Dial Direct
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPeterborough, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Dial Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dial Direct
- Legal name
- BISL Limited
- Website
- https://dialdirect.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dial Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Personal Lines Insurance (Motor and Home)
- NAICS
- Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA)
Keywords
Where Dial Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Peterborough
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dial Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Insurance Premium Revenue: Dial Direct acts as an insurance intermediary, arranging policies with their panel of insurers. Revenue is generated through insurance premiums paid by customers, which includes intermediary service fees.
- Intermediary Service Fees: Fees charged for insurance intermediary services including arranging, servicing and renewing policies. Non-refundable after the first 14 days.
- Amendment Fees: Fees charged for making changes to policies after the first 14 days from policy start date
- Cancellation Fees: Fees charged for policy cancellations, with different rates for within 14 days and after 14 days
- Failed Payment Fees: Fees charged when payments are returned unpaid by bank or building society
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Car Insurance - Amendment Fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Car Insurance - Intermediary Service Fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Car Insurance - Failed Payment Fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Car Insurance - Cancellation (within 14 days) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Car Insurance - Cancellation (after 14 days) |
| Subscription | Annual | Home Insurance - Intermediary Service Fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Home Insurance - Cancellation (after 14 days) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Van Insurance - Cancellation (after 14 days) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Dial Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dial Direct is a UK insurance intermediary that arranges and administers car, van, and home insurance policies on behalf of a selected panel of UK insurers. It sells policies directly to consumers through online quote-and-purchase tools and phone-based service, and adds bundled features such as RAC Breakdown Assistance, Motor Legal Protection, courtesy car, and windscreen cover to standard policies. The company also provides policy administration, claims handling, and 24/7 customer account self-service.
Product overview
Dial Direct is a UK-based insurance intermediary and subsidiary of BISL Limited (trading as BISL Limited, authorized and regulated by the FCA) that operates a multi-product insurance platform. The core product portfolio consists of three main insurance lines: Standard Car Insurance and Premier Car Insurance (offering different coverage tiers with standard or enhanced benefits), Van Insurance (with commercial and private use options), and Home Insurance (available as Buildings, Contents, or combined coverage). The company also offers a range of add-on products including Motor Legal Protection, Guaranteed Replacement Car/Van, Keycare Cover, RAC Breakdown Assistance, Tools & Van Contents Cover, Family Legal Protection, and Home Emergency Assistance. Additional services include temporary car insurance through partner Jaunt and Mirrored No Claims Discount for customers with limited NCD history. Dial Direct acts as an intermediary, arranging insurance through a panel of leading UK insurers and providing policy administration, claims handling, and customer service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dial Direct Premier: Premier Car Insurance package that includes Motor Legal Protection as standard
Products and services
- Standard Car Insurance Car insurance product for UK car owners offering three coverage levels (Third Party Only, Third Party Fire and Theft, Comprehensive) with RAC Breakdown Assistance, courtesy car, windscreen cover, and personal accident benefits included as standard.
- Premier Car Insurance Premium car insurance package with enhanced coverage, Motor Legal Protection and RAC Breakdown Assistance included as standard, and a £0 compulsory and voluntary excess option.
- Van Insurance
Quantifiable outcome
- 89-92% of Review Centre users recommend Dial Direct
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Dial Direct
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dial Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature2 records
Dial Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RAC Motoring ServicescoreRAC provides Breakdown Assistance as part of Dial Direct's car and van insurance products. For car insurance, Roadside and Recovery is included as standard. For van insurance, RAC provides 24/7 breakdown assistance with options for UK roadside, recovery, at home, onward travel, and EU coverage.
- RAC Insurance LtdcoreUnderwriter for Motor Legal Protection and Family Legal Protection products administered by ACM ULR Ltd.
- ACM ULR LtdcoreAdministrator for Motor Legal Protection, Guaranteed Replacement Car/Van, and Family Legal Protection products.
- ARAG plccoreUnderwriter for Guaranteed Replacement Car/Van products on behalf of SCOR UK Company Limited.
- SCOR UK Company LimitedcoreReinsurer/backstop for Guaranteed Replacement Car/Van and Home Emergency Assistance products.
- Enterprise Rent-A-CarminorVehicle rental partner providing replacement vehicles for customers during the claims process for non-fault accidents.
- JauntminorReferral partner for short-term/temporary car insurance. Dial Direct refers customers needing flexible short-term cover (1 hour to 28 days) to Jaunt.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dial Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Direct Line Group: Major UK personal lines insurer selling motor and home insurance direct to consumers, bypassing intermediaries like Dial Direct. Comparable because it competes for the same UK car, van, and home insurance customers Dial Direct targets.
- MoneySupermarket: UK price comparison site for car, home, and van insurance. Comparable because it is one of the dominant aggregators routing consumer demand that would otherwise go to intermediaries like Dial Direct.
- Compare the Market: UK price comparison site aggregating car, van, and home insurance from multiple providers. Comparable because it is the primary distribution channel where UK consumers shop for personal lines policies, directly competing with Dial Direct's own quote-and-buy funnel.
- GoCompare: UK price comparison aggregator for car, home, and van insurance. Comparable because it competes for the same UK consumer switching moments and influences the panel intermediation economics Dial Direct depends on.
- Admiral Group: Leading UK direct personal lines insurer (Admiral, Bell, Elephant, Diamond) operating price-comparison-led distribution. Comparable because it targets the same UK car and home insurance customer segments and competes for the same intermediary-and-direct wallet share.
- Aviva: Major UK general insurer offering car, home, and van insurance direct and via intermediaries. Comparable because it is one of the panel insurers that Dial Direct places business with, and competes for the same end customers.
Emerging players
- AA Insurance: UK roadside assistance brand that also sells car and home insurance, leveraging its membership base. Comparable because it bundles breakdown and motor legal benefits into personal lines policies much like Dial Direct does via its RAC partnership.
Others
- Markerstudy Group (BGL Insurance): UK insurance group whose brand (and Dial Direct press contact domain) suggests an affiliation with BISL/Dial Direct. Comparable as a likely parent/co-group entity in the same UK personal lines intermediation market.
Direct peers
- Hastings Direct: UK direct-to-consumer car insurance provider operating online and via phone. Comparable because it sells essentially the same core UK car and van insurance products to the same consumer segments, competing head-on with Dial Direct's proposition.
- Churchill Insurance: UK direct motor and home insurance brand owned by Direct Line Group, distributing primarily online and via phone. Comparable because it sells the same UK personal lines products (car, home) through similar digital and phone channels.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dial Direct social profiles
Digital presenceDial Direct compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Dial Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dial Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Dial Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dial Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dial Direct
What does Dial Direct do?
Dial Direct is a UK insurance intermediary that arranges and administers car, van, and home insurance policies on behalf of a selected panel of UK insurers. It sells policies directly to consumers through online quote-and-purchase tools and phone-based service, and adds bundled features such as RAC Breakdown Assistance, Motor Legal Protection, courtesy car, and windscreen cover to standard policies. The company also provides policy administration, claims handling, and 24/7 customer account self-service.
Is Dial Direct a public or private company?
Dial Direct is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dial Direct founded?
Dial Direct was founded in 2015. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Dial Direct based?
Dial Direct is headquartered in Peterborough, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Dial Direct make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Insurance Premium Revenue is the primary driver. The others are intermediary Service Fees, amendment Fees, cancellation Fees and failed Payment Fees.
Who are Dial Direct's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Direct Line Group, MoneySupermarket, Compare the Market, GoCompare, Admiral Group and Aviva. AA Insurance is listed as an emerging player. Markerstudy Group (BGL Insurance) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Hastings Direct and Churchill Insurance.
Does Dial Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dial Direct.
What industry is Dial Direct in?
Dial Direct's product category is Personal Lines Insurance (Motor and Home). Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEADAA, Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 5242 and its SIC code is 6411.