Direct Line

Direct Line is the UK’s leading direct personal insurer for motor, home, travel, life and pet insurance. Following the acquisition of Green Flag in November 1999, Direct Line Rescue also became the country’s third largest breakdown recovery provider. As part of Direct Line, Green Flag Group aims to become the UK’s leading business to business provider of personal general insurance, motoring assistance and other motoring related products.

Direct Line is the UK’s largest direct private motor insurer and the sixth largest home insurer with over 3 million and 1 million customers respectively. Building on its success with the famous red telephone, directline dot com was launched in September 1999, offering the fastest quote and buy internet service for its general insurance products. It has since established itself as the country’s leading online insurer with 30% of the online general insurance market. Direct Line’s new motoring site, www.jamjar.com launched in July 2000, sources UK cars at up to 30% off list prices and sold 1000 cars in the first two months of 2001..

Internationally, following the success of Linea Directa, which is now Spain’s largest direct motor insurer with over 300,000 customers, Direct Line Launched a new joint venture in Japan in March 2001 with the Japanese life insurer Yasuda Mutual Life Insurance. The new venture will sell motor insurance in the world’s single largest motor market. In June 2001, Direct Line acquired the Italian and German motor insurance operation of US insurance company Allstate, further expanding the red phone brand in Europe.