Budget Insurance Misleading advertising and unreasonable mid-term premium increase

Misleading advertising and unreasonable mid-term premium increase I am posting this review to warn other consumers about my experience with Budget Insurance. My agreed insurance premium was R1,534.88. Before the 12-month policy period ended, and despite being claims-free with no changes to my policy, Budget Insurance increased my premium to R1,917.55 — an increase of close to 30%. The insured vehicle is now another year older, which would normally indicate lower risk, yet the premium was still increased. When I contacted Budget Insurance, I was told there was nothing they could do, and the only option offered was to increase my excess to reduce the premium. This is not a fair solution, as it simply transfers more risk to the customer instead of justifying the increase. I would also like to caution consumers not to be misled by the large highway billboards advertising extremely cheap insurance (such as “insurance from R15 or R30 a day”). In my experience, these advertised figures are not realistic or sustainable, and once you are a customer, premiums can increase sharply without proper justification. Based on my experience, Budget Insurance does not honour reasonable expectations around premium stability, even for claims-free customers, and their advertising does not reflect the true long-term cost of the cover. I strongly advise anyone considering Budget Insurance to: read the fine print very carefully, get everything confirmed in writing, and compare alternatives before committing. I am sharing this review so other consumers can make an informed decision and avoid the frustration I have experienced.