Direct Line - not impressed

[macabethiel]

Well its been several weeks now since we were advised by Direct Line that the Hyundai was a write off and I have rung them a couple of times in the last week to find out when they were sending me the cheque.

I was given the usual run around about the cheque having to be authorised by a manager bla bla bla and its been in the post since the 6th March. I rang them last Friday and was advised if cheque was not with me by today to ring back.

I rang them back advised cheque was sent out 2nd class business post on the 7th March and if it did not arrive by this Thursday to ring them back.

Had my first phone call from them this afternoon to advise me that I had been wrongly advised about the cheque having been posted as that was a cheque to the other party involved and that our cheque had not been raised as the vehicle had a marker on it that it was on finance.

I pointed out to them that I had paid cash for the vehicle in August 2013 and that they had a copy of my purchase invoice from the trader as they requested. Then they advised me that the outstanding finance was from 2009 and the Finance company involved were in liquidation and they would look into it and write to me.

I contacted the Trader I purchased the vehicle from and he was very helpful he rang me back half an hour later to tell me that he had just done another HPI check on the vehicle and there was no outstanding finance just a marker saying the vehicle was a write off by the insurance company in February this year.

I rang direct line again and presented them with the fact that it was HPI clear when I bought the vehicle as I had done my own HPI check when I purchased the vehicle. They then said it could be that there was outstanding finance that had been settled but that the cheque may have bounced after I had made the purchase as a result of the previous owner not having settled the account.

I then advised them that I had been in contact with the supplying Trader and that as at 30 minutes ago there was no trace of finace outstanding with HPI. Long silence someone would ring me back.

They rang me back 20 minutes later to say there had been a mistake and the vehicle was not subject to outstanding finance !!

I now await a bacs payment that will take up to 5 days. I pointed out to them that when I make a bacs payment during working hours its virtually instant always within the day. Another long silence on phone. No wonder no one rates insurance companies.

[firebobby]

Tell the shites that your going to the insurance ombudsman

[jims-terrano]

Not had dealings with an insurance company yet that I have been completely happy with. Theyre all a bunch of crooks and the monkeys they employ to man the phones dont give a stuff at all.

[AlexD333]

Originally Posted by firebobby

Tell the shites that your going to the insurance ombudsman

+1 on this, they need a friendly (or not so) boot up the arse

It has always amazed me how slow insurance companies are, but when I deal with them at work, how quickly they move if you pull out the stops...

My motorcycle claim took 4.5 years... Had I have known what I know now that would have been months

[supergnome]

Remember Briggie's accident a couple of years ago. Direct Line again. Gave him some right grief but persistance got better results.
Definitly call Insurance Ombudsman. David.

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by supergnome

Remember Briggie's accident a couple of years ago. Direct Line again. Gave him some right grief but persistance got better results.
Definitly call Insurance Ombudsman. David.

Can't say I remember Briggies's accident but it seems Direct Line leave a lot to be desired in all areas except getting your premiums from you.

We had our home insurance with Direct Line about 25 years ago, we were burgled and went through all the grief in making our claim (most of the claim value was damage) we said we would never insure our home with them again and we haven't.

Looks like when renewal comes I might have to leave them and go elsewhere for car insurance.

[trophymick]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

Can't say I remember Briggies's accident but it seems Direct Line leave a lot to be desired in all areas except getting your premiums from you.

We had our home insurance with Direct Line about 25 years ago, we were burgled and went through all the grief in making our claim (most of the claim value was damage) we said we would never insure our home with them again and we haven't.

Looks like when renewal comes I might have to leave them and go elsewhere for car insurance.

I had the same experience with them after a burglery, never again!
Got burgled the day before we were about to set off to Spain on the bike, amongst other things our camera was stolen, so I bought another to replace it and take on holiday with us. That really complicated things for them.

[Ogri]

I know it's of no help to you but my company van was damaged recently. The other party were insured by Aviva.

I got an estimate, it was written off, I negotiated a "payment in lieu of repair" so got the estimate price and kept the van with no total loss marker against it. All in 5 days and the cash was deposited in our account 2 days later.

Just saying that they're not ALL bad, or maybe I was lucky this time?

I insure our private vehicles with quotemehappy.com - owned by Aviva so I hope if I ever need to claim on my own policy they provide the same service...

Hope it gets sorted soon for you.

[bry]

Yeah at least Dick Turpin wore a mask...

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by bry

Yeah at least Dick Turpin wore a mask...