Good Evening Ladies and Gents,

I say good, I mean absolutely terrible. I have today changed my Direct Line policy for my car insurance to cover my Land Rover and to remove my old car, a BMW. After searching the web for cheaper deals, I found them in abundance, the cheapest being about 300 per year. As I am only 23 and this insurance is fully comp with all the trimmings I decided this was a fantastic deal. Could it possibly be real? I mean, 300 pounds a year fully comprehensive with FREE, yes FREE Breakdown cover, legal protection, windscreen cover, unlimited milage, free EU use, a small excess...etc,etc.

This seemed to be perfect. I have a low income and my expenses are, needless to say, being 23, quite high, even before the nights out. I decided that I would take this price as the best, although most were around this mark, and see what direct line could offer me, after all, one of thereasons for getting this car was the cheap insurance. I telephoned direct line and was told that I was entitled to a discount of £134.20! WOW. This policy was however subject to an admin charge, of £54.20! What do they do, get the Sultan of Oman to underwrite their policies!? Are their ledgers written in gold leaf? I mean, this is not bad and means a saving of £51.00 on my monthly premiums. Yet still, this means a difference of £55.00 between the best new quote and Direct Line! I told them about this new price which was incidentally offered by Lancaster Insurance. They werent prepared to budge an inch!

Normally, I would be delighted at any saving. My insurance is due for renewal in February so I am not really very vexed, or wasn't. That's not the end of the story. I had developed a problem with my new Land Rovers lights. I had no brake lights or reverse light and one headlight was out. Being a law abiding citizen and a professional dog handler, i decided it was unwise to move it anywhere, afterall, if someone runs into the back of me because they can't see me braking, Im up the creek!!

I asked direct line to amend my breakdown cover to cover my new vehicle. They said that they could but i would incur a charge of £8.20 as this was not a standard vehicle. No worries, only £8.20 I thought. I then spoke to green flag, who are direct lines contracted recovery company. Imagine my discust when they told me that they had never heard of me?It's as if I had never been insured by direct line! I spoke again with direct line and asked if they could rectify this. I was charge another admin charge of, and this will tickle you (but not me) £102.47!!!! I mean we can't have the executives going without champagne on their lunch breaks now can we? Begrudginly I agreed as I had no other option, or so I thought. I then rang green flag who QUOTE "Didnt consider this to be an emergency and I should make every attempt to take the car to Land Rover" (bear in mind that the nearest dealer is 30 miles away) £%%^$£"**%^^!!!!!!!! In the end they did send someone out though who recovered it to an auto electrician. I could have done that in the first place without their so called help. I wish I could cancel the whole lot but Im tied in by one of these stupid cancelation charges and can't see a way out. I keep telling myself its only until February when the contract is up for renewal but thats long enough!!

I wonder if direct line will pay for the fine and accept the points incurred when I am next told that they dont consider a major light failure to be an emergency? I know that I can cancel the breakdown cover within 14 days of receipt of the cover note so I will do so and promptly speak to the AA. Has anyone else had this trouble? :mad: :mad:

Jim

Word of advice? speak to the RAC, not AA!

Usual story, if a deal appears too good to be true it probably is. I have had some nightmares with 'budget' car insurance in the past including winding up in court for having no insurance! (thanks for that Swinton), was with DirectLine when a car came down a ramp at Manchester Airport straight into my car, I had to go 9 months with no car because the driver was foreign and they tried to trace her rather than pay out on my 'comprehensive' insurance.

Roll on February eh!

Go direct with the rac or aa and you will not get this sort of crap of them.