poor service quality, long wait times, and unprofessional staff, particularly when issues arose. Additionally, some people mentioned unexpected premium increases or feeling overcharged despite being loyal customers.

What people talk about most

Price

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of price, with many customers reporting significant savings and... See more

Service

People report ambiguous experiences with service, with many expressing significant dissatisfaction due to... See more

Claim

Users describe negative interactions with claim processes, frequently encountering denials based on what they... See more

Customer service

Consumers find customer service to be ambiguous, with some reviewers reporting great assistance, patience,... See more

Staff

Customers had ambiguous experiences with staff, with many praising the helpfulness, patience, and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I was an existing customer with exactly the same cover, but my premium had gone up considerably. I received an online quote more than $500 cheaper... with yourselves...but instead of simply honouring... See more

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The process was well handled, except for the reading of the conditions. I understand these have to be read and agreed to, but the staff member spoke rapidly, without pause, then asked if I agreed. Cer... See more

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Minor damage from storm. $4000 area. First claim in 50 years. Slow to inspect damage. Slow to affect repairs (but good job) Dunno if slow is correct re payment cos the damage was affected just af... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I was buying a new car (a hybrid) and needed comprehensive insurance with no fuss, no bother, no backwards and forwards with endless e-mails. I got a good on-line quote from Budget Direct and now, al... See more


Company details


Contact info

3.1

Average

TrustScore 3 out of 5

1K reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Hasn’t replied to negative reviews

How this company uses Trustpilot

See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.

3.1

All reviews

(1,124)

640 reviews in the last 12 months

Write a review
Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

My experience with Budget Direct has…

My experience with Budget Direct has been extremely disappointing.
I lodged a claim for a collapsed stormwater drain that runs beneath my front gate and front entrance. Budget Direct sent two plumbers to assess the issue, but the assessment appeared very superficial. They simply looked at the area, took a few photos, and left. There was no detailed investigation to determine what had caused the pipe to collapse underground.
My claim was subsequently denied on the basis that the damage was due to "wear and tear" and that I should have maintained the pipe. What I struggle to understand is how a homeowner is supposed to maintain or monitor a stormwater pipe buried beneath concrete. There were no visible signs of a problem until the pipe failed.

It feels unfair to be told that I should have prevented an issue that was hidden underground and impossible to inspect without specialised equipment. I expected a more thorough assessment and a fairer review of my claim before it was rejected.
Unfortunately, this experience has left me feeling let down and questioning the value of my insurance coverage when unexpected problems arise.
What the hell am I paying for?

22 June 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Don't use for under 20 year olds

If you are insuring someone under the age of 20, do not use Budget Direct. A kangaroo jumped out in front on my sons car. After claining on our insurance policy and getting the car fixed, they will now NOT renew his insurance policy as he's classed as "high risk". A kangaroo can jump out in front on any driver regardless of your age! They will take your money as long as you don't have to make a claim.

22 June 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Very competitively priced

Very competitively priced, easy to navigate the process and great having the flexibility to determine the first payment date, even after the insurance date commenced.
Only reason for not giving 5 stars is the vehicle inspection process. Even though my photos were in jpeg format the website wouldn't accept them. I had to upload them using a different method, which took a look longer.

1 June 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Budget Direct Comprehensive

Very fast and easy. Salesman helped me get cover that was far cheaper than my previous insurance. Also got road side assist. He set my first payment date up for later incase I changed my mind in the interim.

23 May 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Left on the side of the road for nearly…

Left on the side of the road for nearly two hours because they didn’t transfer our policy to our new car correctly.

We did everything right and called more than two weeks in advance to have the policy updated. Despite that, they failed to update their system.

After spending 1.5 hours on the phone, we were told we had to pay because our policy had only been updated “today” — even though they never processed the change when we originally called. We were passed around from contact centre to contact centre, with no one actually helping.

We have all the emails and proof.

I can’t express how poor this experience has been. You get what you pay for.

And as I type this, I am still sitting on the side of the road. I have been here since 11 a.m. Hung up on multiple times, transferred over 9 times. ****DO NOT DO IT****

19 June 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Pay Peanuts Get Monkeys

I made a claim on a van that my company had insured with Budget Direct under their Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance policy. The van sustained front-end damage in an at-fault accident.

It took two weeks and multiple phone calls to their Claims Department before the van was even collected and taken away for assessment. It then took a further week before a repair quote was provided.

The repair quote was approximately $9,000. Despite the van having an agreed insured value of almost $11,000, Budget Direct decided to write the vehicle off.

They eventually paid the agreed value, but after deducting GST, the $1,000 excess, the $2,000 buy-back value, and the remaining $1,000 insurance premium, my company was left with the damaged vehicle, had to fund the repairs itself, and was approximately $3,000 out of pocket.

This was my experience with their “Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance” after being a loyal customer for many years.

I also had other vehicle and home insurance policies with Budget Direct, but following this experience, I have cancelled my policies and will never insure with them again.

I encourage any prospective customers to carefully read the policy terms and fully understand the claims process before choosing this insurer.

26 November 2025
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Requested a car insurance quote

Requested a car insurance quote, online, but was advised that Budget Direct could not issue a quote, as one or more of the alterations/additions that had been made to my vehicle, rendered it uninsurable. They did not specify which of the alterations/additions that they were referring to. I had side steps fitted to my Mazda BT50, by the dealer, prior to delivery. I had Pedders add a heavy duty leaf spring to raise the Ute by 100mm, for added stability when loaded. I had ARB fit a recycled plastic bullbar (as used by police and ambulances and the only bullbar that can be legally used in Europe). I would consider that all those alterations enhanced the safety and performance of the vehicle and my current (long established and highly rated) insurer has no problem with any of these alterations. I lodged a complaint with Budget Direct and I received the standard computer generated acknowledgement of my email. I received a subsequent email advising me that Budget Direct had tried to call me but got no response, however, my missed call list on my phone tells me a different story. I would like to say that Budget Direct customer service is woeful, but its actually non-existent. My questions were never answered. All I received were vague statements and out and out lies. The best I can say is that I dodged a bullet, by finding out that this company is the opposite of what it’s slick adds suggest, before things went any further.

12 June 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

If I could give 0 stars, I would.

If I could give 0 stars, I would. This is hands down the worst insurance company I have ever dealt with. Months after I canceled my policy, they secretly continued to deduct money from my credit card. When I contacted customer service, they gave me conflicting stories and made up excuses that completely contradicted each other. Absolutely untrustworthy.

10 May 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

This company does not pay claims

This company does not pay claims. We had a burst water pipe causing damage to a ceiling. Had a plumber repair the leak and a plasterer repair the plaster and paint it. After submitting the claim, they asked for more and more detailed receipts, forms, assessments of damage and this dragged on for 4 months until I realised they were simply not going to pay and I cancelled the policy and went with another more reputable company. Would not recommend

17 June 2026
Unprompted review

The Trustpilot Experience

Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.

We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.

Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.

Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.

Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.

Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.

Take a closer look