Holly HY / 06 July 2024 / Categories: High Street Brands, Corporate Brands

DIRECT LINE INSURANCE COMPANY

15 Year Customer with maximum no claims discount

Update as of 8th August, 2024

The corporate complaints department sent me a cheque for £375 which I was grateful for. When I subtract the £375 from my increased annual premium it brings it to about a 20% increase in my premium which I can live with as I have to have insurance with someone and after this experience and what I have found out from independent insurance assessors they all run their businesses in the same fashion.

The information I have been given by people in the industry not aligned with any one insurer; get the cheapest you can and then pray you never need to make a claim.

I wanted to break down my car insurance experience with Direct Line over the last twelve months after 15 years loyal patronage with absolutely no issues and a maximum 9 years no claims bonus protected as part of my annual premium which last year was £447 full comprehensive.

In August last year I found myself in a strange situation, at the hands of an over zealous traffic warden. I was involved in an ongoing feud dispute with a local traffic warden having received an unprecedented amount of parking tickets, something I was taking up with the local council.

To cut a long story short said Traffic warden was in the habit of waiting by cars to catch people and in my case used his body cam CC TV to enable a motor bike owner whose bike I touched when in haste I left a parking space (I was parked legally), to make a claim against me, when he had been the one to cause me to escape in haste to n the first place. Of course when I found out I explained to Direct Line the whole circumstances and told them clearly I didn’t want to settle a claim £690 for a two week bike rental while the said bike was checked over to find surprise surprise there was absolutely no damage. They told me it was in my best interest just to settle because in insurance terms the claim was very small and my no claims bonus was protected.I believed Direct Line even though when I asked to see the evidence they would not release it to me.

In October I was hit whilst stationary by an 82 year old also insured with Direct Line. The damage to my car was estimated at £8000. My car was written off. The blue book value was about £3000 but Direct Line offered approximately £1200 not enough to replace my vehicle for the same or similar. I did try to negotiate but learned throughout the claims process it’s a battle you just cannot win. I also discovered retrospectively it would have been way better for me, as a no fault claimant to hire an independent agent to fight for me. I naively believed my insurer would have my best interests at heart.

After 8 weeks of fighting and me refusing to settle the claim because it wasn’t enough to buy an equivalent car, on Christmas Eve, 23, Direct Line cancelled the hire vehicle provided on my policy and left me without a car over the whole Christmas period. I had to buy a new car on a credit card.

I did write to the new CEO Adam Winslow, email address for Adam Winslow is Adam.Winslow@directlinegroup.co.uk and although his joining was delayed until March 24 I was channelled through the executive complaints procedure and was awarded £300 compensation.

So to recap: 15 year customer without incident. £690 claim based on harassment by a traffic warden already being investigated by the local council for a motor bike that sustained no damage whatsoever.

Then being smashed into whilst stationary at a junction by an 82 year old driver and my car being written off. No fault claim

Blue book value approx £3000, Direct Line payout £1200.

In June, 24 this year my policy auto renewed and my premium skyrocketed from £447 annually to over £1200.

I have been speaking to Direct Line now for almost a week. Angela Fey in executive complaints was my last contact on 0208 970 7030.

I have got my premium down to about £850 a year, hey only 100% increase on last year.

When I decided to lose my no claims bonus protection (it didn’t work anyway) and move from fully comprehensive to third party fire and theft, on the basis they don’t pay out anyway it was a monthly saving of about £6.

The representative at Direct Line when she could do absolutely nothing to address my valid points and questions, she did tell me she had seen significant increases in premiums over the last 12-18 months but was unable to tell me a mean increase percentage. At this point I did suggest she was making it up as she went along to which she kindly suggested I shop around.

After my extensive experience of the inside workings of a massive insurance company, for a product required by law, car insurance, I have decided to stay with Direct Line, to my mind, it has been so shocking, better the devil you know.