Direct Auto: What's In A Name?

Direct Auto Insurance is a non-standard insurance carrier that specializes in providing coverage for high-risk drivers who may struggle to find car insurance. It is part of the Direct General Group and is known for providing non-standard car insurance to high-risk drivers, including those with multiple accidents, traffic violations, or DUIs on their record. Direct Auto offers all the standard coverages, including liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection, and medical payments, as well as common policy add-ons like towing coverage, rental reimbursement, and roadside assistance. The company has received mixed reviews, with an average rating of 3 to 4 out of 5 stars, and has higher-than-average customer complaints. It is available only in a limited number of states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas.

Direct Auto Insurance is for high-risk drivers

Direct Auto Insurance is a part of the Direct General Group and is known for providing non-standard car insurance to high-risk drivers. High-risk drivers are those who are deemed more likely to make a claim and are therefore charged higher insurance premiums. Direct Auto caters to drivers who may have multiple accidents, traffic violations, or DUIs on their record, or those who are ineligible for standard car insurance due to poor credit or a lapse in coverage. The company offers all the standard coverages, including liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection, and medical payments.

High-risk car insurance is typically not much different from a standard car insurance policy in terms of coverage options. The main difference lies in the driver and the price they pay for insurance. High-risk drivers are often faced with higher insurance costs due to their increased likelihood of making claims. As a result, finding affordable high-risk car insurance can be challenging, and it may require shopping around with multiple insurance companies. Direct Auto Insurance assists high-risk drivers by providing them with the necessary coverage options and helping them navigate the challenges of obtaining affordable insurance.

In addition to standard coverages, Direct Auto also offers common policy add-ons such as towing coverage, rental reimbursement, and roadside assistance. The company is available only in a limited number of states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Direct Auto also offers flexible payment options and a range of discounts to help high-risk drivers manage their insurance costs.

When determining whether someone is a high-risk driver, insurance companies consider various driving and non-driving factors. Driving factors include a history of accidents, traffic violations, DUIs, and multiple insurance claims. Non-driving factors, such as poor credit, age, and location, can also contribute to a driver being classified as high-risk. It's important to note that the criteria for classifying a driver as high-risk may vary among insurance companies.

High-risk car insurance may sometimes require the filing of an SR-22 form with the state to prove that the driver has the necessary insurance coverage. This is typically needed when a driver has a DUI conviction or has been in an accident without insurance. Direct Auto Insurance assists with SR-22 filing and provides comprehensive support to high-risk drivers, ensuring they can obtain the necessary coverage while managing their insurance costs effectively.

It offers flexible payment options

Direct Auto Insurance is a part of the Direct General Group, providing non-standard car insurance to high-risk drivers. It offers flexible payment options, which is ideal for those who are seeking flexibility in their payment methods. Direct Auto accepts payments via debit card, credit card, e-check, or cash (at local branches). This means that customers can choose the payment method that best suits their preferences and financial situation.

The company also offers various discounts that can be applied to the payment amount, providing even more flexibility and financial relief to its customers. These discounts include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, military, dynamic drive, safe driver, good student, driving courses, prior coverage, safety equipment, homeowner, and payment discounts. For example, customers who opt for autopay, paperless statements, or pay their policies in full can receive up to a 9% discount on their premium.

Additionally, Direct Auto provides a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play, enabling policyholders to manage their payments conveniently. Through the app, customers can access their policy documents, ID cards, and make payments easily. This feature further enhances the flexibility and convenience offered by Direct Auto in terms of payment options.

The flexible payment options provided by Direct Auto Insurance cater to the diverse needs of its customers, ensuring that they can maintain their insurance coverage without financial strain. This flexibility can be particularly beneficial for high-risk drivers who may have limited options when it comes to insurance providers.

It has a high number of customer complaints

Direct Auto Insurance is a subsidiary of National General Holdings Corporation, specialising in insurance for high-risk drivers. The company has received a high number of customer complaints, with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) giving Direct Auto a complaint index score of 4.3, indicating that the company has four times as many complaints as the average insurance company. Direct Auto's NAIC rating is 10.92, which means it has more customer complaints than the average competitor, adjusted for size.

A range of customer complaints can be found on the Better Business Bureau website. One customer complained about being hung up on multiple times when trying to file a claim, while another complained about not receiving a response to their claim for two weeks. Other complaints include issues with refunds, billing, customer service, and roadside assistance. WalletHub, a review site, has also compiled a range of customer reviews, including complaints about incorrect policies, issues with cancelling policies, and unexpected price increases.

Despite the high number of customer complaints, Direct Auto Insurance has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 4.0/5 average rating from users on WalletHub. The company offers a range of insurance options, including auto, life, health, and renters policies, as well as various discounts and flexible payment options.

It offers standard coverage and add-ons

Direct Auto Insurance is a part of the Direct General Group and is known for providing non-standard car insurance to high-risk drivers. It offers standard coverage, including liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection, and medical payments. It also offers common policy add-ons like towing coverage, rental reimbursement, and roadside assistance.

Liability insurance helps pay for the injured party's necessary repairs and medical bills if you're in an accident that injures another driver or damages someone else's property. Collision coverage can help repair or replace your vehicle if it is damaged or totaled in a collision with another vehicle or a stationary object. Comprehensive coverage assists with repairing or replacing your vehicle if it is damaged by something other than a collision, such as falling objects, vandalism, fire, animal collisions, or weather-related incidents.

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if you are in an accident with an uninsured or unidentified driver. Some states also extend this coverage to include underinsured drivers. Personal injury protection, also known as no-fault insurance, covers medical expenses for you and your passengers resulting from a collision.

Direct Auto also offers several additional options to supplement your standard coverage. Medical payments, or MedPay, is optional coverage to help pay for medical bills, hospital stays, or funeral costs for you or your passengers resulting from an accident, regardless of who is at fault. Direct Auto's roadside assistance plan provides 24-hour emergency towing, fuel and fluid delivery, lockout services, jump starts, and access to a technician. Rental car reimbursement helps cover the cost of renting a car while your vehicle is being repaired. Towing and labor coverage reimburses drivers for emergency towing costs when their vehicle cannot be driven.

It has a range of discounts

Direct Auto Insurance offers a long list of discounts that could help reduce your car insurance costs. The company provides a range of discounts that are commonly offered by other insurers, as well as some less common ones.

One of the most notable discounts offered by Direct Auto is the Multi-Vehicle discount, where customers can insure multiple vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, or commercial trucks, and potentially earn up to a 25% discount. Additionally, Direct Auto provides a Multi-Policy discount, allowing customers to bundle different types of insurance, such as term life, roadside assistance, or an emergency protection plan with their car insurance, resulting in reduced monthly premium costs.

Direct Auto also offers a Military discount, providing active members of the military with up to a 25% discount on their car insurance with the appropriate documentation. The company further incentivizes safe driving through its DynamicDrive discount, where drivers can earn savings by downloading the Routely app, which tracks and shares their driving habits.

For students, the Good Student discount offers unmarried, full-time students in high school, college, or vocational/technical school, who maintain good academic standing, the opportunity to save up to 10% on their insurance. Direct Auto also encourages policyholders to complete driving courses by offering a discount for those who finish an approved driver's education course.

The company also offers a Prior Coverage discount, rewarding policyholders who have maintained auto insurance with another carrier for at least six months, with no more than a 90-day lapse in coverage, by providing them with potential savings of up to 25%.

Direct Auto also promotes environmentally friendly practices through its Paperless discount, where customers who opt for paperless statements can earn up to a 9% discount on their premium.

These are just a few examples of the range of discounts offered by Direct Auto Insurance, allowing customers to benefit from reduced insurance costs while also encouraging safer driving practices and academic excellence.

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