Know what to look with in a car insurance company

How much do you really know about your car insurance company? For a business that promises to cover your most valuable assets, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about your insurer. At Budget Insurance, we want you to be informed about us – that means the good, the bad, and the ugly. We think transparency about what we do and don’t do is the best way for you to get the cover that fulfills your needs.

In fact, we’re going to give you the low-down on everything you need to know about car insurers in South Africa in general. So, in your quest for an affordable car insurance quote, why not read through our guide below? We can help you identify everything you need to know about the insurance companies you’re considering. That way, you know what you’re getting before you even start a quote.

We look at the kinds of products and benefits every insurer should offer. A wide range of car insurance products, assist benefits, and allowing you to put other drivers on your policy is a good place to start. We give you tips on where you can find reviews on the different car insurers in South Africa. After all, word-of-mouth is still the best way to find out just how reliable a company is.

It’s also important to know how long it takes for your insurance company to settle a claim. You don’t want to be stuck without a car for ages waiting for a final decision on the outcome of your claim.

Lastly, we talk about how you should find out if they cover the cost of towing after an accident, as well as the costs for safe storage. These are the kinds of expenses that add up quickly, so it’s a good idea to double-check with your insurer if they cover these.

South Africa offers so much more

Comprehensive cover

If a car in South Africa is lost, stolen, damaged in an accident, or by a natural event, our comprehensive insurance cover will cover it. If you damage someone else’s vehicle, we will cover that too.

Car insurance types

At Budget Insurance South Africa, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to car cover. Learn all about our Car cover types and find out which is right for you.

Compare car insurance

We share all the tricks in the book to find the best deal on your cover when you compare car insurance quotes.

Spectacular insurance products for South Africans

Car Insurance Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

What products and benefits does the car insurance company offer?

The first thing you need to know about any car insurer is what products they offer. After all, this is what car insurance is all about. At the very least, an insurer should offer a decent range of products. The most common are comprehensive, third-party, fire & theft, and third-party only.

At Budget Insurance, we offer these three options, plus BetterCar Insurance and Budget Lite.

BetterCar has all the same benefits as our Comprehensive insurance option, but it insures your car for its BetterCar value. This allows you to get a newer version of the same model car you drive if yours is written off.

Budget Lite offers more cover than Third-Party Only insurance, while still catering to the smallest budgets.

You will also want to know what benefits you get with your cover. You want an insurer that is there for you not only at claim-time, but when you break down, run out of fuel, lock your keys in your car, or burst a tyre.

And a little cash back after a couple of years doesn’t hurt either.

Can I add other drivers to my car cover policy?

Whether you stay at home with mom and dad, live with your partner, or have older children, chances are that someone else is going to drive your car at some point. Does your insurance company allow others to drive your car? You’ll need to find out about two different kinds of other drivers:

The regular driver: Sometimes, the person taking out the policy isn’t the person who will be driving it the most. This is often the case if you have just bought your child their first car. Your insurer should allow you to list someone else as the regular driver.

Occasional drivers: If you’re on a night out and your friend is the designated sober driver, can they use your car? Ask your car insurance company if you’ll still be covered if your car is in an accident when you aren’t at the wheel.

What are the car insurance company’s reviews like?

Friends and family are always going to give you the most honest reviews about a company, so find out if anyone you know is with any of the insurers you’re looking at. Ask them for the good and the bad – you want to know exactly what you’re getting into. You can also look online at social media pages and review websites to find out what strangers think of them. Just bear in mind that most people don’t go to review sites to compliment a company; you’re likely to see mostly negative reviews. Don’t let these put you off – just take note of the most common complaints people have.

Do I have to pay for towing and storage costs on my car?

At Budget Insurance, when you have a Comprehensive or Third-Party, Fire & Theft policy with us, we will cover all the costs associated with towing your car if it’s not driveable and storing it in a safe location – provided you use our approved tow truck.

Some companies might not cover these costs. Make sure to ask before you accept a car insurance quote, because these expenses can run you into thousands of rands.