Directline Complaints.com

Are you about to buy insurance over the phone or internet from Direct Line? STOP and read this first! It could save you a lot of money if you do.

Latest Court Notes - from Thursday Feb 19th

Disclaimer: This site represents an individual's opinion,

if you want the opinion of RBS executives Angus, Freddie or George,

you can contact them at home, here are their addresses:

(Warning: you will find them neither friendly or honest)

Sir Angus Grossart - Ex-Director, Directline & RBS

Pitcullow Castle, Dairsie, Cupar, Fife, KY15 4SQ

Sir Fred "the shred" Goodwin - Chief Group Executive

8 Oswald Rd, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH9 2HF

Sir George Mathewson - Chairman RBS Group

Merklands House, Ballintuim, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 7NN

Here's a link so you can get a map and driving directions Click here

Mission Statement

This site is dedicated to informing the public of the not so friendly, convenient or ethical practices of this behemoth company. It is very difficult to get this company into court and it has virtually bought the media in Britain with its' colossal advertising budget!

If you have a genuine complaint against Direct Line Insurance PLC, by airing it here you may be able to help others who have similar difficulties with this company and persuade people from making the mistake of trusting Direct Line in the first place. There are decent insurance companies you can insure your valuables with in Great Britain, but Direct Line is not one of them. It is important that details discussed on this website are factually correct and there are no misrepresentations. For obvious reasons we cannot mention specific names when litigation is ongoing.

This site is absolutely nothing to do with the company other than it has been started by customers who have been mistreated by them.  If you feel you have been badly treated by this company or have an outstanding claim, then this is your chance to say exactly what is occurring in your situation, the media is very reluctant to air any grievances against Direct Line because the company buys so much advertising. Journalists we have told our story to have been very interested, until the company name is mentioned, then they drop it like a hot brick. 

The very best advice we can give is GO SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS. But if it is too late for you, then read on and rest assured you are not alone.

Don't be fooled by the cute little phone and the warm fuzzy feeling the commercials try to give you. This company does not care about you and does not want to pay your claims if they can avoid it, legally or not.

Read the following  case stories and decide for yourself if you want to give them your hard-earned money every month. I can assure you that if you have to file a claim, you will be hard-pressed to get any sort of satisfaction from them.

Recent Case

Case  One

    An Edinburgh taxi driver, insured by Direct Line, was waiting to cross a roundabout.  His stationary car was struck by another car from behind. It was a clear-cut error by the other driver.  The taxi driver notified Direct Line who said they wanted to investigate the matter, but authorised him to proceed with emergency repairs, as he explained his need for the the taxi to be back on the road as soon as possible.  The taxi driver had to immediately pay for all the repairs, costing several hundred pounds, then after many weeks of patiently waiting for reimbursement he contacted Direct Line. He was informed that the delay was due to the "other side's insurance company disputing the accident". The Taxi Driver then explained that he knew the other driver was also insured by Direct Line.  After an array of weak excuses, but no apology, the jolly little phone insurer hung up on the taxi driver!

Case Two

Do you have homeowners insurance with this company? Read this... yes it's a little longer than the first one, but that's because it's ours. The first case was told to us by the taxi driver taking my brother to the courthouse! We figured that we are not alone...... 

My brother's house was burned to the ground. Direct Line denied information that was given to them during the original phone call that initiated the insurance  - conveniently, they say they didn't record calls back then. If you decide to call them, you should record the conversation, they will lie about it later and the only way to prove the information you give them is if you have a copy of the conversation. They go on to deny they have received Chartered Surveyors and Architects reports regarding the condition of the house and the case still hasn't been heard in court nine years on!

Despite having paid premiums in full for eighteen months prior to the incident, Direct Line failed to settle two claims for Buildings and for Contents insurance.

My brother was left homeless shortly before Christmas, to face a bleak winter in the Highlands of Scotland.  Direct Line claimed they could not organise anything over Xmas. My brother was left to sleep in the back of a small horse trailer!

Although the insurance contract offered immediate emergency accommodation Direct Line failed to provide this - even suggesting my brother went five hundred miles away to stay with our parents - which completely ignored the logistics of having to look after the 5 horses which were on the property. The Loss Adjuster fabricated a story to the Regional Manager to say Direct Line had accommodation in another town organised, at a private house with a person my brother had not even met! 

Then Direct Line told my brother, in writing, to instruct a local demolition contractor to proceed with total demolition of the site.  After completion they then said "they will look at the account", but did not pay it.  My brother wrote a letter to the Regional Manager who corrected this. The account was paid late, embarrassing my brother who had arranged the local workmen.

Direct Line said they could not progress the contents claim unless they had current new prices for every item claimed, which is the homeowner's responsibility. After painstaking research of prices with proofs, they took one look and immediately said "we will not accept these prices" with absolutely no reason, proof or cause. Just flat out denial.

For a time various, bed and breakfast accommodation were provided and they then provided an on-site caravan. But, they failed to connect the toilet and water supply! They did make various "interim payments", but SIX-MONTHS ON they were really dragging their heels and even though still promising to settle the outstanding claims, they continued to pass innuendos to neighbours and break promises, on a weekly basis, to every step of progress. On one occasion they canceled workmen and then deliberately lied to my brother as to the reason for the delay, claiming they had no knowledge. 

Instead of accepting the amount the property was insured for in the policy, they insisted the claim could not proceed without a new reinstatement valuation of the property (also to be provided at my brother's cost). Upon being presented with a new professional evaluation, they immediately refused the figure, as it was higher than previously thought.  Their policy even has a built-in allowance for increases - but they refuse to actually pay the real cost when faced with writing a cheque!! So all those feel-good, cosy commericals you see on TV are just complete RUBBISH!!

After providing B&B accommodation whilst they finally got to work on connecting a toilet on site, they canceled the policy with no warning (despite the seven days notice required in the contract) and stopped any further payments. They voided the policy, claiming the home was, in their opinion, in "poor condition" when it was insured. They have absolutely no evidence of this and deny all the professional reports by surveyors, architects & Building Warrant Officers.  They denied their knowledge of these reports to the Insurance Ombudsman, the Legal Aid Board and even the Supreme Court of Scotland. Even when reports were sent by recorded delivery they still deny their existence.  They also spoke directly to my brother's witnesses and tried to persuade them, with completely false allegations, that their firm is being deceived by my brother and that the witnesses involvement will harm their own reputation (can you say intimidation).

Direct Line have broken both contracts (the Buildings and the Contents policies were taken out at different times and have different policy numbers), despite having no argument to avoid paying out against the Contents insurance at the very least.  The house was locked and fulfilled all the criteria within the policy. Had the Contents insurance been with another firm, they would have paid out.  The New for Old claim was immediately denied by them as they would not accept any independent professional valuations supplied to them by my brother. There were individual contents items that were insured separately with General Accident, this company honoured their contract in full in a timely manner (hint)....

Direct Line delayed the investigation by the Insurance Ombudsman for two years.  It is a waste of time going through this process - if you have a claim which is being denied by your Insurance Company you must lodge a writ with the Court immediately against the Insurer, otherwise they will try and evade all responsibility by using Court rules and deadlines.  Furthermore, they will try and block genuine legal aid applications with an array of untruthful objections.  They have done this for FIVE YEARS in this case and are still attempting to prevent the course of justice and not allow the case to be heard in Court.

04/26/03 - It is now TEN YEARS since Direct Line reneged on its contract and it is still making my brother's life a misery even now. Not only have they failed to settle the claim, but they are intent on damaging his reputation and have no morals or sense of customer service as they claim in their advertising literature.  They have been slow, deceitful, rude & belligerent throughout the claims process.  They certainly are the worst company he has ever had to deal with.  If you are planning to insure your home or car, seriously take note of these experiences and look elsewhere for your insurance requirements.

Last week we made a major breakthrough against this company by obtaining a hearing date in the Scottish court for October, much to the chagrin of the defence lawyers who cannot use their preferred barrister on that date. My brother is having to represent himself as we have found no competent lawyer in Scotland without a "conflict of interest" with either RBS or Direct Line. In six months of self representation he has achieved more than in nine years of dealing with inept lawyers bent on obtaining Legal Aid funds (IE your tax money) without providing competent legal representation. It is difficult to trust or respect either the lawyers or the Judges who entertain them, when Justice is not a word to be found at the courthouse.

The above paragraph was written before we knew the extent of the relationship between RBS executives and "The Speculative Society". Although they claim to be an innocuous old boys club, it appears to be a secretive organization which consists of powerful individuals who to band together to further their interests at the expense of all others.

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If you would like to air a legitimate grievance against this company on this website, please email us your story. I just fixed the mailto link, so if you previously tried to reach us, please try again.

mail@directlinecomplaints.com