Advantages: ease of use, good quotes
Disadvantages: telephone only

...Nightmare scenario - two months into an annual policy, all prepaid, your insurance underwriter goes bust! Argh! This happened to me (and many others) with the demise of Drake Insurance earlier this year. What this actually meant to policyholders depended very much on the broker you had used, and I had the good fortune of having gone via Budget! My initial decision to use Budget was based entirely on cost - the quote was approx. £60 cheaper than the competitors. However, when Drake sank (excuse the pun) Budget showed its worth. I have heard from others who lost the remainder of their policy and the premium and were having to to the policyholders protection board (if that is the right name) to look for compensation. Budget, however, after letting us sweat for a while, merely asked for the return of the old insurance documents and issued... Read review

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Advantages: No advantages
Disadvantages: High rates and low service

...I was with Budget for 6months, and the main reason why I went with them was I did not have the chance to phone around and get a better quote. I had just purchased a car of which I was due to collect the next day, so I needed insurance fast. I was a new driver (of 21yrs at the time) with an old car ('E' reg Metro) so I was charged around £700apr. I accepted that £700 was the average amount I would be charged for 'Third Party, Fire & Theft' insurance. That was until 6months after and I bought myself a new car ('S' reg Micra)and found out otherwise. I spent at least 30minutes trying to get through to Budget's call centre only to discover that they wanted me to pay £1'500apr for fully comprehensive insurance. Needless to say I cancelled my policy with them (of which I had to pay to do) and went to Direct Line. Direct Line were... Read review

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Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Everything

...I had been with Budget insurance for a few years after I was tempted in by getting a good quote. This insurance policy cost never changed since I had the policy. I found it ok to pay month but a bit anoying receiving a new certificate every month. I phoned them, to get a quote and they quoted my cheaper. I questioned them why the policy I already had with them had neverf fallen and they basically gave me a rubbish excuse about why it worked out like this. I later phone Norwhich Union nad received a really good Quote. I decided to change over to them. A few months ago Norwich Union phoned my to tell my policy had gone down by five pounds !!!!! something that Budget should actually think about doing !!!!! Do not use them they will mess you around........ Read review

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Advantages: Service
Disadvantages: None

...After being with Budget insurance for quite a few years and being RIPPED OFF !!!! I moved to Norwhich Insurance. Tehy were very polite and the Quote was outstanding. We literally halfed our insurance policy and this was by doing it by Direct Debit. I have only claimed once from them and that was when my windscreen was smashed by someone. I telephoned them and they organised for an Autoglass block to come out. He arrived in about an hour. What a service. He fixed the windscreen ( I had to pay excess of £50) and I was on the road again. One this I can say about Norwich Union is that there insurances beat or match all others and their customer service standard are very high. I really would reccommend anyone to join Norwhich Union for these reasons alone.... Read review

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Advantages: Prices, good cars, clean cars
Disadvantages: Counter staff, added charges

...I have used Budget car hire on a number of occasions from Belfast International Airport over the years. I usually book through an on-line agent called 'Auto Europe' who provide very competitive rates & discounts for regular use. The service provide by Budget staff is at best patchy. I normally book insurance in advance to protect my excess wavier of £600 which Budget charges anything up to £17.50 a day for. My on line charge works out at £3.80 a day for the same cover, when you decline it from the Budget staff they do get a bit tetchy, I guess they must get a percentage from the booking. One day I refused their excess protection & so then they added 'cross border' insurance for travelling to Dublin with. When I queried this charge, again they become very tetchy. I stated that each time I used Budget they ask me where I'm travelling... Read review

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Advantages: Simple and Quick
Disadvantages: none

...This is how easy insuring your car should be. Make a phone call, give some details, get insurance. Life is already too hectic without having to run about chasing up quotes. I have learned over the years that this is the most reasonably priced insurance service about. They will deal with everything over the phone and by post and tale your payments by Direct Debit. I made a claim once and thought Uh-oh here we go. No, even that was sinplicity itself and within 2 months everything was taken care of. This is so simple I wouldn't go anywhere else now.... Read review

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Advantages: low price
Disadvantages: none

...Last september it weas time to renew my insurance again, i had a quote from express insurance brokers but decided to see if i could better there quote on the internet, i went onto a comparison site, i cant remember which one it scanned a lot of insurance quotes for me and came up with budget as the cheapest which was also cheaper than the quote that express insurance group had gotten me. I opted for fully comp insurance with my no claims bonus protected, full legal cover and a £200 excess if my car was in an accident and a £60 excess on the glass. For this i payed just £196 for a year which i payed as one payment by debit card. I was realy hapy to get a good deal and only have to pay that much but after a stone hit my windscreen and put a chip in it i became a little hesitant as to weather they would offer all they had said they would... Read review

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Advantages: Fine if you NEVER need to contact Customer Services or make a claim
Disadvantages: Incompetent, unhelpful, patronising employees

.... Needless to say, no phonecall. I left it two days before I phoned again and third employee said the second one "could never have said they'd phone back that quickly" and that it takes 7 days to get permission to listen to a phonecall. I complained and a was told a manager would phone me. She did, but although my landline was free she phoned my mobile and left a curt message saying she was "returning my call". No word as to getting my insurance sorted out, nor the patronising incompetence of Budget's call centre operatives. I could go on but I'm just too frustrated - this is just to warn people that Budget Home Insurance customer service will treat you, the customer, like dirt. In the end I gave up trying to get my policy altered and, with only a month to go on my Budget policy anyway, vowed to go with another company never to return.... Read review

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Advantages: none
Disadvantages:

...What a bland and boring rip off of Direct Line's original commercial this is!! Well this is just another of those insurance companies ad's which come into the catergory of 'can't afford to advertise on t.v, can't afford not to'. It's just the same as all of the other discount insurance and legal companies that have jumped on the band wagon of non prime time advertising. The ad is so boring that whenever it comes on the t.v I am forced to turn the set over. I'm sorry to have picked on this one but if I were to mention them all then it would take me the next ten years to complete this opinion.... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap initially
Disadvantages: ** Dodgy business practices - please read **

...This is a warning about Budget Insurance www.budgetinsurance.com I took out some fully comprehensive insurance a year ago due to them being competitive and having friendly staff. My girlfriend had an accident this year and to Budget's credit they sorted everything out relatively easily, the car was written off and they paid up quite quickly (at least their underwriters did anyway) but the car was only £300 so it wasn't like it broke the bank or anything, so far so good. Then came the nightmare. They have charged my credit card for renewing the insurance without even asking me if I wanted it renewing. I no longer own the car and have no use for the insurance so obviously I don't want it. I phoned up and got put through to their customer services department in Cape Town, South Africa. They were very unfriendly and said they had sent... Read review

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