Dial Direct Home Insurance Review and Quotes
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Discover the methodologyWould you like to protect your home against any damage or an unfortunate event such as a house fire or theft?
Are you wondering if Dial Direct is the best home insurance company to protect your house?
You’ve come to the right place.
This ultimate and up-to-date review on Dial Direct home insurance gathers all you need to know: consumers reviews, cover details, prices, claim process, contact numbers and much more. Let’s dive right into it.
Is Dial Direct the best insurance company for you?
Getting the best home insurance deal is not just about the price. Indeed, focusing on just getting the cheapest deal might be a bad calculation when it comes to getting a good pay-out if your home is damaged as a result of an unfortunate event such as theft, fire or natural disaster.
At Safe, we’ve studied in detail Dial Direct's home policy terms and conditions and given our own ratings based on different criteria for combined building and contents insurance policy.
3,2 Safe overall rating for Dial Direct
| Safe rating | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service & satisfaction and claims |
High rating of 4.5/5 on TrustPilot | |
| Cover provided for your home |
The amount of cover provided for most of the services are not stated | |
| Value for money |
NCD available | |
| Financial strength | Dial Direct is a trading name of BISL Ltd which is part of the BGL Group | |
| Technology |
24/7 claims helpline |
Expert and customer satisfaction reviews for Dial Direct home insurance
| Review organisation | Dial Direct home insurance reviews |
|---|---|
Defaqto expert |  |
| TrustPilot | 4,5/5 based on 9,803 customer reviews |
| Reviews.io | 3,8/5 based on 320 customer reviews |
Our general opinion on Dial Direct home insurance
Dial Direct offers home, car and van insurance. Only one level of home insurance cover is provided. Dial Direct insurance was underwritten by BISL Ltd which is part of the BGL Group and they have a 3 star rating on Defaqto and a 4,5 rating on TrustPilot. This alludes to their financial capacity to pay out claims and the ease of their claims process. Little or no information however is provided on the company's website and more details about the insurance policy can only be gotten from the policy documents which is only available to policyholders.
You can insure up to £1M for building insurance, and Up to £99K for contents insurance. Dial Direct will provide up to £15K alternative accommodation in the case of damage
Home emergency, legal protection and keycare are available as optional extras.
Their services are recommended for people looking for reliable insurance services.
What does Dial Direct home insurance cover?
What is more important than protecting your home – the roof under which you sleep with your loved ones?
Applying for home insurance at Dial Direct will allow you to protect the structure of your home (buildings insurance), what is inside (contents insurance) or both (combined buildings and contents insurance).
Without home insurance, your home is exposed to any kind of risk, from a minor water leak to a fire, and you are liable for any repairs – whatever the cost this represents.
Home insurance at Dial Direct covers you for any damage made as a result of an unfortunate event such as theft, fire and natural disaster causing leaks, flooding, etc.
Dial Direct buildings and contents insurance
Dial Direct provides three main types of household insurance:
- Buildings insurance
- Contents and personal possessions insurance
- Combined policy
Buildings insurance covers the structural aspects of your home. It will cover any damage made to your walls, floors, ceiling, windows, outbuildings, garages, etc. You can also extend your buildings insurance to permanent fixtures such as bathrooms, etc. Buildings insurance is for homeowners.
Good to know
If you buy your property and get a mortgage for this, you will be asked to provide valid buildings insurance. Buildings insurance is not mandatory, though. However, you must know that an average claim for repairing a burst pipe for example is £25 000.
Contents insurance will cover any damage made to your belongings inside your home or in your garden (TV and other appliances, furniture, etc). In other words, it will cover anything which is not structural.
Good to know
House contents insurance is highly recommended (especially in case you get burgled or if you are renting a furnished flat) but is not mandatory.
In the event of a fire, for instance, buildings insurance will give you compensation for your home structure, your walls, roofing or other structural elements damaged during the fire, and contents insurance will cover any damage made to your household appliances, furniture, jewellery and so on.
You will find below policy details for building and contents insurance:
| Dial Direct building insurance | Limits |
|---|---|
| Maximum sum insured | £1 000 000 |
| Owner liability | £2 000 000 |
| Alternative emergency accomodation | £15 000 |
| Period of home's unoccupancy cover | 60 days |
| Repairs guarantee period | 1 year |
| Trace and access | £5 000 |
| Burst pipe | As standard |
| Blockage of sewer pipe | Not covered |
| Gradual build-up of groundwater | Not covered |
| Subsidence | As standard |
| Underground services | As standard |
| Keys cover | £500 |
| Flood and storm damage (except for fences) | As standard |
Good to know
Limits mentioned above are part of the total sum you insured with your insurer when applying for home insurance (and not in addition to).
Let’s have a look now at Esure contents insurance limits:
| Contents insurance | Limits |
|---|---|
| Maximum sum insured | £99 000 |
| Owner liability | £2 000 000 |
| Alternative emergency accomodation | Only stated in policy document |
| Period of home's unoccupancy cover | 60 days |
| Damage made by pets | Not covered |
| Contents kept in garden | £1 000 |
| Contents kept in outbuildings (garage included) | Only stated in policy document |
| Thefts from outbuildings | £2 000 |
| Single item limit for valuables | Only stated in policy document |
| Items temporarily removed from home | Only stated in policy document |
| Money in and outside the home | Inside: Only stated in policy document Outside: Only stated in policy document |
| Credit cards in and outside the home | Inside: £500 Outside: £500 |
| Business equipment kept at home | Only stated in policy document |
| Student equipment | Only stated in policy document |
| Keys cover | £500 |
Dial Direct home insurance additional cover
On top of your Dial Direct buildings and contents insurance, you can find additional cover such as:
| Home insurance additional cover | |
|---|---|
| Accidental damage cover | Not stated |
| Home emergency |
|
| Boiler cover |
|
| Legal protection |
|
| Personal possessions | Only stated in policy document |
| Mobile cover | Only stated in policy document |
| Bicycle cover | Only stated in policy document |
Dial Direct home insurance excess
The deductible you'll have to pay in case of claims are as described below:
| For both building and contents insurance | |
|---|---|
| Excess for standard claims | Only stated in policy document |
| Excess for escape water claims | Only stated in policy document |
| Excess for subsidence claims | Only stated in policy document |
| Excess for personal possessions | Only stated in policy document |
| Excess for keys | Only stated in policy document |
Dial Direct home insurance fees and NCD
To manage your policy, renew, cancel or modify it, Dial Direct fees are as follows:
| Fees applied to manage your Dial Directhouse policy | |
|---|---|
| Interests on payment installments | Not stated |
| To renew my policy | £20 |
| To adjust my policy | £20 |
| To duplicate documents | £20 |
| To cancel my policy during cooling-off period | £35 |
| To cancel my policy outside cooling-off period | £35 |
| For payment default | £20 |
| To switch from one insurer to Dial Direct | Not covered |
How much does Dial Direct home insurance cost?
You will below indicative quotes for building and contents insurance at Dial Direct:
| Building insurance | Contents insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Excess | Only stated in policy document | Only stated in policy document |
| Home cover | Building: £250 000 Contents: £20 000 Personal items: £4 000 | Building: £500 000 Contents: £50 000 Personal items: £8 000 |
| Premium | £159,13 | £312,23 |
It is very difficult to give a precise range of how much exactly will your home insurance cost at Dial Direct as it will mainly depend on:
- The insurance you apply for (building, contents, combined insurance, extras)
- Your address
- Your claim record
- The insured value of your home and of your personal belongings, etc.
Dial Direct will establish a risk rate, taking into account all these elements, and offer you a price based on it.
The average cost of combined buildings and contents insurance in 2018 was £163, with contents insurance usually counting for a third of the premium (around £60) and building insurance for the rest (around £110). However, premium will be higher if you buy stand-alone building or contents insurance.
Do you want to compare the cheapest home insurance quotes? It couldn’t be easier. Just do a quick home insurance comparison using our comparison tool below. It takes only 15 seconds and is completely neutral and 100% anonymous.
Dial Direct home insurance discounts available
No discount available.
How do I a claim on Dial Direct home insurance?
Claims can be made by calling the company's 24/7 line.
You will be asked to provide your insurance policy number as well as details on claim circumstances such as date and time, pictures or other person involved.
| How to claim on Dial Direct home insurance? | |
|---|---|
| Claim online | |
| Claim by phone | 0344 412 2143 |
Good to know
If you claim is related to a criminal incident (theft, fire etc), you must call the police upfront.
How can I cancel Dial Direct house insurance?
To cancel your Dial Direct house insurance, here is what you need to know:
| Cancelling your home insurance at Dial Direct | |
|---|---|
| Cancellation notice if Dial Direct cancel your policy | 14 days |
| Cancellation fees | Fees during cooling-off period: £35 Fees outside cooling-off period: £35 |
| Cancel online | Cancellations can be made on the online account. |
How to contact Dial Direct home insurance?
| Services | Phone numbers | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| Claims | 0344 412 2143 | 24/7 |
| Complaints | 0344 412 2133 | Not Stated |
Dial Direct home insurance contact details
| Dial Direct contact details | |
|---|---|
| Dial Direct address | Dial Direct Insurance |
| Customer service email | Not available |
| Chatbot available | Not available |
How do I log in to Dial Direct customer portal?
You can login to your account on the Homepage of the Dial Direct website. Click on the "Login/Register" option and enter your details.
How do I get Dial Direct home insurance quotes?
To get a quote online at Dial Direct, it couldn’t be simpler.
You can go on our home insurance comparison tool here and compare the main home insurance deals on the market. If Dial Direct is the company that best suits your needs, then you just click on the ‘Get quote’ button and follow the whole process explained online.
To get Dial Direct home insurance quotes, you will need to provide:
- Your personal information: ID, age, phone number and job
- Your address and postcode
- Your homeowner record (claims included)
- Your home description (type of property, the date it was built, how many square metres inside and outside)
- Your property related status: do you own it, rent it, have a mortgage on it, etc.
- Extras you’d like to get on your home insurance, contents sum insured and the excess you’d like to pay.
The types of questions you will be asked are typically:
- Are you a first-time buyer?
- Has the property ever suffered from subsidence, cracking, subsidence or undergone any underpinning (or showed any signs)?
- Has the property ever been damaged by flood?
- Has anyone living permanently at the property made any home claim(s) for loss or damage in the past X years (usually 3) or had any claim(s) made against them? etc.
5 tips to reduce your Dial Direct house insurance quote
- Always shop around on home insurance comparison sites. If you do not auto renew and instead apply for new home insurance, you will easily be able to lower your house insurance cost and benefit from new customer discounts.
- Increase the excess amount you are willing to pay in case you make a claim.
- Choose the level of cover that is right for you. Insure with the right sum for both your buildings and contents insurance. If you do not have high value items, consider an ‘indemnity’ contents insurance rather than a ‘new for old’ one.
- Opt for a policy offering No Claim Bonus to lower your premium if you've gone for a few years without making any claim.
- Consider index-linked cover for building insurance to follow prices of building materials.
