History

A short history of great change

In just twenty years Direct Line has created a business with more than 10,000 employees offering a range of personal finance products to more than 10 million customers across the UK and in Europe.

On our first day - 2nd April 1985 - we became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as our main channel of communication.

It was a revolutionary event as out went the middlemen, the fat commissions and the forms and the jargon. In came speed, simplicity and a common-sense human touch…

Starting out

• When Direct Line first opened its doors in 1985 there were 63 employees. There are now more than 10,000 employees across the UK
• Direct Line started with just one call centre in Croydon. It now has call centres in five locations: Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester

Rapid growth

• In its first three months of operation, Direct Line gave 9,000 car insurance quotes over the phone

Going global

• The Direct Line business went global in the 1990’s – it now sells car insurance in Spain, Italy and Germany
• Linea Directa is Spain’s largest direct car insurer

• Direct Line Spain www.lineadirecta.com
• Direct Line Germany www.directline.de
• Direct Line Italy www.directline.it

Today

• Direct Line is the UK’s leading direct car insurer
• Direct Line provides more than 13,000 car insurance quotes daily
• A Direct Line policy is sold every 10 seconds
• A customer notifies the company of a claim every 30 seconds
• In 2004, Direct Line received 22 million telephone calls