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Direct Auto Insurance Review: Unique Discounts and Coverage Options

Review Updated
Kailey Hagen
By: Kailey Hagen
Kailey Hagen
Kailey Hagen
Writer

Kailey Hagen has been writing about small businesses and finance for almost 10 years, with her work appearing on USA Today, CNN Money, Fox Business, and MSN Money. She specializes in personal and business bank accounts and software for small to medium-size businesses. She lives on what's almost a farm in northern Wisconsin with her husband and three dogs.

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Ashley Maready
Check IconFact Checked Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
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Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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Direct Auto Insurance offers comprehensive car insurance policies with unique protections and discounts. But being a lesser-known insurer, it's hard to gauge how its customer service stacks up to its competitors. Read our full Direct Auto Insurance review to learn more.

Logo for Direct Auto
Best for online tools and rare coverage optionsDirect Auto
Rating image, 3.00 out of 5 stars.
3.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor

Bottom Line

Direct Auto Insurance offers some unique add-ons and rare savings opportunities. Some drivers can find affordable rates here, while others will pay more than average with the company. Its customer service is a bit of a question mark since it hasn't appeared in any major auto insurance studies, but it could still be worth a look for those primarily interested in auto insurance.

Pros

  • Strong online tools
  • Unique discounts
  • Rare optional coverage

Cons

  • Little data on customer service
  • Pricey for some drivers

Full Direct Auto Insurance review

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Monthly premium costs

Direct Auto Insurance's rates were above average for the groups that we looked at, particularly for drivers with accidents on their records. But drivers who qualify for some of Direct Auto Insurance's discounts may be able to secure a better rate.

35-year-old female, clean record 35-year-old male, clean record 35-year-old female, one accident 18-year-old male, clean record
$203.33 $207.58 $286.00 $461.92
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.

Cost comparison

Direct Auto Insurance's rates vary significantly depending on the driver in question. Some types of drivers, like teens, can find below-average rates here, but others pay rates far above average. The table below shows how Direct Auto Insurance's rates for several common driver profiles compare to the national average:

Direct Auto Insurance Average Rate National Average Rate
Clean Driving Record $2,466 $2,389
Accident on Record $3,432 $3,370
Speeding Ticket on Record $3,182 $3,032
DUI on Record $3,081 $4,380
18 Years OId - New Driver $5,543 $6,291
65 Years Old - Senior $2,208 $2,140
Military Service $2,491 $2,375
Minimum Coverage (Liability Only) $1,043 $787
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.

Discounts

Direct Auto Insurance offers a variety of driver, vehicle, and policy discounts that can help drivers save up to 25% on their car insurance rates. Some of these discounts are pretty hard to find, including the Welcome Back discount for returning former policyholders and the discounts for seniors and military members. Here's a full list of Direct Auto Insurance discounts:

  • Affinity discount
  • Driver education discount
  • DynamicDrive discount
  • Good student discount
  • Homeowner discount
  • Military discount
  • Multi-car discount
  • Multi-policy discount
  • Multi-product discount
  • Payment discounts
  • Prior coverage discount
  • Renewal discount
  • Safe driver discount
  • Senior citizen discount
  • Vehicle equipment discount
  • Welcome back discount

Coverage

Policy types

  • Auto insurance
  • Commercial auto insurance
  • Mexico auto insurance
  • Motorcycle insurance

Direct Auto Insurance doesn't insure as many types of vehicles as some of its competitors, so it may not be one of the best car insurance companies for drivers who are hoping to insure boats, RVs, and cars together. But it could still be a great option for drivers who are mostly interested in auto insurance.

Coverage types

  • Accident forgiveness
  • Accidental death
  • Bodily injury liability
  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Emergency protection plan
  • Medical payments
  • Property damage liability
  • Personal injury protection (PIP)
  • Rental reimbursement
  • Roadside assistance
  • Uninsured motorist

Direct Auto Insurance offers all the standard coverage options drivers would expect to see with an auto insurer. It also has a few unique features, including its emergency protection plan, which features accidental death coverage.

Customer service and ratings

It's difficult to gauge how Direct Auto Insurance's customer service compares to its competitors because it hasn't been featured in any large auto insurance customer satisfaction surveys. However, it does have a large number of glowing reviews on its company website.

Other insurance available

  • Direct Auto term life insurance

Direct Auto Insurance doesn't offer a large variety of other policies, so it may not be the best choice for those seeking to bundle multiple policies with a single provider.

Alternatives to consider

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner
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Best for price conscious consumersGeico
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Get a Quote

Read our Geico review

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner
Logo for State Farm
Best for bundling coverageState Farm
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Get a Quote

Read our State Farm review

When looking for an insurer known for its affordable rates: Geico is one of the best-known cheap auto insurers because it offers a variety of discounts available to help drivers keep costs low. It also offers pretty comprehensive policies, but drivers won't find some of the unique options, like term life insurance offered by Direct Auto Insurance.

When looking for an insurer known for great customer service: State Farm fared well in the latest J.D. Power Auto Insurer Customer Satisfaction Survey and is known for its excellent customer service. It also offers comprehensive policies, though it too is missing some of the unique add-ons found with Direct Auto Insurance.

Direct Auto insurance summary

Direct Auto Insurance could be a good fit for:

  • Drivers who are primarily interested in insuring their cars
  • Drivers interested in term life insurance and other rare coverage options
  • Drivers who want strong online tools but value live support when they need it

But drivers who prioritize low rates might be better off checking out other car insurance companies, like Geico.

Our auto insurance rating methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, insurers are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on pricing, coverage options, and customer satisfaction; however, we also take into account features like unique discounts, online and app-based experiences, and branch access. Our highest-rated auto insurances generally include low costs, solid coverage, and high customer satisfaction.