Dial Direct Car Insurance Review

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Dial Direct Car Insurance at a Glance

Dial Direct Car Insurance at a Glance

  • A broad spectrum of car insurance products.
  • 75% no-claims bonus.

What we like:

Dial Direct's range of car insurance products provides extensive coverage for various potential scenarios. The comprehensive cover option protects policyholders from incidents beyond their control, such as accidents, hijacking, flood damage, and fire damage. Another unique product in the portfolio, BetterCar Value, enables policyholders to continue driving their preferred vehicle model or even upgrade to a newer one. Additionally, Dial Direct offers value-added products such as Pothole Cover and Scratch and Dent, which allow policyholders to maintain the appearance of their vehicle without utilising their comprehensive cover. 

Best for:

Dial Direct offers a comprehensive car insurance policy that provides policyholders who practise safe driving with a 75 percent payback bonus, resulting in a reduction in insurance costs. If you are in search of an insurance provider that rewards good driving behaviour and adherence to traffic regulations, Dial Direct is a suitable option for you. Additionally, Dial Direct offers a wide range of car insurance products that cover virtually every possible scenario, ensuring that your vehicle is fully protected once you have purchased all the necessary products.

Pros
  • A range of coverage options to suit different needs.
  • BetterCar Insurance allows policyholders to replace their car with a newer model.
  • Up to a 70% payback bonus.
Cons
  • No discounts for purchasing multiple products.
Table of Content

Dial Direct’s car insurance policy has received a high rating of 9.1 out of 10 from policyholders, indicating its effectiveness in providing financial protection in various unfortunate circumstances. The policy covers costs associated with collisions, damage to other people’s property or vehicles, damage to one’s own vehicle, and car theft. Policyholders pay a monthly premium to Dial Direct in exchange for coverage under the policy.

In the unfortunate event of an incident, Dial Direct would cover a portion of the costs associated with the damage incurred.

In this review, we will provide an overview of Dial Direct’s car insurance products, coverage options, benefits, and potential drawbacks. By becoming familiar with these products, policyholders can make informed decisions regarding the suitability of Dial Direct’s car insurance policies to protect their vehicles.

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What Makes Dial Direct Car Insurance Products Different

Dial Direct car insurance is known for providing comprehensive coverage, which means it protects policyholders from almost any imaginable scenario. The company also offers value-added products to ensure complete reassurance for its customers. These products can be added to the main policy at affordable rates and include scratch and dent cover, which pays for repairs for chips and dents on a vehicle’s exterior, and pothole coverage, which covers the repair or replacement of tyres damaged by bad roads or potholes. Additionally, Dial Direct offers BetterCar Insurance, which is a policy that pays for the replacement of a written-off vehicle. Not all car insurance providers offer value-added products like these.

Dial Direct Car Insurance Coverage Options and Benefits

Dial Direct Comprehensive Car Insurance

With comprehensive insurance, you’ll be protected from potential financial losses resulting from a car accident, damage to a third-party vehicle or property, or even the theft of your own car. It’s a robust type of insurance that offers coverage for virtually all scenarios.

Third-Party Insurance

With this policy, you’ll have protection from potential financial liabilities resulting from damage to other vehicles or property where you are at fault. The level of coverage will be outlined in your policy, and the insurance company will pay out according to the specified coverage triggers. 

Third-Party, Fire, and Theft Car Insurance

This type of insurance falls under the mid-range category and offers coverage against various risks. In the event of your car being lost, stolen, or damaged due to a fire, Dial Direct will take care of the necessary repairs or replacements. Additionally, your vehicle will be protected against claims made by third parties for damage caused to their property or vehicle.

BetterCar Insurance

If you have comprehensive car insurance, you can opt for an additional feature called BetterCar Value, which provides an enhanced insured value for your car. In the event that your car is written-off, BetterCar value ensures that you receive a payout or a replacement car that is one year newer than your current car and of the same model.

However, there are certain terms and conditions associated with this feature. The BetterCar option is applicable only to cars that are eight years old or less. It also doesn’t apply to cars written off due to attempted theft, theft, attempted hi-jacking, or hi-jacking. In such cases, the insured value would revert to the standard retail value. In case your car doesn’t have a newer model available, the payout will be 15% more than the retail value of your car.

If you want extra coverage, you can choose to add cover for hail damage, your car’s canopy, and your epic sound system, if you have one. Overall, BetterCar is specifically designed to augment the level of protection attainable with comprehensive cover. 

Dial Direct Auto Top-Up Plus

Dial Direct Auto Top-up Plus is a product designed to protect car owners from financial liability in the unfortunate event of theft or write-off of their vehicle, particularly if the vehicle has been purchased using a bank loan. In addition to providing protection against shortfall payments, the Auto Top-up Plus also offers personal accident cover and excess and instalment protection benefits.

To be eligible for Auto Top-up Plus, you must have a comprehensive car insurance policy with Dial Direct. Dial Direct Auto Top-up Plus offers four types of cover – shortfall Cover, personal accident benefit, excess protector benefit, and instalment protector benefit.  

The Shortfall Cover benefit of Auto Top-up Plus pays the difference between the amount paid out by your comprehensive insurance policy and the outstanding amount you owe to your finance institution if your car is written off or stolen and not recovered.

The Personal Accident benefit provides cover for accidental death or total permanent disability of the registered owner of the vehicle, as well as accidental exposure to HIV. This benefit is not dependent on the car being written off, and it will continue even if you no longer have a shortfall on your finance amount in the event of a write-off.

The Excess Protector benefit is optional and will pay you up to the selected amount to help with the excess you paid on your comprehensive vehicle insurance claim if your car is written off and your comprehensive insurance policy approves your claim.

The Installment Protector benefit offers peace of mind by paying you up to two months worth of your monthly vehicle instalments if your car is written off and your comprehensive car insurance claim is being reviewed, until the claim is finalised.

Dial Direct Scratch and Dent Cover

Dial Direct Scratch and Dent Cover is a policy that provides coverage for fixing minor damages to your vehicle’s exterior, such as chips, minor dents, light scratches, and tears. The benefit of this policy is that you don’t need to make a claim from your short-term car insurance policy to cover these repairs.

In addition to the scratch and dent cover, Dial Direct will handle all aspects of your car licence renewal. All repair work done under the Scratch and Dent Cover policy is backed by a three-year guarantee. There is no maximum number of claims you can make under this policy, so you can keep your vehicle looking its best all year long without worrying about exceeding a claim limit. It’s also worth noting that any claims made under this policy won’t affect your short-term vehicle insurance policy or your Cash Back Plus payout.

Dial Direct Pothole Cover

Dial Direct offers a Pothole Cover which provides coverage for damage to tyres and rims caused by potholes or uneven road surfaces. Customers can select from five different plans ranging from R1000 to R10,000, with the ability to claim for up to two tyres and two rims per year, up to the limit of their chosen plan. For more information, call 0860 10 50 85 to speak with a consultant.

Pricing and Discounts of Dial Direct Car Insurance Products

Dial Direct determines the cost of its premiums based on the level and type of coverage. Additionally, policyholders who maintain their vehicles in excellent condition and adhere to safe driving practices are eligible for special payback bonuses on Dial Direct’s comprehensive car cover. Policyholders are eligible for up to 75 percent payback bonuses on Dial Direct comprehensive car insurance. Dial Direct also offers bundle insurance like Car + Pothole Cover, which provides the benefits of two different products at a discounted cost that is less than purchasing the constituent products separately.  

Where Dial Direct Car Insurance Products can Improve

Dial Direct offers a diverse spectrum of car insurance products that protect policyholders in different scenarios where they find themselves financially liable. Policyholders can combine various insurance products to maximise the benefit derivable from their car insurance plan. While products like Comprehensive Car Cover offer unique discounts, Dial Direct has no such discount in place that activates once a policyholder purchases more than one type of car insurance product, although some car insurance products are included in its bundled insurance portfolio, which is an entirely different portfolio. The company can consider discounts or payback bonuses that can incentivize customers to cover their vehicles appropriately.  

How to Request A Quote for Dial Direct Car Insurance

 To get a quote for car insurance quote: 

  1. Visit Dial Direct’s website to request a car insurance quote.

  2. Make sure the “Car Insurance” option at the top of the page is activated.

  3. Fill out the online form, and click the “Start Quoting” button.

Alternatively, you can call Dial Direct New Customer Sales Line at 0861 007 367 to speak to a knowledgeable sales representative who can answer any questions regarding these products and guide you through the signup process.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Pothole insurance typically provides coverage for damage to a vehicle’s tires and rims caused by potholes or other road hazards. However, there are certain situations where this coverage may not apply. For example, damage to tyres and rims on cars used for racing or speed reliability testing is typically excluded from pothole insurance coverage.

Damage to tyres and rims from car accidents, hijackings, or thefts is generally not covered under pothole insurance, as these situations would fall under the purview of comprehensive car insurance. If the damage to the tyres and rims is due to misuse, neglect, or intentional damage caused by someone else, it would typically not be covered by pothole insurance. 

By getting vehicle cover from Dial Direct, you can easily carry out your own vehicle inspection using your free personal online profile. With this profile, you can manage your policy anytime and anywhere, 24/7. Dial Direct’s online policy management system is hassle-free and puts you in control, allowing you to quickly update your information, add cover, or request documents with just a few clicks. Moreover, if you register online and confirm your details, Dial Direct will reward you with 1GB of free data.

If you need to make a claim on the Auto Top-Up Plus policy, you can reach out to Dial Direct’s call centre by dialling 0860 10 50 85 between Monday and Friday from 08:00 to 17:00. Dial Direct’s team of friendly consultants will be available to assist you in navigating through the claims process.

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