1. No category

Group at a glance
Protecting our customers
We have multiple brands, products and distribution channels.
Each enables our customers to choose the right cover to protect
their cars, homes, holidays, businesses and pets.
Our brands
Direct Line has maintained the heritage of its brand in the UK
by selling products direct to customers by phone and internet
only. We target customers with a high brand affinity, focusing
on a quick and straightforward customer experience.
www.directline.com
Direct Line for Business is an extension of the Direct Line
brand. It is our direct commercial insurance brand for small
businesses in the UK that have straightforward commercial
insurance requirements.
www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk
Green Flag is our roadside rescue and recovery product,
which is sold both as a standalone service and an additional
optional product alongside motor insurance.
www.greenflag.com
NIG is our specialist commercial insurance brand,
focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”)
in the UK. We sell our products through brokers, including
an in-house intermediary that arranges RBS and NatWest
commercial insurance1.
www.nig.com
Churchill is a household name with products marketed in the
UK by phone and internet, including by price comparison
websites (“PCWs”). We target customers with a high brand
affinity and that value the need for support.
Brand Partners is the business-to-business arm of the Group.
We specialise in providing personal lines insurance, and
roadside rescue and recovery products to some of the UK’s
well-known brands.
www.churchill.com
www.brand-partners.co.uk
Privilege targets customers who mainly buy through PCWs.
We focus on providing a quick customer experience at the
best price.
www.privilege.com
Note:
1. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc, including National Westminster Bank plc.
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Direct Line Group Annual Report & Accounts 2014
Strategic report
Our divisions
Personal
Motor
We are Britain’s leading personal motor insurer, with
a 13.1% share of in-force policies1, mainly represented
through our highly recognised brands, Direct Line, Churchill
and Privilege, and through partners. We insure around
one in seven cars on the road, representing 3.7 million
in-force policies.
Home
We are one of Britain’s leading home insurers, with a
16.7% share of in-force policies1. We reach our customers
by selling home insurance products through our brands Direct
Line, Churchill and Privilege as well as through our partners
Sainsbury’s Bank, RBS, NatWest, Nationwide Building
Society and Prudential.
£1
,342.0m
Gross written premium
£898.6
m
Gross written premium
3,672
In-force policies (thousands)
96.2
%
£297
.1m
Combined operating ratio
Operating profit
For more information, see page 36
92.7
%
£1
13.9m
Combined operating ratio
Operating profit
For more information, see page 37
Rescue and other personal lines
We are one of the leading providers of rescue and
other personal lines insurance in the UK2,3 with 8,592 thousand
in-force policies. This includes providing roadside assistance and
recovery for customers through Green Flag, the UK’s third-largest
roadside recovery provider2. We also offer customers protection
for their pets and holidays and we are the third largest insurer in
the UK for these insurance products3.
Commercial
£371
.8m
Gross written premium
£487
.0 m
Gross written premium
8,592
In-force policies (thousands)
92.0
%
£48.0
m
Combined operating ratio
Operating profit
For more information, see page 38
3,526
In-force policies (thousands)
We protect small and medium-sized enterprises through
our own brands, NIG, Direct Line for Business and Churchill,
plus RBS and NatWest. NIG sells its products exclusively through
independent brokers operating across the UK. Direct Line for
Business provides business, van and landlord insurance products.
Churchill sells van insurance direct and via PCWs.
611
In-force policies (thousands)
98.8
%
£47
.0m
Combined operating ratio
Operating profit
For more information, see page 39
Our performance – ongoing operations 4
Gross written premium4
(%)
Contribution to operating profit4
(%)
Motor 43.3
Motor 58.7
Home 29.0
Home 22.5
Rescue and other
personal lines 12.0
Rescue and other
personal lines 9.5
Commercial 15.7
Commercial 9.3
Notes:
1. Ranked by total in-force policies in the motor and home markets, including partner brands: RBS, NatWest, Nationwide and Prudential © GfK NOP Financial
Research Survey (FRS) 6 months ending December 2014, 12,973 adults interviewed for motor insurance and 12,181 for home insurance.
2. Mintel Vehicle Recovery – UK, September 2014
3. Mintel Pet Insurance – UK, August 2014 and Mintel Travel Insurance – UK, February 2014
4. See note 2 on page 4
www.directlinegroup.com
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