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I never asked to be Hastings Direct. In the same way we never asked to be under Gordon Brown, my policy was transferred from Budget Choice. I do not know the ins and outs of why Budget Choice transferred their book over to Hastings Direct, but upon renewal last year I received a letter ... Read review
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Advantages: None if you have to claim Disadvantages: Appalling service outside of FSA guidelines
...I never asked to be Hastings Direct. In the same way we never asked to be under Gordon Brown, my policy was transferred from Budget Choice. I do not know the ins and outs of why Budget Choice transferred their book over to Hastings Direct, but upon renewal last year I received a letter from Budget Choice saying that Hastings Direct had taken over Budget Choice accounts. The premium seemed cheap enough and they seemed a large and reputable enough ... ...documents were then misplaced by Hastings Direct for a number of works before magically turning up once I started to discuss making a complaint with FSA. I was forced to telephone Hastings Direct on a near daily basis for two whole months in order to get my claim paid out. Letters and documents had to be resent special delivery, as they consistently were magically disappearing within the Hastings Direct system as were internal emails all to my cost ... more
On returning from my recent trip to France, I came home to find to find two nasty surprises. The first was in my haste to leave I had forgotten to do the washing up and there was a good smelly pile of decaying plates and cups just waiting for an industrial hose. No one else to blame but myself on that one. The second nasty surprise was that my car had been stolen.
Like any insurance policy be it home, personal or car the true worth of the policy is only measurable once you have to make a claim on it. You can have the cheapest premiums in the world but if when you come to need the insurance company and they fail spectacularly to deliver, what price those discounts now.
I never asked to be Hastings Direct. In the same way we never asked to be under Gordon Brown, my policy was transferred from Budget Choice. I do not know the ins and outs of why Budget Choice transferred their book over to Hastings Direct, but upon renewal last year I received a letter from Budget Choice saying that Hastings Direct had taken over Budget Choice accounts. The premium seemed cheap enough and they seemed a large and reputable enough company to deal with….oh how I wish I had read previous reviews here and other review sites beforehand as it seems I have not been alone in receiving criminally poor service.
The problems started almost immediately with promised callbacks not being made and having to be chased up. Letters and documents were then misplaced by Hastings Direct for a number of works before magically turning up once I started to discuss making a complaint with FSA. I was forced to telephone Hastings Direct on a near daily basis for two whole months in order to get my claim paid out. Letters and documents had to be resent special delivery, as they consistently were magically disappearing within the Hastings Direct system as were internal emails all to my cost and to my immense frustration.
Any company governed by the Financial Services Authority has certain guidelines to adhere to. Hastings Direct is such a company. However from my experience and from reading of the experiences of others Hastings Direct do not feel that they have to adhere to these rules.
From the FSA website - ICOB - The insurance Code of Business rule no. 8.1.1 The insurer has to
1) handle claims PROMPTLY and fairly - 2 months after reporting my car stolen I have finally banked the remuneration cheque 2) provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim and appropriate information on its progress; - Constant misinformation, the losing and finding and re-losing of important documents 4) settle claims promptly once settlement terms are agreed - despite their claims of everything gets settled within 2 to 3 working days once settlement terms are agreed it took them two weeks of me having to phone at least every other day. I am currently going through the complaints procedure. The whole Hastings Direct Experience has not been a pleasant one at all. Their policies are generally not as good as others (no free car hire for those with cars stolen!?), their service is abysmal and the best review or advice anyone can give of Hastings Direct is AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
Advantages: Cheap cover Disadvantages: Just don't seem interested once they've got your money
...I am insured with Hastings Direct and my claim process has been a nightmare - * They cannot acknowledge the accident because of no proof of damage (even though my solicitors for my injury have sent out an engineer to file a report).
* I have had countless phonecalls backwards and forwards to them and just ended up going round and round in circles - at no point have they contacted me.
* My no claims has gone up in smoke (literally) because of this ... ...if you have a claim, Hastings may not be quite so eager to deal with you and you'll have to do ALL the running around to get things sorted out and even then they may not get it right!!
Bit of advise - always, always take out the legal protection cover, it's the only thing that's saved my bacon through this!
(Sorry about the longwinded description but I had to let you know about the whole saga to explain my experience). ...
crazycrazy 20.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hastings Direct
Advantages: free booklet and free phone no: Disadvantages: not helpful
...I was recommended to use Hastings direct by a friend, I was told they are efficient, paid out well on claims and offer 12 month payment plan, essential in our financial climate. I made the call to the 0800 number, spent 20 minutes on the phone, a quick credit card transaction of £90 deposit and the agreement for £45 pcm to be paid by dd. I was back on the road, master of my destiny, the man in charge. Things just were getting better and better. Okay ... ...find my second letter from hastings direct; your policy has been cancelled as from the 31st January (3 days prior, tar for telling me!). Yes cancelled in secret without any prior letter, conversation, text or even carrier pigeon! I continue to read on and it became clear I was supposed to return a signed document. Funny that I did sign and return mid January, not a big effort, even came with a sae. If they lost it, don’t they give me a reminder, ...
asilandrabid 20.02.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hastings Direct
...car insurance policy was with Hastings and, despite giving me one of the best premium offers I could find, my overall impression of the company is not very high. After about six months of being insured with Hastings I was involved in a minor accident which, it was decided, was a fifty fifty claim. I wasn't too pleased about this as I didn't think it was my fault but what really got to me was the fact that after three months I got a letter telling ... ...turned out that the agency Hastings had employed to look into my case had not responded to a letter from the other insurance company and so Hastings had paid out in full. Needless to say, I was annoyed, especially as this meant that I didn't get any money towards the repair of my car - it was a 3rd party T&T policy - and when I got my new premium quote six months later, it had nearly trebled. I realise that the problem was not directly Hastings' ...
Bubba77 31.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Hastings Direct
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Quick review of Hastings Direct
A cheap car insurance that doesn\'t deliver when you need to make a claim. We had an accident which was third parties fault, but was not straight forward (We were stationary, but as we were sitting at a T junction they claimed we drove out and hit them). Hastings decided that it was our fault without reading our statement and settled! We asked to use legal cover to dispute and legal team advised we try to go for 50/50 claim. Was not happy but continued as this was better than taking blame. Today received a letter saying that it has been settled to their favour and it could be taekn no further. How can they be so cheap when they don\'t look after their clients!. I will be moving when need to renew! ...
willis15 13.06.2007
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Hastings Direct
Advantages: Cheap, free phone number Disadvantages: Poor customer service
...cheapest car insurance possible and Hastings Direct came up with having the cheapest quote, so they got my business.
My car was a cheap little run around, something to get me from A to B. It was a VW Polo, J reg, 1.0l and cost me £500 in 2002. I decided to opt for Third Party Fire and Theft, and I had the option of paying monthly (with interest) or pay up for the whole year.
Being a single parent, I couldn't afford to pay the whole amount, so I ... ...newer, more powerful car, and Hastings couldn't compete with the best quote I had from elsewhere, so I rung up and informed them I would like to cancel my cover with them. .. this incurred me an extra £80 charge!! My advice to you is, that although Hastings may come up with the cheapest quote initially, they have lots of hidden charges which you will only discover when things go wrong! Their customer service is non-existant - they don't seem to give ...
charkai 21.07.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Hastings Direct
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