Navigating Direct Line Travel Insurance: A Guide for Existing Policyholders

Embarking on a journey, whether for leisure or business, often comes with the peace of mind that travel insurance provides. For many years, Direct Line travel insurance was a prominent choice for UK residents seeking comprehensive coverage. However, it's crucial for anyone considering or holding a policy to be aware of a significant change: Direct Line is no longer offering new travel insurance policies. This decision, initially made in response to global events in March 2020 to focus on existing customers, has been sustained, with confirmation as of February 2025 that new policies are not being sold.

So, what does this mean for you? If you are an existing Direct Line travel insurance customer, your policy remains valid until its expiry date, and you can continue to manage it and make claims as usual. This article serves as your comprehensive guide to understanding your existing Direct Line travel insurance, managing your policy, and navigating the claims process, ensuring you're well-prepared for your travels.

Understanding Your Existing Direct Line Travel Insurance Policy

If you hold an active Direct Line travel insurance policy, understanding its scope and limitations is paramount. Direct Line previously offered a range of policy types designed to suit different travel needs.

Types of Policies Previously Offered

Direct Line typically provided a few core types of travel insurance:

Single Trip Cover: Ideal for one-off holidays, these policies covered a specific trip duration, often up to 90 days. For those aged 60 and over, the maximum trip length was reduced to 42 days.
Annual Multi-Trip Cover: Designed for frequent travellers, this policy provided cover for multiple trips within a 12-month period, with each trip typically limited to 42 days. An age limit of 75 usually applied to annual multi-trip policies.
Backpacker Cover: For longer, multi-destination journeys, backpacker cover was available, generally for travellers under 54 years of age.

Children under 18 travelling with an insured adult were typically covered as standard under Direct Line travel insurance policies.

Key Features and Benefits

Direct Line travel insurance policies were known for offering a solid range of features to protect travellers against unforeseen circumstances. While specific limits and terms vary by individual policy, common benefits included:

Emergency Medical Cover: Providing substantial coverage for medical emergencies abroad, with some policies offering up to £10 million for emergency medical expenses. This cover often included repatriation to the UK if medically necessary.
Cancellation Cover: Protection against financial losses if you had to cancel your trip due to unforeseen events, such as unexpected illness. Some policies offered up to £5,000 in cancellation cover.
Personal Liability Cover: Protection if you accidentally cause injury to someone or damage their property while abroad.
Legal Expenses and 24-Hour Helpline: Assistance with legal costs and access to a 24/7 multilingual helpline for emergency advice while travelling.
Delayed or Missed Departure: Cover for additional expenses incurred due to significant delays or missed connections.
COVID-19 Cover: Direct Line adapted its policies to include cover for COVID-19 related issues, such as emergency medical costs if you contracted COVID-19 abroad, and cancellation if you or a close relative tested positive before your trip or if you were instructed to quarantine.

It's important to note that while personal belongings cover was often available, it might have been an optional extra rather than a standard inclusion, with specific payout limits.

Important Policy Conditions and Exclusions

To ensure your existing policy remains valid and to understand what might not be covered, pay close attention to the following:

Pre-existing Medical Conditions: You must have declared any pre-existing medical conditions when you purchased your policy. Failure to do so could result in claims being rejected or cover being withdrawn. Direct Line required these to be declared over the phone.
UK Residency: Cover is generally only available to permanent residents of the UK.
Trip Start and End: Your trips must start and end in the UK. For UK-based trips, cover typically applied to pre-booked commercial accommodation for at least two consecutive nights.
Reason for Cancellation: Cancellation cover would not be available if you suspected the trip might be cancelled at the time of booking.
Age Limits: While single trip policies might not have an upper age limit, annual multi-trip and backpacker policies had specific age restrictions.

Always refer to your specific policy documents for the definitive terms, conditions, and exclusions that apply to your coverage.

Managing Your Direct Line Travel Insurance Policy

For existing customers, Direct Line continues to provide ways to manage your policy and access support.

Online and Phone Management

You can typically manage and make changes to your travel insurance policy online through the Direct Line website. This often includes updating personal details or accessing policy documents. For more complex changes, such as declaring new medical conditions, you may need to contact them by phone.

Getting Help and Support

Direct Line offers various channels for assistance:

Virtual Assistant: Their website features a virtual assistant for instant help with common questions.
WhatsApp Chat: You may be able to make policy changes directly via WhatsApp.
Customer Service: For direct assistance, their customer service lines are available. It's always a good idea to have your policy number ready when you call.

Making a Claim with Direct Line Travel Insurance

Should the unexpected happen, knowing how to make a claim is vital. Direct Line aims to make this process as straightforward as possible for its customers.

When to Make a Claim

Emergency Assistance Abroad: For serious medical emergencies or if you need to cut your journey short while abroad, contact their 24-hour emergency assistance helpline immediately. You should save this number to your phone before you travel: +44 1252 740 098.
Non-Emergency Claims: For other types of claims, such as lost baggage or non-emergency medical issues, you can typically initiate the process upon your return home.

The Claims Process

Report Incidents Promptly: If your claim involves theft or vandalism, report it to the local police as soon as possible and obtain a police report. For lost baggage, report it to your transport provider (e.g., airline) and get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
Check Your Policy Wording: Before submitting a claim, review your policy documentation to confirm that the incident is covered and to understand the specific requirements for your claim.
Initiate Your Claim:
- Online: Direct Line often provides an online form to start your claim, which can be quicker.
- Phone: You can also call their travel claims line when you return home on 0345 246 8680 (open Monday to Friday).
- Specific Claims: For travel, accommodation, and other end supplier failure claims, you might need to contact their partners at IPP (International Passenger Protection) on 0208 776 3752 to get a claim form.
Gather Documentation: You will need to provide relevant documentation to support your claim. This may include:
- Your policy number.
- Details of the incident (date, time, location, description).
- Original booking confirmations and receipts.
- Medical reports, police reports, or Property Irregularity Reports (PIRs).
- Photographs of valuable items if they were insured and their condition before your trip.
Submit Your Claim: Complete the claim form thoroughly and attach all required documentation. Keep copies for your records. Direct Line aims for prompt responses once a claim is filed.

It's generally advised to make a claim as soon as possible after an incident, often within a time limit, such as 31 days.

Why Direct Line Was a Popular Choice (and What to Consider Now)

Direct Line established itself as a well-known UK insurer, aiming to put the customer first. Their travel insurance policies were often rated well by independent bodies and were generally considered to offer good value with straightforward options. Customers often cited efficient customer service and reliable core coverage as strengths.

However, with Direct Line no longer selling new travel insurance policies, if your current policy is expiring or you are looking for new cover, you will need to explore alternatives from other providers. It's an opportunity to compare features, benefits, and customer service from the wider market to find a policy that best suits your future travel needs.

Conclusion

While Direct Line travel insurance is no longer available for new purchases, existing policyholders can rest assured that their current coverage remains active and manageable. By understanding the specifics of your policy, knowing how to manage it, and being prepared for the claims process, you can continue to travel with confidence until your policy's expiry.

For existing Direct Line travel insurance policyholders: We strongly encourage you to review your policy documents regularly, especially before any upcoming trips. If you need to make a claim or manage your policy, utilise the online tools or contact their dedicated helplines. Your peace of mind is paramount when travelling, and being informed is the first step towards a smooth journey.