Direct Line Banning Disabled Drivers After Tech Issues

Direct Line's Motability Customers Are Complaining Due To A Technical Fault

They are getting stopped by police, having thier policies cancelled, with some even getting up to 3 year bans, as Direct Line refuse to insure them and are wrongfully canceling policies..

Direct Lines initial decisions were based on faulty systems which in some instances led to accusations of customers falsely accused of misleading direct Line about thier driving status and some were accused of lack of cooperation with investigations.

One customer told us, even though they had their policy in writing from Direct Line for 2 years, confirming they have a full licence, it was a  total shock for them to susequently find out that in all that time they may not of infact been covered? It was only after leaving Tesco's and being ambushed by police cars pulling in front and behind them they became aware.

Police said they had received  a tip off from Direct Lline (meaning its flagged on their ANPR system as not a full licence holder and policies in some instances cancelled without drivers knowledge) they take driving without a licence and insurance very seriously, as it can and does lead to many road incidents with inexperienced drivers making up a percentage of road fatalities.  

Thankfully they had their licences with them, as proof to abate what sounded like a scene from the sweeney. 

One Direct Line representative when asked about the problem said, ''We have recenttly had technical issues with our systems  explaining how the system was downgrading disabled full licence holders, to provisional holders, which affectively cancelled policies". This can have many different outcomes and cause all types of stress and anxiety, especially for vulnerable drivers.

Another said they suffered a similar experience, when the error affected not just thiers but their partners policy, resulting in both being cancelled. Again no corresponce from Direct Line admitting fault,responsibilty or even an apology. Infact in some cases they seem to have all the facts but still doubled down and mounted needless exspensive investigations,

Even some investigators  whom we spoke to themselves had become aware, yet they still had to complete the process of investigation in order to reinstate policies as third parties they really had to clean up Direct Lines technical mess. With some even affectively receiving dramatically life changing overeaching 3 year bans! By having their policies withdrawn for duration of vehicles lease.

Another customer said after their car was scracthed, and when they tried to make thier first ever claim. The experience they went through was very frustrating to say the least. When they contacted Direct Line they were not infomed that the policy or claim had any issues, one hundred pound payment was taken from customer and repair booked. After some days they collected vehicle took pictures of damage agreed repairs, and  left courtesy. Then days later they received a call from the repair shop, saying they were no longer doing the repair and wish to the return vehicle without any good reason, when customer informed Direct Line again nothing was said about licence status etc, and customer was just advised to allow return of vehicle and just rebook.The repair people were extremely rude and turned up unanounced at customers partners property agressivly insisting on return of vehicle and collection of courtesy vehicle. customer was not even present, however they organised the handover remotely, then a neighbour had inadvertently blocked the courtesy vehicle, yet they proceeded ,not to just get out and knock the neighbours door but to calll the police instead.The customer and their partner felt belittled and humiliated  by this process. But it didnt stop there, Direct Line then refused point blank to organise second booking and instead launched an investigation again trying to aportion blame on customer and their partner who was also on the lease scheme, as such they both share insurance across vehciles as second drivesr even though licence was not mentioned and vechile was stationary and empty they again looked at their faulty system and deciced neither had full licences so cancelled and banned both of them.Then they sent a letter to saying they would no longer organise any future repairs. Leaving customers totally abandoned.

In summary whats even more concerning, is this is not many seperate customers experiences, in fact this is just my story over the last few months split into customers for impact and affect.So you can only imagine why my anger resulted partly in this article im frustrated and would ike some accountabilty. So instead of just an arbitury ignored complaint, falling on uncapable and uncompasionate cloth ears.I have chosen to escalate across all parties, regulators shareholders suppliers underwriters execs and customers by publishing this article and sending to all of them.  As we know only to well accountabilty can come in all forms, not just a simple  acknowledgment, apology but in lack of consumer confidence.

Signed Frustrated Disabled Driver