Budget Direct Travel Insurance

Budget Direct is a provider of travel insurance, car insurance, home insurance, health insurance and roadside assistance.

Compare Budget Direct Travel Insurance policies

The table below displays a snapshot of Budget Direct Travel Insurance’s policies on Canstar’s database, sorted by Star Rating (highest to lowest). Please note the products and Star Ratings displayed are based on a couple travelling to the USA aged under 70.

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What types of travel insurance do Budget Direct offer?

Budget Direct offers both domestic and international travel insurance, with specialised policies for annual travellers, seniors, cruisers and skiers. All of these fit under Budget Direct’s comprehensive travel policy.

If you’re unsure as to which kind of travel insurance is most appropriate for you, or would like to better understand the differences between the different types of cover, check out our comprehensive guide on travel insurance.

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What does Budget Direct’s domestic and international travel insurance cover?

Budget Direct Travel Insurance’s international comprehensive policy will cover you for:

Medical cover: Budget Direct Comprehensive has unlimited medical, dental and hospital cover; however, you must provide a medical practitioner’s report confirming you’re unfit to travel.
Loss/theft of personal items: Budget Direct also covers the loss or theft of personal items, including trip delays or damage. It will pay up to $7,500 for different items.
Travel cancellation: Budget Direct has unlimited cancellation and amendment fees, which include accommodation meals and tours if there is an unforeseeable event.
Travel delays: It also covers travel delays due to strikes, natural disasters, riots or other severe weather conditions. Its comprehensive cover offers $100 every 12 hours, with a total amount up to $2,000.
Rental car excess: If, as a result of an unexpected event, the rental vehicle you have hired is stolen or damaged during your journey, Budget Direct Comprehensive will reimburse you for any non-refundable excess payable to the rental vehicle company of up to $6,000.
24/7 assistance: Budget Direct Travel’s emergency worldwide assistance team is available 24 hours a day via phone.
Lost or stolen documents: Budget Direct will cover the cost involved in replacing important documents that have been lost or stolen.

Please note that exclusions may apply. For example, your medical cover may not pay claims for medical or dental treatment received in Australia, and it will only cover losses related pregnancy up to and including the twentieth week. Another example of an exclusion is not being covered for any delays caused by a natural disaster occurring before the start date of your insurance.

For more details about what is and isn’t covered, check out the Product Disclosure Statement on Budget Direct’s website.

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Budget Direct FAQs

Yes, Budget Direct’s comprehensive policy has unlimited cover for overseas medical and hospital expenses under the following circumstances:

You need medical assistance for an unexpected illness
You’re seriously injured in an accident
You need to be evacuated for an unexpected injury

As always, various conditions and exclusions will apply. It’s highly unlikely that you will be covered if the injury you suffer is classified as a ‘pre-existing condition’, for example.

For more information on whether you’re covered or not, read Budget Direct Travel Insurance’s Product Disclosure Statement.

Yes, Budget Direct will cover you up to a certain amount for replacing or reimbursing luggage and personal effects that are lost, stolen or damaged while travelling.

Under Budget Direct’s comprehensive policy, up to $7,500 worth of your belongings will be covered. Budget Direct will also cover:

The cost of essential medication if its lost or destroyed
Up to $750 per item for essential items
$3,000 per item for laptops, tablets, cameras, etc.

Again, there are exclusions that come with Budget Direct Travel Insurance’s policies. For personal items and jewellery, you must specify them before applying, and all items must be approved by Budget Direct; otherwise they will not be covered. Ensure you check the PDS to find out more about what items and luggage are and aren’t covered.

If you’re not sure what to do when your luggage goes missing, check out our guide on travel mishaps and how to avoid them.

Yes, Budget Direct Travel Insurance has unlimited cover for lost deposits and cancellation fees for pre-paid travel arrangements due to unforeseen circumstances outside the traveller’s control on a policy. This include:

Prepaid travel – accommodation, meals, tours and activities
Visas

Read the Product Disclosure Statement for more information on the various exclusions that may apply.

You can purchase a Budget Direct travel insurance policy by first comparing your options with Canstar and then generating a quote online. All you need to list is your personal details (age, length of trip, address, etc.), your pre-existing conditions and your choice of cover:

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There are three main ways you can lodge a claim with Budget Direct.

You can lodge a claim over the phone as it provides 24/7 emergency assistance, as well as reverse charges if you’re calling internationally. For a domestic claim, call 1800 789 924. For an international claim, call +617 3360 7735.
You can lodge a claim online – email the claim form and supporting documents from a laptop or smartphone to budgetdirect@travelclaims.com.au.
You can claim by post by downloading your claim form, attaching original receipts and mailing them to:

Budget Direct Travel Insurance

Locked Bag 3018

Toowong DC, QLD 4066

Check out our guide on how to make claiming for travel insurance easier.

Budget Direct has insured over 1.5 million Aussies since it was founded in 2000. It is part of the international Budget Insurance group.

These days, many people know Budget Direct for its hilarious Captain Risky TV ad series, or the older “Boojay Boojay” TV ad series featuring Michelle and Michael.

Budget Direct helps its community by supporting several foundations and causes, including Act for Kids to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect, along with charity events such as RSPCA Cupcake Day & Goods Collection, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea and Movember.

Budget Direct is also an environmentally-minded company. In 2008, it was one of the many companies that advocated for insurance providers to be allowed to present PDS documents electronically rather than in paper form.

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