Direct car insurance (2021 review)

Direct car insurance review

In Our Opinion:

Direct Auto Insurance could be worth looking into if you live in one of the 12 states it covers. It has a long list of discounts and may be a good choice for high-risk drivers, but it’s not one of our highest-rated providers.

Industry Standing:

75

Availability:

70

Coverage:

85

Affordability:

85

Customer Service:

80

Online Experience:

80

Pros:

Flexible payment options

Many discount opportunities

Offers coverage for high-risk drivers

Cons:

Only available in 12 states

Low volume of customer reviews

100

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Direct Auto Insurance is a small insurance provider that promises to cover drivers regardless of their insurance history. If you are a high-risk driver, Direct Auto Insurance might be a great option for you.

Our review team has thoroughly researched the best auto insurance providers, comparing them based on coverage, discounts, customer reviews, and more. We recommend getting quotes from multiple providers so that you can find the one that gives you the best coverage for the lowest price. Enter your zip code into our easy, free quote tool below to get started.

Direct Auto Insurance Overview

Direct Auto Insurance Coverage

Direct Auto Insurance Discounts

Direct Auto Insurance Reviews & Customer Service

Our Verdict on Direct Auto Insurance: 79%

Our Recommendations for Car Insurance

Progressive: Best for High-Risk Drivers

GEICO: Best Overall

Direct Auto Insurance Overview

Direct Auto Insurance has specialized in non-standard auto insurance since 1991. Its policies are underwritten by Direct General Group, also known as National General Insurance. Though it is not one of the biggest car insurance companies, its website advertises low rates, flexible payment plans, and good customer service.

Direct Auto specializes in providing rates for high-risk drivers and drivers who are in need of an SR-22 certificate after committing a serious traffic violation like a DUI or causing an accident while driving without insurance.

Coverage is available in the following 12 states:

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Mississippi

North Carolina

Ohio

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Direct Auto Insurance Coverage

Direct Auto Insurance offers vehicle coverage through a network of agents. The following types of car insurance are available from Direct Auto:

Bodily injury liability: Covers other parties’ medical bills after an accident you cause and is required in most states

Property damage liability: Covers other parties’ repairs bills after an accident you cause and is required in most states

Personal injury protection (PIP): Pays for certain medical expenses in the event of an auto accident and is required in some states

Collision: Helps pay to repair or replace your own vehicle after an accident you cause or if you hit an object like a tree, pole, or fence

Comprehensive: Helps pay to repair or replace your vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged in an event other than a collision, such as a weather-related event

Medical payments (MedPay): Optional coverage that pays for medical, hospital, and funeral expenses in the event of an accident, no matter who is at fault

Uninsured motorist (UM coverage): Helps pay for expenses if you’re injured in an accident and the at-fault driver can’t be identified or does not have proper insurance coverage

In addition to offering standard types of auto insurance, Direct Auto also provides the following insurance and auto-related products:

Towing

Roadside assistance

Motorcycle insurance

Rental reimbursement

Mexico auto insurance

Accidental death coverage

Commercial auto insurance

Emergency protection plans

If you’re not sure which type of coverage you need, one of Direct Auto’s agents can help. Agents can be especially useful if you’ve just moved to a new state, as they’re usually well-versed in their state’s minimum insurance requirements.

Direct Auto Insurance Discounts

Unlike some agent-reliant insurers that only allow potential customers to get quotes in person, Direct Auto Insurance allows customers to get quotes online or over the phone as well. Direct Auto has an impressive list of driver, vehicle, and policy discounts to help give its customers the lowest r

Direct Auto Insurance Discount

Details

Military

Active military members can save up to 25%.

Safe Driver

Drivers who have been violation- and accident-free for at least three years can save up to 10%.

Good Student

Unmarried, full-time students who have a “B” average or better can save up to 10%.

Senior Citizen

Drivers who are at least 55 years old and have completed a motor vehicle accident prevention course can save up to 5%.

Multi-Car

Having more than one car on your policy can save you up to 25%.

Mileage

Driving fewer miles per year can save you up to 5%.

Multi-Product

Adding a product such as term life insurance, an emergency protection plan, or roadside assistance can save you up to 5%.

Prior-Coverage

Switching to Direct Auto Insurance after having coverage from another provider for at least six months can save you 25%.

Homeowner

Homeowners can save up to 15%.

Renewal

If your policy has not lapses in the last 12 months and you renew it within seven to 10 days of its expiration, you can save up to 20%.

Welcome Back

If you previously had a Direct Auto Insurance policy but have not had one in the last six months, you can save up to 6% for switching back.

Affinity

Members of Direct Auto’s partner organizations can save up to 5%.

Direct Auto Insurance Reviews & Customer Service

Direct Auto Insurance has many reviews on its website, but naturally, the company only displays positive feedback. It’s best to check independent review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see a full picture of customer satisfaction.

Direct Auto Insurance does not have its own BBB profile, but taking a look at the insurer’s parent company, National General, can give an idea of Direct Auto’s customer satisfaction. National General has an A+ rating from the BBB with a 3.0 out of 5.0 customer score based on over 300 reviews. A majority of the negative reviews on National General’s BBB page have to do with frustration during the claims process. National General also has an A- financial strength rating from AM Best, which means it is in a good position to pay out customer claims.

Note that Direct Auto Insurance’s BBB page is not to be confused with the profile of “Direct Auto Insurance Company,” as the two are not affiliated.

Our Verdict on Direct Auto Insurance: 79%

Our team gives Direct Auto Insurance a 79-percent rating because it provides coverage and SR-22 certificates to high-risk drivers and also has an impressive list of discounts. However, coverage is only available in 12 states, and there are limited reviews from customers.

If you are a high-risk driver, we recommend getting a quote from Direct Auto Insurance and comparing it to other top insurance providers so that you can get the best coverage for the best price. Fill out our simple, free form below to get started.

Our Recommendations for Car Insurance

In addition to Direct Auto Insurance, our team has done extensive research on other top insurance providers. If you’re in the market for cheap auto insurance and are a high-risk driver, we recommend taking a look at Progressive and GEICO.

Progressive: Best for High-Risk Drivers

Our team gives Progressive a rating of 95 percent. Along with nationwide availability and many types of insurance coverage, it offers low-cost auto insurance policies for drivers with DUIs or DWIs on their records.

Progressive holds an A+ rating from AM Best and the BBB. It offers usage-based options to its customers through an app called Snapshot

®. Progressive also has the Name Your Price

®

tool, which allows customers to enter a rate they want to pay and be matched with coverage options within their budget. For more information, read our full Progressive car insurance review.

GEICO: Best Overall

We give GEICO a 96-percent rating overall. The company has a BBB rating of A+ and an AM Best financial strength rating of A++. It also has highly rated and convenient mobile apps through which customers can find policy details, pay bills, and more.

GEICO has many discounts, such as military and students, and offers bundled discounts. This helps make it one of the lowest cost suppliers in the industry. For a closer look, please read our complete GEICO car insurance review. You can also compare insurance coverage, discounts, etc. in our GEICO and progressive reviews.