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Direct Line car insurance
You've come to the right place. We want to help you find the best car insurance for you. Choose from a range of cover types and add-ons to meet your needs.
Our cover levels
Comprehensive Plus is our enhanced cover, offering some higher limits and added extras (subject to availability). Or choose our Comprehensive insurance and pick only the extras you need. We also offer Third Party, Fire and Theft.
Multi-car insurance discount
If you've got more than one car to insure at the same address, we could save you money on each additional policy.
Introductory discount. Minimum premiums apply.
DrivePlus Insurance for younger drivers
Ideal if you’re aged 25 or under. Using telematics technology, we’ll monitor your driving skills and potentially save you money based on your performance.
MAKING ELECTRIC EASY
In partnership with Zoom EV
The world is going electric, and plug-in vehicles are the future. We want the transition to be as easy as possible for our customers.
- Insure your car with us, and we’ll give you an exclusive Zoom EV bundle at no extra cost.
- Our Zoom EV bundle includes discounts on home and public charging, and discounts on parking.
The Zoom EV bundle is available to new Direct Line customers and existing customers at renewal. Zoom EV provides each bundle for 12 months from when you create and activate a valid Zoom EV account. The bundle is subject to change.
Why choose Direct Line
When you compare car insurance on price comparison sites, you won't see Direct Line. Getting a car insurance quote can be complicated, so we like to keep things simple.
We aim to offer cheap car insurance, but also want to provide the best car insurance for you by offering benefits that some other insurers don't.
Existing customers will always pay the same or less than a new customer with like-for-like details.
Guaranteed Hire Car
If your car is being fixed by one of our approved repairers, we'll get you a small hatchback to keep until it is fixed.
Alternatively, if you prefer to use your own garage or your car has been written off or stolen, you'll still get a hire car for up to 21 days in a row.
Offered with Comprehensive Cover. Doesn't include windscreen claims or customer-delayed claims.
Onward Travel
If you've been involved in a crash and can't drive your car because of it, we'll get you a taxi so you can still complete your journey.
Offered with Comprehensive Cover for when you can't drive your car after an accident.
Taxi booked to one destination within the UK.
Boost your cover
If you have a minimum of 4 years no claim discount, with no more than one fault claim within the past three years for all drivers combined, then you will be eligible to purchase No Claim Discount Protection.
Having No Claim Discount Protection means that your No Claim Discount (NCD) will not be affected by:
- One claim made during the current period of cover, or by
- Two claims arising in the three preceding years of insurance
You will cease to be eligible for the benefit if claims exceed the above number. However your premium may still increase following a claim.
Breakdown cover is one of those things you're glad to have when things go wrong.
In partnership with Green Flag, we offer four choices of breakdown cover to provide you with 24/7 assistance, 365 days a year plus unlimited callouts to breakdowns (this excludes repeated calls for the same incident).
Find out moreMotor Legal Protection will provide up to £100,000 of legal costs to help you to claim, where no other insurance policy will cover your losses, as long as there is a more than 50% chance that your claim will succeed.
Find out moreWe'll keep you moving with a similar physical sized hire car to your own, plus:
- Choose one of our approved repairers and you can keep it until your car is fixed.
- You'll still get a hire car for up to 21 days in a row if yours is written off, stolen or you prefer to use your own garage.
- We'll also cover the travel costs if your car is stolen or you have an accident abroad - up to £50 a day and up to a maximum of £500 over the 21 days following your claim, if you have extended your cover to that country.
Comes as an optional extra only with Comprehensive. Keep in mind, this doesn't include windscreen claims & customer delayed claims
What factors impact the price of my quote?
Your Direct Line car insurance quote is a reflection on how likely you are to make a claim and how expensive that claim could be. It"s based on several different factors relating to you, your car and surroundings.
- Driver age and experience
On average, experienced drivers are less likely to have an accident compared to newer drivers. However, reported statistics indicate that the risk of being involved in an accident increases after the age of 70, and drivers over 70 and especially over 80 years, are more likely to be at fault when they crash. - Where you live
Some areas are riskier than others. Accidents are more likely if you live in an area with relatively high traffic levels. The higher numbers of pedestrians in cities can also increase the likelihood of injured parties. - What you do for work
Your job could influence the hours you work, the time you travel and the amount of driving you do. - Regulatory changes
These are changes made by the Government, such as larger payouts or the removal of legal costs for specific claims. - Traffic levels
The level of traffic on UK roads will change over time, influenced by things like the cost of petrol. When overall levels of traffic change, so do overall levels of claim frequency. - Type of vehicle you drive
Your car"s value, engine size and desirability could increase the risk of it being stolen or the cost of it being repaired. - How far you drive
The more miles you drive, the more likely you are to be involved in an accident. - Previous claims or convictions
It"s important you tell us about these events, or else it could invalidate your policy should you need to make a future claim. - Industry trends
This could include higher prices for parts and labour, patterns in car theft and the types of claims being made. - Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)
Government changes to IPT could unavoidably increase your quote.
There are many reasons why the cost of your car insurance may have changed on renewal, with some having a bigger impact than others.
If you choose to automatically renew, you can switch to manual renewal at any time. You'll still get a renewal invite before the policy end date, but cover will stop if other arrangements aren't made. If you do choose the convenience of automatic renewal, your renewal price won't be any higher than one given to a new customer with like-for-like details.
Your premium is based on several factors relating to you, your car and your surroundings.
- Claims or convictions
Your claims and conviction history is taken into consideration when pricing your policy. - Inflation
Inflation increases the price of goods and services, impacting Direct Line’s claims and general expenses. Policy premiums will reflect such changes. - Crime rate
A spate of crimes resulting in more car insurance claims could see premiums increase to reflect the new risk level of your car’s location. - Traffic levels
The level of traffic on UK roads will change over time, influenced by things like the cost of petrol. When overall levels of traffic change, so do overall levels of claim frequency. - How far you drive
The more miles you drive, the more likely you are to be involved in an accident. - Industry trends
This could include higher prices for parts and labour, patterns in car theft and the types of claims being made. - Changes to Insurance Premium Tax
Government changes to IPT could unavoidably increase your quote.
Car insurance tips, FAQs and policy documents
What do I need to get a car insurance quote?
- Car details
Your car's registration number (or its make, model and year), as well as its value, purchase date and annual mileage. - Personal details
Your address, driving license info, previous claims and other named drivers on your policy. - Policy start date
An inaccurate or change in start date may affect your premium. - No Claim Discount
Details of any claim-free driving could reduce your premium. We may require proof.
How Brexit will affect your car insurance
Download our car insurance policy booklet
For full details and exclusions see the car insurance booklet. If you’re an existing customer, you’ll need to check your policy documents for the most accurate information.
You’ll find them in My Account.
Need more help?
You can make changes to your policy online, claim online or ask our virtual assistant.
Contact Us ClaimsIf you’d rather talk to us, just give us a call (includes Typetalk and sign language services). We can help you choose the right kind of cover.
Call usStart your claim online
Give it a go - it's often quicker than calling us.
Just complete this form to tell us what happened and what you're claiming for.
Frequently asked questions
If you choose to renew automatically, your renewal won't be any higher than if you choose to renew manually.
If you don't select automatic renewal, you'll still get a renewal invite before your policy end date. However, cover will stop on the policy end date if you haven't contacted us to renew it.
If you do choose the convenience of automatic renewal, then you will not need to contact us next year to renew your policy.
Yes, NCD can also be swapped between the policyholder and their spouse/partner, provided that the spouse/partner has held their licence long enough to accrue that level of NCD and lives at the same address as the policyholder.
Your 'partner' is defined as an individual you are in a relationship with and living with, but are not married to or have not had a Civil Partnership Ceremony.
Driving other cars is a standard inclusion under our private car policies and allows the policy holder to drive cars that are not owned by them or hired to them, providing they have permission of the vehicle owner to use the vehicle. However, there are restrictions to this benefit such as age (must be over 25 at policy inception / renewal date) and occupation.
To find out if you have Driving Other Cars cover, check your certificate of insurance.
The cover provides protection against legal liability for death or bodily injury to a third party and damage to third party property. The cover is limited to third party only and should be viewed as emergency cover.
Yes, policyholders can add temporary additional vehicles to their policy for up to a maximum of 90 days in a period of cover. Please call us on 0345 246 8706 for more information.
Business cover will be included automatically (when your policy is purchased through our website) for you and your spouse or partner if you have had a civil partnership ceremony and live at the same address, unless either of you hold one of the following occupations:
- Motor Trade
- Retired
- Housewife/Househusband
- Student
- Unemployed
- Chauffeur working on a hire and reward basis
- Courier/Driver working on a hire and reward basis and/or delivering goods that they or their employer do not own
In these cases the vehicle may only be used for Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SDP) purposes.
In addition we cannot offer insurance where the vehicle is taken Airside (near to aircraft) or is used for paid driving tuition or where the policy holder or their spouse/partner is a foreign diplomat with immunity.
For all other occupations the vehicle may be used in connection with your business or those of your spouse, partner or civil partner (not business partner).
If you require additional drivers to have business use or are uncertain about the type of use you require, please call our Customer Hotline.
If you are an existing customer, your policy documents will confirm which cover applies to the policy.
If you are in doubt about any of the above please contact the Customer Hotline on 0345 246 8701 .
Please note: business cover is required where your occupation requires you or your spouse/partner to travel to more than one permanent place of work. You will need business cover if you or your spouse/partner has more than one occupation.
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