1 reviews | Active since Jul 2025
Budget Insurance – My Experience With a Total-Loss Claim | ⭐ 1/5
I am sharing my experience with Budget Insurance following a total-loss motor vehicle claim arising from an accident in February 2026.
What disappointed me most was not simply the settlement amount. It was the difficulty I experienced in obtaining clear and consistent answers to basic questions about the figures and documentation used in my claim.
Among the issues I raised were:
• Mileage: The assessment documentation reflected approximately 160,000 km, while I provided evidence showing the vehicle was around 68,000 km. I repeatedly asked where the 160,000 km figure came from. I was ultimately told that mileage was not used in determining the retail value, but I never received a clear explanation of the source of the incorrect mileage recorded on the assessment documentation.
• Previous damage: A deduction of R7,178.00 was app****. The assessment referred to an estimated repair cost of R10,684.02. My question was not whether R7,178 was less than R10,684.02. I wanted to know how the specific R7,178.00 figure was calculated. I did not receive a clear itemised explanation of its source.
• Night-driving excess: A night-driving excess was initially app**** even though the accident occurred at approximately 21h45–21h50, while the stated night-driving period was 23h00–05h00. After I challenged it, Budget confirmed that it had been removed. It later appeared again in documentation submitted during the NFO process and was subsequently explained as an administrative error.
• Retail value: Budget documentation reflected R174,400.00, while the NFO recommendation referred to R177,400.00. I wanted to understand the reason for this R3,000 difference and which figure was actually used.
• Fresh valuation: I requested that a fresh valuation be performed using the verified mileage of approximately 68,000 km, so that the issue could be conclusively established. This was not done.
I eventually accepted the NFO recommendation and instructed Budget Insurance to proceed with finalising the claim. I am not seeking to reopen the matter or dispute the settlement.
My frustration was about accuracy, transparency and accountability. When a customer asks where a figure came from, I believe they should receive a clear answer supported by the relevant documentation.
The process was prolonged and stressful, and I felt that I had to repeatedly follow up and escalate matters simply to obtain clarity.
I am sharing this review because it reflects my genuine experience. I hope it helps other consumers dealing with total-loss claims to carefully check their valuations, deductions, excesses and supporting documents.
My advice: keep your service history, tracker records, inspection reports, photographs and every email. Check every figure carefully before accepting a settlement.
This is my experience and my opinion based on how my claim was handled.
Rating: ⭐ 1/5
Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely regret the frustration you experienced during the handling of your claim. We understand your concerns regarding the clarity and consistency of information provided, including the mileage, deductions, excesses, and valuation figures.
Kind regards,
Budget Insurance Team
Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely regret the frustration you experienced during the handling of your claim. We understand your concerns regarding the clarity and consistency of information provided, including the mileage, deductions, excesses, and valuation figures.
Kind regards,
Budget Insurance Team
I want to clarify that this review is not a request to reopen my claim, reconsider the NFO recommendation, or seek any additional payment. The claim has been finalised, I have accepted the outcome, and I have moved on.
I gave Budget Insurance months to answer these questions before I escalated the matter to the NFO. I followed up repeatedly, and my policy and identification details were already on record throughout the claims process.
For that reason, asking me publicly for my policy or ID number after the claim has been finalised does not address the substance of the experience I have described. From my perspective, I would have preferred the specific concerns raised in my review to be addressed rather than being directed to a private channel.
The questions remain straightforward:
1. Where did the 160,000 km figure recorded in the assessment documentation come from?
2. How was the specific R7,178.00 previous-damage deduction calculated?
3. Why was the night-driving excess removed after I challenged it and subsequently included again in documentation submitted during the NFO process before later being explained as an administrative error?
4. Why did Budget's documentation reflect R174,400.00, while the NFO recommendation referred to R177,400.00?
I asked these questions repeatedly during the claims process. They were not questions about enrichment or about receiving more money. They were questions about the figures and documentation supp**** to me by Budget Insurance.
I am not asking Budget to reopen anything. I am not asking for additional money. I am simply sharing my honest experience of how my claim was handled so that other consumers can make informed decisions.
If Budget Insurance genuinely wants to use this feedback to improve transparency and communication, I believe the most meaningful response would be to address the specific questions above rather than simply request information that was already available throughout my claim.
I have provided the claim number above for identification purposes. If Budget chooses to respond publicly, I would appreciate a response to the issues raised here rather than being directed to another private conversation, particularly because these questions were already raised privately during the claims process.
The matter is closed from my side. This review is simply my record of the experience.
I want to clarify that this review is not a request to reopen my claim, reconsider the NFO recommendation, or seek any additional payment. The claim has been finalised, I have accepted the outcome, and I have moved on.
I gave Budget Insurance months to answer these questions before I escalated the matter to the NFO. I followed up repeatedly, and my policy and identification details were already on record throughout the claims process.
For that reason, asking me publicly for my policy or ID number after the claim has been finalised does not address the substance of the experience I have described. From my perspective, I would have preferred the specific concerns raised in my review to be addressed rather than being directed to a private channel.
The questions remain straightforward:
1. Where did the 160,000 km figure recorded in the assessment documentation come from?
2. How was the specific R7,178.00 previous-damage deduction calculated?
3. Why was the night-driving excess removed after I challenged it and subsequently included again in documentation submitted during the NFO process before later being explained as an administrative error?
4. Why did Budget's documentation reflect R174,400.00, while the NFO recommendation referred to R177,400.00?
I asked these questions repeatedly during the claims process. They were not questions about enrichment or about receiving more money. They were questions about the figures and documentation supp**** to me by Budget Insurance.
I am not asking Budget to reopen anything. I am not asking for additional money. I am simply sharing my honest experience of how my claim was handled so that other consumers can make informed decisions.
If Budget Insurance genuinely wants to use this feedback to improve transparency and communication, I believe the most meaningful response would be to address the specific questions above rather than simply request information that was already available throughout my claim.
I have provided the claim number above for identification purposes. If Budget chooses to respond publicly, I would appreciate a response to the issues raised here rather than being directed to another private conversation, particularly because these questions were already raised privately during the claims process.
The matter is closed from my side. This review is simply my record of the experience.
Thank you for your feedback and for providing further context regarding your experience.
We would like to clarify that HelloPeter automatically censors customers' personal information, policy numbers, claim numbers, and identification details on public reviews. This is the reason we requested that you contact us via private message, as the information required to identify and review a specific matter is not always visible to us on the public platform.
We acknowledge your statement that the claim has been finalised and that you are not seeking to reopen the matter or request any additional compensation. We also note the concerns you have raised regarding the figures, deductions, and documentation referenced during the claims process.
Our request for a private message was not intended to avoid addressing your concerns, but rather to ensure that we could correctly identify the claim and review the relevant records in line with privacy and data protection requirements.
We appreciate the time you have taken to share your experience and feedback. Customer feedback, including concerns relating to communication, transparency, and clarity of documentation, is valuable to us and helps us identify opportunities for improvement.
Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention.
Kind regards,
Budget Insurance Team
Thank you for your feedback and for providing further context regarding your experience.
We would like to clarify that HelloPeter automatically censors customers' personal information, policy numbers, claim numbers, and identification details on public reviews. This is the reason we requested that you contact us via private message, as the information required to identify and review a specific matter is not always visible to us on the public platform.
We acknowledge your statement that the claim has been finalised and that you are not seeking to reopen the matter or request any additional compensation. We also note the concerns you have raised regarding the figures, deductions, and documentation referenced during the claims process.
Our request for a private message was not intended to avoid addressing your concerns, but rather to ensure that we could correctly identify the claim and review the relevant records in line with privacy and data protection requirements.
We appreciate the time you have taken to share your experience and feedback. Customer feedback, including concerns relating to communication, transparency, and clarity of documentation, is valuable to us and helps us identify opportunities for improvement.
Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention.
Kind regards,
Budget Insurance Team