Direct Line Insurance? Rip off, more like

[notlam]

I have been a customer of DLI for many years and must have spent many thousands of pounds in premiums.

 

I appreciate that they must get thousands of false claims and so have to have some way of combatting those. However, the methods they now use seem to be to treat the millions of valid claimants like criminal suspects and to deter valid claims by devious small print in their policy documents and using dubious phone-only tactics.

 

I hardly used to even think about claiming unless it was for something major; last payout was about 5 years ago when the boiler leaked and ruined the laminate flooring. However it seems from my experience lately that whenever I do have a potential claim, DLI's methods have changed and their staff are more arrogant and inference of doubt about validity of my claim.

 

I have noticed too that DLI refuses to handle claims in writing, or email. The latter "on the grounds of security". (Yeah right).

 

Now DLI insists on progressing the claim only over the phone. At first I thought this was quicker, easier and more customer-friendly. Now I am starting to realise it's something more sneaky. What it means is that they have the upper hand because their system is geared up for keeping records of all the converstions and when the claim gets declined you don't have any record of what was said.

 

I have also noticed DLI insist on calling you back at a random time that suits them and when they do you're invariably unprepared for it. Watch out because if you make the slightest mistake when trying to recall exactly what happened (even though you already gave them all that information the previous time), such as the wrong date, or the value, or how the incident actually happened. They will use that to throw out your claim.

 

Another tactic they seem to employ now is the deterrent threat of increasing the premiums in future years, if you pursue your claim. I recently made a claim for damaged caused to my son's phone. Replacement cost is £350 but, I am told by DLI that if I claim, my premium will increase by £250 next year and £150 the following year. How can that be called insurance?

 

It's seems like just plain robbery to me. I have had problems before with DLI but it now seems to be moving to a more blatant level. Perhaps because I have made claims before I am being singled out for special treatment

 

Would be interested to hear if anyone else has been having problems with making a claim from DLI.

[Monty2007]

Hi

Unfortunately DLi are no different from the rest, they will all increase your premium if you make a claim since you are an increased risk for them. I had it with car insurance years ago even when it was not our fault........

 

I would suggest shopping around for alternative insurance when you policy is up for renewal, the various Price comparison sites are worth looking at.

[notlam]

I can understand them increasing the premium a bit but not by more than the amount of my claim.

 

What that says is, we will insure you but if you are unfortunate enough to ever need to claim, we will take the money back off you in two years, plus a bit more too. That is not insurance, it is just blind robbery and totally unjustifiable.

 

I said I would go to another company next year but the arrogant twit said with a smug, superior tone that all the other insurers would also increase their premiums too if I pursued my claim.

[Wulfyn]

Not to defend or condemn DLI, but the reason why insurance premiums go up after a claim is not an attempt at getting money back from the claim, it is that people who have made an insurance claim are statistically more likely to make another claim than someone who has not made a claim. Depending upon the complexity of the rating system the company uses determins how much the risk increase is, and accordingly how much your premium will rise.

 

 

On a side note it does seem very strange to insist on only handling claims over the phone. However I believe that a Subject Access Request will force the company to give you copies of any telephone conversations that they have kept on record. Of course that's a huge hassle to go through for a product that is designed to bring peace of mind.

[gyzmo]

Part of the reason of insisting on using the phone is that advisors are scripted and can ask for the invofmratioj required (I have received numerous letter only iving half the details). It is easier and quicker over the phone.

 

However, they should not be refusing to log claims notified in writing - they cn register it and call to fill in the details later.

 

This proves to be problematic thoug, as advisors are targetted on shings like putting people into their own approved garages - something they cannot usually do without discussing it first. So if you write in with full claim details, the advisor will not want to log it because they will have to "reject" DLS repairer, thus having their stats affected to the advisors detriment.

 

I am far from trying to justify what DL and otehrs do - only explaining. BTW, there is nothing stopping you recording the conversation yourself.