Insurance - Direct Line?
Discussion
Hi.
I'm about to renew my insurance on my A6 (daily commute car). I would appreciate any feedback on Direct Line - they gave a good quote. The only thing I can see which you don't get with them is a free courtesy car while yours is being repaired.
Anyone had any positve/negative results with these guys? (mail me directly through my profile if you don't want to mention something in public).
Thanks.
Trefor/.
I'm about to renew my insurance on my A6 (daily commute car). I would appreciate any feedback on Direct Line - they gave a good quote. The only thing I can see which you don't get with them is a free courtesy car while yours is being repaired.
Anyone had any positve/negative results with these guys? (mail me directly through my profile if you don't want to mention something in public).
Thanks.
Trefor/.
My wife's Golf GTi is currently insured with Direct Line. They certainly gave the most competitive quote.
HOWEVER, my wife's previous car (Rover 216SLi), was also insured with them. She was involved in an accident (not her fault) and Direct Line were quite pathetic in their administration of the claim. I had to make all the calls (they seamingly couldn't be bothered to call us) and I never (on the 12 occasions I called) got to speak to our "personal claims administrator". Documents were lost, conflicting reports were given and I really had very little confidence in them.
Eventually they wrote the Rover off. Their offer was below market rate (I felt) so I queried it. After sending evidence of what I felt was a fair price (also mislaid by DL at one point) the offer was upped by several hundred pounds.
All in all, not impressed. Guess that's why they're cheap!
However, this is only my opinion after having to make a claim. My car is insured through Privilege (an off-shoot of DL) and I have had no problems. They too, gave the cheapest quote I could find.
HOWEVER, my wife's previous car (Rover 216SLi), was also insured with them. She was involved in an accident (not her fault) and Direct Line were quite pathetic in their administration of the claim. I had to make all the calls (they seamingly couldn't be bothered to call us) and I never (on the 12 occasions I called) got to speak to our "personal claims administrator". Documents were lost, conflicting reports were given and I really had very little confidence in them.
Eventually they wrote the Rover off. Their offer was below market rate (I felt) so I queried it. After sending evidence of what I felt was a fair price (also mislaid by DL at one point) the offer was upped by several hundred pounds.
All in all, not impressed. Guess that's why they're cheap!
However, this is only my opinion after having to make a claim. My car is insured through Privilege (an off-shoot of DL) and I have had no problems. They too, gave the cheapest quote I could find.
I'd go along with that - had a minor bump in my Mondeo (now there's a surprise! 
) caused by a scrote (and it was Nova boy!) driving from the righthand lane on a roundabout, straight across me (I was in the left hand lane beside him)
They were very eager to just settle the claim on a 50:50 basis and it was only because I kicked up a stink about it that they eventually agreed to have a solicitor look at it.... Settled in my favour before it got to court (like 2 hours before).
Overall impression is that they just want an easy life, take the money, settle between companies and sod your no-claims. To be fair tho, they did get the car fixed in the first place with no questions asked..
Pays yer money, takes yer choice!
) caused by a scrote (and it was Nova boy!) driving from the righthand lane on a roundabout, straight across me (I was in the left hand lane beside him) They were very eager to just settle the claim on a 50:50 basis and it was only because I kicked up a stink about it that they eventually agreed to have a solicitor look at it.... Settled in my favour before it got to court (like 2 hours before).
Overall impression is that they just want an easy life, take the money, settle between companies and sod your no-claims. To be fair tho, they did get the car fixed in the first place with no questions asked..
Pays yer money, takes yer choice!
I too have found privilege not too bad, they certainly helped out when changing multiple cars at the same time and ensuring that I didn't lose any no claims and all cars were insured at all times. They gave the best quotes too.
I guess that most insurance co's are a pain to deal with in an accident...
I guess that most insurance co's are a pain to deal with in an accident...
quote:
Overall impression is that they just want an easy life, take the money, settle between companies and sod your no-claims.
But dont they all?
I found them to very good in the short time I've been with them. If you fancy dealing with Tescos instead they will give you similar quote as they use the same underwriters.
DL/Priv are very cheap on my Porsche, but then I do work for them. 
There are discounts available on other products too, such as 25% off your home ins if you have a motor policy with them.
The best company I know of in terms of settling claims are the NFU Mutual. My sister had an own fault bump which wrote her car off. NFU's first offer was very quick and actually slightly above book value. Start to finish only took a couple of weeks.
>> Edited by Basil Brush on Wednesday 17th July 12:44
There are discounts available on other products too, such as 25% off your home ins if you have a motor policy with them.
The best company I know of in terms of settling claims are the NFU Mutual. My sister had an own fault bump which wrote her car off. NFU's first offer was very quick and actually slightly above book value. Start to finish only took a couple of weeks.
>> Edited by Basil Brush on Wednesday 17th July 12:44
I'd go with Twin Turbo's view. If you make a claim you HAVE to keep on top of them & it was disappointing to have to point out to their claims manager and their legal team that the accident damage report to my car proved that the 'other parties' version of events was 'economical with the truth'.
Saying that, it probably makes them no worse than any of the other big insurance companies & they did eventually sort it out in my favour.
>> Edited by chingfordchimp on Wednesday 17th July 12:58
Saying that, it probably makes them no worse than any of the other big insurance companies & they did eventually sort it out in my favour.
>> Edited by chingfordchimp on Wednesday 17th July 12:58
I'd go with Twin Turbo's view. If you make a claim you HAVE to keep on top of them & it was disappointing to have to point out to them that the accident damage report to my car proved that the 'other parties' version of events.
Saying that, it probably makes them no worse than any of the other big insurance companies.
Saying that, it probably makes them no worse than any of the other big insurance companies.
Just to add - i spoke to them earlier about putting on named drivers - they quoted 300 quid when I was looking at the policy but today it has cost 130 - worth considering.
Also you are given 90 days of cover for any individual over 25 you may wish to insure temorarily (90 days in total).
Also you are given 90 days of cover for any individual over 25 you may wish to insure temorarily (90 days in total).
Reckon Direct Line are ok - ish.. When they first came along they were pretty poorly regarded with their de-skilled telesales staff and cheap n cheerfull way of doing business but over the last few years most other large insurers have lowered their service levels to match. I run a small bokerage and the company we consistantly find to offer the highest level of service is Zurich, actually when I say 'highest' maybe I should say 'least crap', but if they would be the most competitive premium wise for you I dont know. One company worth trying is Norwich Union Direct theyre very aggressive at the moment and if you play them right ( dont tell them what you been quoted already or who by and ask if they can do any better when they give you the quote) then when you can get some very cheap premiums and if you got any fears about financial security bear in mind that they have almost 25% or the entire UK insurance market could most likely buy Direct Line/Privilage out of petty cash..... still tossers to deal with though..
Direct Line are good on price but poor on customer service. Every time they send me my renewal notice I always go on the web and check the price against their website. I.e. last month I got the cost of my renewal through the post at a cost of £896 and then went to their website and got a quote of £750. When I quizzed them they said that the website had a discount of 5% (you do the math)??. When I renewed my insurance they kicked up a fuss saying that they would stop my cover unless I could prove my full no claims.....I found this profound considering that I had insured my car with them for the last couple of years!. I have now moved from s.london to weston-super-mare and rang about getting some money back on my premium whilst informing them of my change of address, the guy on the end of the phone told me that the premium was the same - even though I had previously looked at it on the internet and found it was in fact £250 cheaper - when I got my new certificate through the post I found that they had changed my address but still had the car listed as being kept in da14 some 180 miles away!!
In short they will give you a good price but expect to have to push for any sort of customer service.
Ian
In short they will give you a good price but expect to have to push for any sort of customer service.
Ian
quote:
All as bad as each other - go with the cheapest you can find
When it comes down to it most people buy on price, which DL demonstrated originally by undercutting everyone and gaining a large market share. Sh*t service just means you are more likely to look elsewhere at renewal.
quote:
Direct Line are good on price but poor on customer service. Every time they send me my renewal notice I always go on the web and check the price against their website. I.e. last month I got the cost of my renewal through the post at a cost of £896 and then went to their website and got a quote of £750. When I quizzed them they said that the website had a discount of 5% (you do the math)??. When I renewed my insurance they kicked up a fuss saying that they would stop my cover unless I could prove my full no claims.....I found this profound considering that I had insured my car with them for the last couple of years!. I have now moved from s.london to weston-super-mare and rang about getting some money back on my premium whilst informing them of my change of address, the guy on the end of the phone told me that the premium was the same - even though I had previously looked at it on the internet and found it was in fact £250 cheaper - when I got my new certificate through the post I found that they had changed my address but still had the car listed as being kept in da14 some 180 miles away!!
In short they will give you a good price but expect to have to push for any sort of customer service.
Ian
When I renewed my ex's insurance with them, their quote for renewal they senbt through the post was actually cheaper thasn I could get off the web (I also have a house policy with them - worth taking up as it saves you 10% on your car policy!)
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