Direct Line Reviews

Name: Direct Line
Rating: 1.55

1.6 Rating 262 Reviews

13 %

of reviewers recommend Direct Line

Company Reviews

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1.6

Based on 262 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.2 out of 5

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Direct Line 1 star review on 17th December 2024

David Onyett

Direct Line 1 star review on 19th October 2022

Mike

Direct Line 1 star review on 13th February 2021

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

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“I had been with direct line for car insurance for a year. No accidents, no claims at all. On 20th November at 7.10am I received an email with the following in large letters: We are not going to offer to renew your car insurance for your Mercedes E Class.' No explanation given in the body of the letter, no gentle introduction and a sorry comment only in the last sentence. I immediately phoned the company when they opened at 9.00am and was told that it was based on information from the DVLA. On Monday I phoned the DVLA and they told me that they had not sent a letter to any insurer. I phoned the company again and they just said that it was due to a problem with the driver or car and they wanted me to accept this and just go. Unsettled and annoyed by this attitude I refused to let this be without an explanation. How would I get further insurance if I had to say my insurer had refused to renew my cover? I put in a complaint and was phoned by a representative of DL the next day who said that the underwriters had reviewed cover and that my car and model was not going to be covered by them anymore. I said why did they not tell me that in the initial letter and word it less aggressively. He apologised but I feel this whole affair could have been avoided by the company thinking it out more before sending a curt and stark letter without any explanation which caused me dismay. Also that lying to me about the DVLA was totally unacceptable. Therefore I would advise against using this company for car insurance and when my home insurance cover becomes due in March will consider going elsewhere.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“9 months since I have claimed for a small amount of wind damage on my property a roofing job which I am told should take 1 day has still not been completed . The scaffolding was put up 2 months ago workmen turned up with no materials so left saying they would have to get materials and come back.I have also not been compensated for work I had to arrange to be done myself despite direct line telling me to do this in February .Unable to contact them by phone this week ( as email is ignored)Unsure what else I can do now but ido know I will not be renewing with them.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I’ve been on hold for nearly an hour to make a change, no mention of this when I took the policy out this afternoon & I can’t make the change online so please don’t reply with that.. get more staff!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Absolutely shocking from an insurance company trying to get to speak to someone nearly 2hrs , when I asked the question I needed answered put on hold for yet another 15 mins , also told them they need more staff to answer phones , they want everything done through a portal , but that doesn't work when your buying a new van and to switch the insurance over , I can only say when this policy is up I will be shopping about and I will read reviews before deciding”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Hostile and unhelpful. After suffering smoke damage from a neighbouring house fire I spent over 30 minutes trying to ask a question. I was aggressively interrogated before being told that I needed to pay £250 excess. I wasn’t even trying to make a claim! I only wanted advice. They’ve been taking our money for years and when we needed help they abandoned us. We nearly burned to death. A grabbing, ghastly company. Avoid.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I have been a customer for 3 years with every year being an auto renewal.. Today I was stopped by traffic police telling me I had no insurance on my car I phoned direct line while in the back of the police car and was told that the auto renewal was cancelled for this year, I asked him why and he couldn't give me an answer. Yes I understand I should have checked the document but it had my renewal on and it had been auto renewed the past two years so I just went with it as that was that. I will never go with them again I now have a £300 fine and 6 points on my licence.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I have been with direct line car insurants for a number of years This years renewal was £50 higher its took 3 hours to speak to some one I have found it £58 cheaper with another insurer by by direct line”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Absolute disgrace! Trying to speak to someone in damages team to chase funds for a third party claim. being advised that he could not speak to me as it was on behalf of a third party and that I would need to email. No email address given or any direction whatsoever. I enquired why it would need to be via email as it was purely to chase funds as we had been advised previously that they would be doing so. Again, advised no. I asked for his name and he advised he was ending the call. Unbelievable!!!!! You advise you record all your calls and I sincerely hope you listen to this one.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Been on the phone 1 hour 20 mins now , still in a que they didn't take my DD for sept 22 , had a text saying "your card payment hasn't gone through for June 2022" (?) please call us ,, no fault of mine ,,,,,,, still waiting in the que !!! Pathetic avoid”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I won't be using them again, very, very disappointed. Made the simple job of getting a windscreen replaced extremely difficult, forcing me to do 60 mile round trip as Direct Line wouldn't provide enough budget to use a local windscreen supplier. They did however offer to have car picked up and repaired, but unfortunately this did not include the cars return?!!! My policy wasn't the cheapest of quotes I had, but I thought I would use a company who used to be good. Windscreen repair will either cost me half a days work or £150 if I choose a local company myself. I thought insurance was supposed to cover you properly for things like this. Direct Line don't seem to care.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“They stole money from account after automatically renewing a policy I didn’t want because the premium had gone up so much. They then refused to pay my money back when requested so they still have £700 of my money.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Took out house insurance with them. Had to make a claim due to a burst pipe.Terrible customer service, whole experience diabolical. Will never use them again”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Appalling wait times (now been over 45 mins, still nothing). No easy way to cancel the policy online. They continue with auto-renew even after you've tried to turn it off online. Just dreadful. Avoid,”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“DirectLine quoted me £1815 with a £250 excess and zero extras,went on Comparethemarket and was quoted between £600 and £800 with a £100 excess and courtesy car. I wonder who I'll go with......?”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Car insurance no help with premiums at all”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I tried to renew my motor insurance online but without success. To receive an existing customer discount you must call them and then wait an interminable amount of time whilst being reminded ever 20 seconds or so that you can renew on line. This is an awful system and the company is rapidly going downhill - why?”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I’ve been with Direct Line for car insurance for many years. I never had to make a claim, but they were always prompt on renewals etc, and given that they were cheaper on home insurance than my existing ones thought I’d make the switch (and their advertising was impressive, plumber turns up to fix the leaking tap while they’re still on the phone to the insurers etc). So they’re prompt at signing you on, but in our experience when it comes to making a claim the reality is utterly different. Their customer service has been the worst I’ve ever experienced (and I’m 69). We had a fire in our bedroom on June 20th – a mirror on the windowsill had reflected sunlight onto the curtains (very thick drape, like to have the room dark at night, not flimsy things) and set them alight. The fire spread up into the ceiling. Fortunately, and unusually, we were in the house at the time, and put it out, within minutes. As the fire had spread to the ceiling, we called the Fire Brigade, who said it would have taken hold in a few minutes and burned the place down, and we should really have just exited rather than trying to stop it. So there is still some damage. New curtains needed, new curtain rail, new carpet, replastering the ceiling, replacing an armchair and cushions, replacing panes of glass that cracked in the heat etc… Haven’t had a single response from Direct Line in nearly the two months of sending the claim in. Have spent hours on the phone with them (waiting for them to pick it up) and online with their virtual assistant. On two occasions when I managed to get through they said someone would be in touch within a couple of days, and nothing happened. On the third occasion, I got through on the phone after an hour waiting, got a claim reference, and was transferred to their loss adjuster, Sedgewick, who picked up the phone after another hour, and said somebody would definitely be in touch that day. That was a week ago. The bedroom is not uninhabitable for us. I realise it’s not a big issue, in that sense, in terms of house fires. Though I do miss sleeping without curtains. And there’s still the stink of charred furnishings – what are we meant to do with that, take them to the dump? Clear out the evidence of the fire? It just seems like if they never reply, most claimants are likely to give up. That’s their business philosophy. Because actually dealing with the claim would take vastly less time, all-round.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“We made a claim nearly a month ago on the same day we had a fire in the bedroom (reflected sunlight from a mirror set the thick drape curtains alight). Curtains, carpet, cracked windows and furniture need replacing. It is habitable, but still charred and smelly. The Fire Brigade said if we hadn't been in the house and put it out in minutes the whole place would have burned down. We have had no acknowledgement from Direct Line. I've been in touch three times, online and on the phone (each time taking an hour or so) and was assured someone would be in touch within a couple of days. Today, the third time, after a couple of hours, got a claims number, and was redirected to the their loss adjuster, Sedgewick, who said someone would be back to us today. No news yet. Appalling service.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Phoned about a claim which was entered 13 months ago. Hit and run driver. I paid £1000 excess upfront and was told it would be paid back to me because it was the fault of the second person. Tried phoning them about this only to be cut off by them. Quick enough to take your money, but when it comes to a claim, they hang up on you. WOULD NEVER RECCOMEND THIS COMPANY TO EVEN MY WORST ENEMY. SHOCKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS..AVOID AVOID AVOID”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Hung on phone for 1/2 hr and never got through. Tried to deal with it online but told to ring. Very poor non-service”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

Direct Line is rated 1.6 based on 262 reviews