A couple’s ordinary night turned into a devastating ordeal when thieves struck their home, leaving them not only without their car but also facing unexpected challenges with their insurer.

What seemed like a simple case of theft quickly spiralled into a fight for fairness.

This raises questions about what’s truly covered when disaster strikes.

A Gold Coast couple were left facing a $40,000 loss after their new car was stolen from their garage, with their insurance claim rejected because they had left the keys inside the vehicle.

Guy and Nadine Broadbent had been asleep when thieves broke into their home last August, prying open a locked gate and entering the garage through the laundry door.

At 4:00 am, Guy awoke to discover their 2023 Kia Seltos Sport sedan was gone.

Gold Coast pair lose $40K in car theft. Image source: Getty/dardespot

The couple quickly lodged a claim with Budget Direct, only to have it denied because the keys were found in the centre console.

‘The car was secured in the garage. They’ve gone through our home, into the garage, lifted up the roller door and taken off in the car,’ Guy shared.

He added: ‘I feel silly for being honest with them (police) but I’m an honest person and do the right thing.’

Guy explained: ‘I told them the car was locked up in the garage and the key was in the centre console. We got broken into and they’ve driven away with it.’

Sadly, the car has never been recovered.

In a letter to the Broadbents, Budget Direct explained that the claim was being denied due to the keys being left in the car.

The insurer stated: ‘You must ensure that you or the person in charge or control of the car, lock the car, activate any required security devices, and keep all keys, remote locking devices or proximity keys safe and secure.’

The letter further clarified: ‘This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring all keys, remote locking devices or proximity keys are not left in the car.’

The couple appealed to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, but their request was unsuccessful.

On Sunrise, reporter Georgie Costi shared the story, calling it ‘a reminder to everyone to always read the fine print’.

She explained: ‘Guy and Nadine...were fast asleep when thieves actually forced their way into their home.’

‘They used tools to break in via the side door and the laundry. They made their way into the garage then when they were able to steal a brand new $40,000 car.’

Georgie continued: ‘The couple woke up...realised the car was stolen and they reported it stolen to police and the insurer, and they were honest—they revealed the keys were in the centre console.’

‘That’s when things got really tricky.’

‘The insurer, Budget Direct, refused to pay out the claim.’

She added: ‘The couple are furious...but the insurer says the keys needed to be locked away and stored safely.’

In a previous story, concerns were raised about insurance policies leaving customers vulnerable when they need support the most.

Now, an investment watchdog has taken action against QBE over claims of ‘misleading’ insurance policies.

Read on to learn more about the crackdown on questionable insurance practices.

Key Takeaways

• A Gold Coast couple, Guy and Nadine Broadbent faced a $40,000 loss after their car was stolen from their garage while they were asleep, and their insurance claim was denied because the keys were left inside the vehicle.
• The thieves broke into the Broadbents' home by prying open a gate and entering through the laundry door, making off with the car by lifting the garage roller door.
• Budget Direct denied the claim, citing that keys must be kept safe and secure, and not left inside the car, according to the policy.
• Despite appealing to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, the Broadbents' claim remained rejected, with the insurer maintaining that the keys needed to be locked away safely.

With insurers’ fine print often coming into play during difficult times, how far should we go to protect ourselves from unexpected claims issues?

Share your thoughts in the comments below–we’d love to hear your take!

 

[Penny4]

That's an expensive lesson to learn for them. No good pleading innocent to everybody, as it won't make a difference to insurance companies if you leave your keys in your unlocked car.