Brandwave

Budget Direct vs Southern Cross Travel Insurance:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, Southern Cross Travel Insurance had more branded searches than Budget Direct among travel insurance providers in Australia. Southern Cross Travel Insurance had about 22,200 branded searches, while Budget Direct had 8,100. Southern Cross Travel Insurance made up 19.5% of all travel insurance provider searches we track, and Budget Direct accounted for 7.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about travel insurance providers, Southern Cross Travel Insurance appeared in four of the five answers and Budget Direct in none.

Among travel insurance providers in Australia in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

Southern Cross Travel Insurance, about 3 searches for every 1 for Budget Direct

Southern Cross Travel Insurance 22.2K searchesBudget Direct 8.1K searches

Who does AI mention more?

Southern Cross Travel Insurance, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Budget Direct in 0

Southern Cross Travel Insurance in 4 of 5Budget Direct in 0 of 5

Who does AI recommend more?

Southern Cross Travel Insurance, the only one of the two named

Southern Cross Travel Insurance first in 4Budget Direct never named

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Top travel insurance providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Southern Cross Travel Insurance was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Budget Direct did not appear in any of the five answers.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Southern Cross Travel Insurance1st
  2. 1Cover2nd
  3. Fast Cover3rd
  4. Tick Travel Insurance4th
  5. Cover-More5th
  6. World Nomads5th
  7. Budget Direct–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • 1Cover5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Southern Cross Travel Insurance4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Fast Cover2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Cover-More1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Tick Travel Insurance1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • World Nomads1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Budget Direct0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about travel insurance providers

5 answers

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in Australia on October 22, 2026.

Is Budget Direct or Southern Cross Travel Insurance more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for Budget Direct and Southern Cross Travel Insurance by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven travel insurance providers we track, month by month, from searches in Australia.

Budget Direct and Southern Cross Travel Insurance among travel insurance providers in Australia, by month

Share of searches by month for Southern Cross Travel Insurance, Budget Direct. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthCover-MoreTick Travel InsuranceSouthern Cross Travel InsuranceFast Cover1CoverBudget DirectWorld Nomads
Oct 202526.4%28.1%14.4%14.3%6.4%7.9%2.3%
Nov 202531.3%23.3%14%13.9%7.6%7.6%2.3%
Dec 202527.9%25.4%15.2%12.3%8.3%8.3%2.5%
Jan 202628.9%25.1%15.9%13.4%7.1%7.1%2.6%
Feb 202628.9%25.2%15.8%13.4%7.1%7.1%2.5%
Mar 202625.6%26.1%17.2%14.5%7.7%6.3%2.8%
Apr 202626.5%23%17.7%15%7.9%6.5%3.5%
May 202628.6%20.3%19.2%16.1%7%5.7%3.1%
Jun 202628%19.8%18.8%17.1%8.4%5.6%2.4%
Jul 202627.8%18.9%22.8%15.7%6.8%5.5%2.4%
Aug 202628.1%19.1%23%14%6.9%6.9%2%
Sep 202629.1%20.6%19.5%14.5%7.1%7.1%2.1%

How has the Budget Direct and Southern Cross Travel Insurance comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings

How did search popularity change for Australia travel insurance providers in September 2026?

2 changes

  1. In September 2026, Tick Travel Insurance overtook Southern Cross Travel Insurance to rank 2nd among travel insurance providers in Australia, with 20.6% of the searches.

  2. In September 2026, Southern Cross Travel Insurance lost share of searches among travel insurance providers in Australia, from 23% to 19.5%.

How are branded searches counted?

2 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Budget Direct’s and Southern Cross Travel Insurance’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

Budget Direct

1 branded search term

  • budget direct travel insurance

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

1 branded search term

  • southern cross travel insurance

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among travel insurance providers

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