I’m an insurance expert and these are the companies Australians should never use and their dirty tricks including Budget Direct, Qantas and Coles
Former insurance risk and compliance executive Luke Dugdell has criticised several Australian insurers, saying he would not choose brands operated by Auto & General, including Budget Direct, Qantas Insurance and Coles Insurance. He alleges some insurers treat customers unfairly when claims are made and says stronger legal requirements are needed to make relevant information available.
Dugdell, who now runs claims assistance company Claims Hero, described a case in which a homeowner allegedly learnt two years later that an insurer had a document about restoration work that may have addressed mould. He says requests for the document under the General Insurance Code of Practice and Privacy Act were refused. He also criticised broadly worded “good condition” clauses, though the supplied article text ends before explaining that issue in detail.
In short
- Luke Dugdell criticised Auto & General insurance brands.
- He alleges a homeowner was kept from a mould-related document.
- He wants laws requiring insurers to disclose relevant records.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Dugdell’s account, if accurate, suggests customers can be left unable to assess or challenge claim decisions when insurers withhold relevant documents. Broadly worded policy conditions may also make it difficult for people to know what they must disclose or maintain, supporting his call for clearer disclosure duties and stronger legal protections.
The case against
A single disputed claim and an advocate’s account do not establish that the insurers named routinely treat customers unfairly; documents may be withheld for reasons that depend on the circumstances and applicable rules. Insurers can also argue that policy conditions and limits help define cover consistently, and that criticism should be assessed against the full claim record and each policy’s wording.
Explained simply
Insurance policies set out what a customer is covered for and what they must do when making a claim. In Australia, the General Insurance Code of Practice and privacy law provide rules for insurers, including how they handle claims and customers’ personal information.
Luke Dugdell is a former insurance risk and compliance executive who now runs Claims Hero, a company that helps people with claims. He has criticised several Australian insurance brands, including Budget Direct, Qantas Insurance and Coles Insurance, which he says are operated by Auto & General.
The issues matter because customers may need an insurer’s records to understand how a claim was assessed or to challenge a decision. Dugdell argues that clearer legal requirements could help ensure relevant information is available; his claims are allegations and do not, on their own, establish that an insurer acted improperly.