Direct Line flood response - update

Britain's leading home and car insurer, Direct Line, has mobilised its resources this weekend to deal with the second wave of unprecedented summer floods that began on Friday afternoon.

Number of call handlers doubled over the weekend.

Over the weekend, hundreds of extra Direct Line call handlers came into work to assist, where they could, with the high numbers of calls that were being received.

Service levels: Over the last few days, and for days to come, the usual swift response on the phones that Direct Line customers enjoy when making a claim has been, and will be, slower than normal.

Direct Line is urging policyholders to exercise discretion when it comes to making claims for non-essential items on their home policies in particular.

For instance, policyholders making accidental damage claims on electrical goods or household items are urged to wait a few days to allow the worst of the current flooding claims to be dealt with.

Teams dispatched nationwide: Since Friday, over 100 claims assessors have been visiting the worst affected areas to get a first hand picture of the scale of the problems.

With resources already stretched in the wake of recent floods, Direct Line is warning customers that it may take an average of five days before they receive a visit from a claims assessor.

In the worst affected areas this could be slightly longer.

In the meantime, policyholders are urged to take whatever reasonable steps they can to obtain accommodation or repair damage - with the assurance that Direct Line will meet the cost when the invoices are presented.

Settling in instalments usually best for customers Direct Line reminds policyholders that in cases of flooding the quickest full financial settlement is rarely the best.

It can take months, rather than weeks, for a full assessment of a flooded property to be carried out, and policyholders should consider receiving initial payments to cover the worst and most immediate needs while the full cost of damage is calculated.

Any settlement made in haste may not take into account issues such as salt erosion in brickwork that become clear once the property has been fully dried.

What this means for existing customers: Any existing policyholders will be able to renew policies, even if they live in an area affected by flooding.

Emma Holyer/Direct Line Press Office0208 256 2182 / 07894 158605 Email: emma.holyer@directline.com.

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