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08-26-2012, 08:03 PM | #1 |
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OT Budget Direct suck
I have my BMW 135i and a Hyundai Getz with Budget Direct. The Getz is in my wife's name and I have full comprehensive on both cars.
My daughter borrowed the Getz was involved in a rear ender in Sydney (she was in the middle) so we put a no fault claim in to Budget Direct to have her car repaired. After several different requests for information from us including the owners licence and drivers licence images (front and rear), then a few days later, a request now for 5 year driving records for the owner and driver at the time (costs $20 off the RTA site), buts cheques were sent out to cover this cost. Then yet a few more days later, a form to draw and describe the accident. All were complied with promptly, then today I get a call saying the insurance has been denied because my daughter living with us was not actually listed on the policy document. I said, you have to be kidding, this is a not at fault claim. Obviously, no was the reply. I was gob smacked. It's not even a claim for them to cover the damage as the other party has already made a claim against their insurer (AAMI) and admitted liability. The girl said I can now take it up with their own "claims dispute resolution" department or claim directly against AAMI. Why should I have to do that? Even my repairer was surprised. I never drive the Getz, but I can now assume that if my wife drove herself and me to say the railway station and was was to drive the car back home again, I am not insured at all. I can only assume then that Budget Direct will use anything they can to prevent themselves having cover fault and not at fault claims. Budget Love, Budget Drirect... (No love here that's for sure). I will never take any type of insurance at all with Budget Direct ever again.
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08-26-2012, 09:14 PM | #2 |
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Let me start by saying I'm not a lawyer. All I have is experience with lawyers, both personal & professional.
I'd start by reading their PDS, find the clause in it that you believe says they'll cover your specific circumstances. Write to them quoting the specific clause and wording that you believe requires them to act on your behalf. Ask them to either act on your behalf in the matter, or to explain to you why you're not covered. You should ask them to state the clause/s in the PDS that states that you're not covered, and why. This requires them to create a paper trail, which will either clarify why the claims being denied, or if their just "having a go", it'll force them to reconsider. I'm sure there's a lawyer on here that can chime in. If there advice contradicts what I've said - take their advice. Good Luck. |
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08-26-2012, 09:15 PM | #3 |
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Try claim directly against the other parties insurer and leave Budget out of it.
I hate stories like this with insurer's shirking their responsibilities... Not that I've read the fine print or anything but sounds like the general jist of it is that Budget are BS insurers. NRMA & Allianz for the win. Never had an issue with these two and their pricing is still reasonably competitive. Their customer service is top-notch. |
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08-26-2012, 09:45 PM | #4 |
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Its the unfortunate thing that you really need to read the PDS fully to understand exactly what you are paying for. Every insurance company is different and some are better than others. I look at it like this, in the event of a claim, its the insurance companies position to see how they can get out of paying so its up to you to ensure you comply with the PDS. My brother got his first claim rejected after being insured for 5 years because he did not advise them of some speeding fines that he had prior to taking out insurance with them (AAMI). We argued that if this is there position, we effectivly had no insurrance for those 5 years yet they took the premiums. AAMI elected to refund the premiums. Lucky it was a single vehicle accident and the 5 years of premiums covered 95% of the repair. Moral of the story ---- dont assume
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08-26-2012, 10:44 PM | #5 |
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You often have to fight insurance companies, that's just the way it is. They operate on statistics / risk management so if they find that statistically they win overall by refusing a particular type of claim, ( because most people roll over ), they will try it on even when they are wrong to do so. Assesors are also under company pressure to reject or mitigate claims in a first instance if there is any interpretable ground to do so.
As previous writers have stated - read and thoroughly understand your PDF and thereby your rights and obligations. This is your weapon in the fight. |
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08-27-2012, 12:15 AM | #7 |
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08-27-2012, 01:01 AM | #8 |
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Yes, you will have to dig out the PDS as there might be specific clauses to exclude drivers who are not listed in the policy.
You can't really blame anyone as you should read the PDS carefully before taking out the insurance policy. |
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08-27-2012, 01:24 AM | #9 |
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If you're not at fault, I don't see how they can actually decline your claim... I understand your frustration. I'd so do as bmroxm5 says and just get your repairer to go directly through the other party's insurance company.
About NRMA... I had an issue with NRMA (my insurer) one time where a truck ran into me whilst I was overtaking because he tried to turn left from the right lane when he changed his mind about which way he was going. He was clearly at fault but when I put in the claim, NRMA tried to make it out as if I was in the wrong for overtaking the truck... Even though I had evidence such as GPS photos of the intersection, photos of the truck, and I even copied and pasted the legislation saying that only trucks over a certain length AND displaying "Do Not Overtake Turning Vehicle" signs were allowed to turn from the right lane IF they indicated they were turning left. I paid the excess up front to get my car repaired and it took 6 months and the threat of making a complaint before anyone from NRMA got off their ass and just called up the truck driver to ask him if he had plates displayed.... Needless to say I went with GIO for the next couple years. I only went back to NRMA this year because it was like $800 cheaper...lol
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08-27-2012, 01:43 AM | #10 |
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I have found a clause "There will be no cover for loss, damage or liability, arising out of the use of the car by any household member/s not listed on this policy"
Kind of glad of the rear ender now that she was "not at fault" as she would not have been covered at all for a "at fault". That being said, in this particular case, in what way, shape or form am I requesting cover for loss, damage or liability from Budget Direct for a "not at fault" accident. AAMI is the "at fault" insurer, so they cover the lot.
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08-27-2012, 01:52 AM | #11 | |
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have you spoken to the other party yet? are they insured? did he/she admit it was their fault? if so, just ring up their insurance company ask for payment. if the other paty is uninsured or refuse to pay, send him/her a letter of demand or commence debt recovery proceedings. |
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08-27-2012, 01:54 AM | #12 | |
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I'd ring up AAMI and send them your invoice of your quotation you received from your repairer. |
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08-27-2012, 02:06 AM | #13 |
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They don't call themselves budget for no reason.
I use to work for budget direct about 10 years ago... Even with the staff discount I would never have used them. I still prefer nrma. Found their coverage to be less anally retentive. specially given you don't specify mods and more liberal or drivers. You can escalate and go to the ombudsmen if you want. But they also operate on a complaints ratio too. Too few complaints and they know they are too easy so they try and piss a few off... Too many complaints and they push a few marginal ones through. So you are just helping them get a bonus too. Just incase your not mad enough.
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08-27-2012, 02:08 AM | #14 |
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Have rung AAMI and have the car booked in for their preferred repairer on Friday to quote.
Their client has admitted liability, so the car will be fixed. I have just had my preferred repairer send the quote to AAMI, but they want two. Both are within 500 meters of each other, so that's good. I'm still pissed off with BD and will cancel the first of the two policies I have with them tonight after I get alternate cover. Then I will do the other as well never to return.
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08-27-2012, 02:20 AM | #15 | |
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You're not requesting them cover the loss, your requesting them to act on your behalf (to pursue AAMI to recover your costs) - which takes their time and costs them money. If the policy was in effect at the time of the accident, that would be entirely reasonable. However, because your daughter was not named on the policy, while she was driving the car, the policy is not in effect - that is, there is no insurance other than CTP, and therefore BudgetDirect have no involvement. I'm sorry, but I think you're on your own on this one. |
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08-27-2012, 02:28 AM | #16 | |
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What they will argue is - "We guarantee the quality of the work for xx years". And you get to do all the running around. You're the one that's inconvenienced. And it's you that's driving the car when the suspension gives way. Fight to use your repairer so you know it's been done properly. I can see a trip to the Financial Services Industry Ombudsman coming up here. |
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08-27-2012, 02:59 AM | #17 | |
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08-27-2012, 04:33 PM | #18 |
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After reading my BD policy document it appears that they will not cover another driver that lives in the household that is not named on the policy, but will cover "Other driver" not living with you (ie a friend), with an excess.
That's very odd... Anyway, I've cancelled the policy now and gone with NRMA. Worth the bit extra and all I have is an excess for drivers under 25. Also pleased that my preferred repairer's quote is one accepted by AAMI and the other repairer to quote they are want is also one that I would have no hesitation in using. Will be going through any PDS with a fine tooth comb from now on and staying away from cheap crap insurance companies. Thanks for the comments and advice guys...
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08-27-2012, 04:48 PM | #19 |
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Okay, I've just had a similar experience in the past couple of months where my '08 135i was damaged. I was not at fault, and my insurer was AAMI while the "at fault" guy was with NRMA. I suspect the gap between AAMI and NRMA, is similar scale to the gap between AAMI and Budget Direct.
As previously suggested, you can go through the 3rd party's insurrer as long as they've acknowledged to be at fault - that was also the advice I got from the repairers (Mick @ Stow Smash Repairs & Greg @ Peter Mabey BMW as my mechanic) as the AAMI job will always be awarded to the cheapest repairer, which will almost certainly be "their" guy regardless of what shopping around you might do. This is a bit different to how more premium insurers will operate, where you have more choice in the matter - in my case I was able to choose Stow because they're NRMA approved, and although NRMA might try to sway you you can stay firm and it will get done. In my case it was smooth sailing. (I also had a loaner Lexus IS250 throughout the repair process, and which Stow organised for me without prompting.) Now, on the issue of new vs. replacement parts - what NRMA (and I'm sure the others) do is NOT replace with brand new parts unless the vehicle is under 3 years old. This is not usually any particular issue, but if there's two problems with those parts then the third time it will be brand new. (This happened with my driver side mirror replacement for my 2008 1'er - one mirror was faulty, one was the wrong fit... so third time it's brand new.) All of this was enough for me to drop my full benefit, lifetime AAMI insurance and move everything to NRMA this year for basically the same premium as AAMI, but $150 more on excess. NRMA cover mods up to the insured value of the car, including engine mods. Apparently Allianz are a "better" insurer again, but despite a perfect driving record they wouldn't insure me after I ticked the "any mods?" question on the web quote. I'm in my 30's so not really sure what the problem was. Good luck, hope it all works out though obviously there's a bit of pain and frustration to get there. |
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08-27-2012, 10:33 PM | #20 | ||
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Not from Stow themselves, but according to a friend and fellow BMW enthusiast - Stow won't waste your time or theirs quoting on cars insured by AAMI - simply because they are so unlikely to ever get awarded the work - I think that says it all....... |
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08-27-2012, 10:41 PM | #21 |
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Yep, that would echo my experience. I'm so pleased I did my research and made some calls after the guy had hit me. That effort resulted in the best outcome from what was always going to be a crap situation.
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