Take out a policy with Privilige to reap the benefits of being distinctly Underpriviliged!! (Direct Line)

Name: micklemas strikes again!!

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Product:	Direct Line
Date:	14.03.07 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap for the first year, but shop around thereafter

Disadvantages: Poor service, poor approved garage setup, doubling of excess for hire car use

Note: I am insured by Privilige, but they are underwritten by Direct Line (DL).

During the high winds ~ 18th January, 2007, a roof tile came loose and landed conveniently on the tailgate of my Toyota Avensis, which was parked on the drive at the time. I informed DL and decided to take the car to my local Toyota garage for an estimate for the repairs. They faxed the estimate on the same day to DL.
Two weeks later, I still hadn’t heard anything from DL, so I chased it up. I was told that they hadn’t received the fax. Apparently, sometimes faxes get lost in all their paperwork, especially if you fax documents across to them close to their closing time of 5 o’clock. (What?!!!) I was advised to phone the estimated values across instead! (Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, does it?)
This is the important bit: all insurers have their approved garages. If you go to one of them, you will receive a courtesy car SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. (More of this later.) If you go to a garage of your own choosing, which is what I did, then you have to make your own arrangements. The Toyota garage were willing to supply me with a courtesy car free of charge but I had to arrange a cover note from DL for insuring it. This they did, free of charge, but here is the important bit, the compulsory excess was DOUBLED, that is from £150 to £300!! I queried this, but was told it is company policy if you do not use one of their approved garages.
So, I was put off the idea of using the Toyota garage, and instead went to DL’s approved garage. By using the approved garage, no cover note was necessary for their courtesy car, and my excess was unaltered. However, this garage informed me that a courtesy vehicle would not be available until FOUR weeks time!! Talk about ‘Subject to Availability!!!’
I couldn’t wait that long, so decided to return to Toyota for them to do the work, which they are currently doing. I think it is unfair that DL attempt to use leverage by doubling your excess in an attempt to discourage you from using anyone but their approved garages. The excess should remain unaltered. An approved garage should not subject a customer to a waiting time of 4 weeks for availability of a courtesy vehicle.

Summary: Watch 'em carefully, read the small print!