Direct Line is an

insurance Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to protect ...

company based in

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is southeast of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 88,000 as of 2023. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, charte ...

, England. Founded in 1985, as the country's first direct car insurance company, it has since expanded to offer a range of general insurance products. Its policies are underwritten by the regulated subsidiary UK Insurance Limited, and it is owned by the Direct Line Group.

History

It was founded in

Croydon Croydon is a large town in South London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a Districts of England, local government district of Greater London; it is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater Lond ...

by Martin Long and Peter Wood in 1985 as the insurance division of

Royal Bank of Scotland The Royal Bank of Scotland Public Limited Company () is a major retail banking, retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It is one of the retail banking subsidiaries of NatWest Group, together with NatWest and Ulster Bank. The Royal Bank of Sco ...

. In 1988, it started to sell home insurance. Direct Line is renowned for having transformed financial services in the United Kingdom.(1 March 2004
''Superbrands case studies: Direct Line''
Campaign The mascot had altered slightly over the years; being accompanied by a red mouse on wheels to represent the company's website in 2005, which was dropped in 2020, with another re brand leaving the phone on its own once more. In September 2014, the brand worked with Saatchi and Saatchi to relaunch its advertising, which saw Hollywood actor

Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ( ; born May 13, 1939) is an American actor and film producer, known for his portrayal of morally ambiguous and "tough guy" characters. He rose to prominence during the New Hollywood movement, and has held a long-running associatio ...

reprise his role as the character Winston Wolfe from the 1994 film ''

Pulp Fiction ''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence ...

''. The company had one million customers after eight years by June 2003. The innovations extended into the 2000s with the launch of the first online claims registration and tracking facility in the United Kingdom for its motor insurance customers in 2001, and Home Response 24 Emergency Insurance, launching in 2003.Royal Bank of Scotland - Heritage - Companies - Direct Line
RBS.com In December 2024, Direct Line launched three motor insurance products on the price comparison website which are available on Compare the Market.

Controversy

In January 2012, Direct Line, along with sister company Churchill Insurance, was fined £2.17m by the FSA, after being found guilty of altering complaints files.

Awards

Direct Line has won a number of awards including: * Financial Services Forum Awards 2016: Advertising; Customer Experience; Customer Loyalty and Retention, Judges' Special Award for Marketing Excellence. * YourMoney.com Awards 2016: Direct Winners – Best Direct Car Insurance Provider * Your Money Awards 2015: Direct Winners – Best Direct Car Insurance Provider

Rebranding

In Italy and Germany, Direct Line was acquired by MAPFRE Group in September 2014, and re branded to Verti in January 2017. Verti is a brand owned by MAPFRE Group, operating in Italy, Germany, Spain and the United States.

References

External links

Official website
{{NatWest Group 1985 establishments in England British companies established in 1985 Companies based in the London Borough of Bromley Direct Line Group Financial services companies established in 1985 Insurance companies of the United Kingdom Royal Bank of Scotland Vehicle insurance