Direct Line Breakdown Cover

After the car broke down, I spent one full hour on the line and then gave up, abandoned the car and went home on the train. I was told that the waiting time was estimated 15 minutes, and yet after one hour still nobody available... I even had a friend to call direct line and they also didn’t get through. Appalling, bad service. If your car breaks down, you might spent hours just to get through. And then additional hours to get any help. Never again. Awful.

Have been a customer of the recovery service for 15 years. Three weeks ago we contacted them to switch the policy to our new car. We were told there was no record of our policy. This was despite the fact that we have letters from Direct Line confirming our new address (less than 2 months ago) and the fact that we have used the recovery service within the past 6 months AND we have the bank statement showing the payment. Unfortunately this is the 2nd time our details have been "lost". This meant we were "not covered" and due to go away the next day. The person on the end of the phone just told us to send copies of our documents. Obviously we arranged cover with another company. Today we received a letter from Direct Line, no explanation or apology, just confirmation of our cancellation. Not good enough!!

Our car broke down yesterday on an A road close to the M1/M6 junction. I called Direct Line at 15.30 and was told that if the car could not be repaired at the roadside, they could have it moved to a place of my choice within 10 miles (not much use as we were still 100 miles from home). There was no mention of the fact that they would take it and us home if we paid a mileage cost; I only discovered this when I called again and challenged what they were offering.

Their standard estimate of when we would be reached was always "90 minutes" and a Green Flag breakdown van arrived 17.10. He confirmed he could not fix the car and arranged for it recovery vehicle, which eventually arrived at 20.00. By that time, my wife and I (we are pensioners), had been sitting in the car on a very hot day, with little water, for four and a half hours.

The recovery driver was excellent and we were quickly loaded and on our way. Five minutes later I received a voicemail message from Direct Line telling me they were "still trying to find a driver and we would have to wait a further 30 minutes" (left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing, as we were on our way!) After another 10 minutes our driver was called by his office, who told him to stop at the next service area and unload our car and us and we would be collected (some time) by another vehicle! The excuse was that he was the only available night-shift driver (so what?) He tried to tell them how long we had been waiting to no avail, so I told him I wanted to speak to them. He got them on the 'phone for me and I gave them both barrels - telling them there was no consideration of the customer at all, that we had waited quite long enough to get home, we were already on the M6 and that if they did not have another driver that was their problem, not ours! Having spoken to her manager, the lady I spoke to then came back and agreed that we could continue.

This was total nonsense, there is no concept of customer service in Direct Line and this morning we have gone back to the AA taken out new breakdown cover with them.

Direct Line? NEVER AGAIN!

I broke down approx 17 miles from home on the m25. Called in and was told that traffic was bad and that someone would be with me asap. After 90 minutes recovery driver showed up and said he only got the call from DL half an hour before. He could not get my car started again, claimed he did not have the part needed. Called for a tow truck and said he was going to straight-tow me to a safer place and that the tow truck will take up to two hours. I was then dumped in McDonald's for five hours with no updates unless I called DL (and put on hold for 10 minutes a time only to be told the tow was finishing a job nearby & would be with me "very soon"). I was a lone female 10 miles from home & unfamiliar with the area I was in. After 5 hours of waiting I had to call a cab home and leave my key under the wheel arch. My car arrived home 40 minutes after I did.

My initial call in was logged at 16:55, I did not get home until 23:33 and my car did not arrive until 00:10.

2hr. wait for recovery, complained- promissed £30 compensation July31st- never arrived. Letter to customer services manager { must have got loost in the post !} I never had a reply. Could,nt get much worse for a so- called service.

As a subscriber of Direct Line's breakdown recovery service, I am appalled by the unsatisfactory service which I received recently. My vehicle broke down on a main road in the evening, it took 1 hour and 32 minutes for someone to arrive and I eventually got home 2 hours after the original call was placed.

I was a female driving alone. I was informed that someone would be with me 'within the hour' only for it to take 42 minutes just to assign my breakdown call. No update was provided resulting in me having to chase Direct Line 1 hour and 20 minutes later.

They offered a measly £10 cashback to compensate for the inconvenience.

What good would that have been if I had been attacked?! The only saving grace was the exceptionally courteous and helpful breakdown recovery gentleman who attended to my vehicle.

Certainly not a service I would recommend for a female who may be driving alone.

I rang and challenged a renewall quote. It was mentioned to me that it would be much reduced as I have just bought a newer car. I questioned this as when I changed cars 4 years ago I was told that it was not relevant.

They accepted responsibility and offered app. £48. I accepted.

On accepting the policy they informed me that they had backdated the complaint to 2010 and refunded the difference between what had been paid and what should have been paid - £291.

Fantastically honest. First rate

I was quoted £425.06 with direct line for Recovery Plus with personal cover for myself and my husband to cover us for any car!(we have 2)I telephoned and asked for a reduction as extortionate...they reduced by £12.20 to £403.86.They advised I had 3 call outs last year,July,Aug,Sept 10.I contacted Green Flag direct and got exactly the same cover for £114.94.

A saving of £288.

Worth taking time to shop around!

[email protected]

Don't pay for Direct Line Breakdown insurance they use Green Flag - if you go direct to the Green Flag website you can save at least £15. Direct Line told me they knew this was the case but they couldn't give any 'discounts' even for a customer who had been with then for 9 years! So much for being interested in customer loyalty!

DIRECT LINE'S BREAKDOWN SERVICE RESULTED IN ME BEING CARLESS

I took out the cover before going to France. My car's auto gearbox died on the journey down. Direct Line and Green Flag (should that be no-direct line and Red Flag???) messed me around for the two weeks of my holiday, failing to respond to any of my attempts to get information about what was going on and how to go home. Then, finally, we were flown home by Ryan Air without our car.

The car returned later. It had arrived at a French garage with no cosmetic problems and only a dead gearbox. It was dispatched by the French without difficulty. Then it arrived at my English garage with a damaged suspension and a big dented bonnet.

This was in July. Direct Line promised to investigate and responded in October that it's not their fault gov.

So I'm left with a car with substantial damage and a bill that exceeds it's value. So I have no option but to sue them. I'd advise you to stick with the other providers of this service so you don't end up like me.