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Frequently asked questions

Please read our FAQ section to find answers to the most common car insurance and motor insurance related questions.

Frequently asked questions about RAC Direct Insurance cover

Why can't I find my car's make and model by its registration number?

If you find your vehicle's registration number doesn't return your vehicle's details on our quote form, you can also enter the vehicle's year of manufacture, make and model to assist your search. If you are still unable to find your vehicle's details, please contact our team on 0800 051 7820 who will be happy to help you.

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What is an excess?

An excess is a contributory amount you pay, when making a claim, however if the claim is deemed not to be your fault, it may be possible to recover your excess from the party deemed to be at fault.

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If I've been named on another policy, am I entitled to any no claim discount?

RAC Direct Insurance like most insurers, will only reward the actual policy holder with no claim discount.

However, if you have been claim free we may be able to give an introductory discount. Young drivers may also receive a discount if they have completed the Pass Plus course and are an existing Rapid Bonus policy holder.

To find out more please contact our team on 0800 051 7820.

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What happens if I have an accident?

Depending on your car cover, we can arrange for your vehicle to be recovered and you and your passengers taken home or to your destination safely.

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What if I am making a claim?

You should contact our freephone 24-hour claim service on 0800 404 6342 for Insurance Only Members and 0800 404 8777 for Membership Plus Members, where an incident manager will record details of the incident and will start sorting out your problem immediately. There are no forms to fill in, and the incident manager will confirm: whether your policy covers you for the incident; what you will have to pay; and all the steps involved in your claim being settled.

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How do I get about whilst my car is being repaired?

If you have opted for courtesy car cover, a courtesy car is provided by our approved repairers, and is available for the duration of any repairs to your vehicle. If a car is stolen or a total loss, we will guarantee a hire car until an offer is made to settle the claim - subject to a maximum of 14 days.

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What is legal cover?

Our legal cover provides legal advice via a 24 hour, 365 days a year helpline. Legal cover provides assistance to recover uninsured losses (such as excess), medical losses or loss of earnings. We will provide up to £50,000 for Insurance Only Members and up to £100,000 for Membership Plus Members for legal costs to pursue a case after a motoring accident, and up to £10,000 worth of cover to defend against any motoring prosecutions (N.B. excluding drink/drug-related offences).

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Can I drive abroad on my policy?

Your policy will automatically cover you to drive in any countries which are members of the European Union, to the minimum level of insurance required (usually third party only).

If you require a higher level of cover we can offer you Driving Abroad additional cover.

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What is protected No Claim Discount?

With RAC Direct Insurance, clients can protect their no claim discount for up two at fault claims in any 5-year period. This means that if your car is stolen, or you have no other party to claim against, you wont have to lose your no claim discount as well. Clients must have at least 4 years' no claims discount and be over 21 years old in order to be eligible.

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Do I need business use to drive to work?

No, under our insurance policy you can drive your vehicle back and forth to the same place of work using social, domestic and commuting purposes. We can however increase your cover if you need to use your vehicle to visit any other sites of business during the working day; we will not however cover any goods or samples carried in connection with business use.

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Is it safe to use my credit/debit card on your site?

RAC Direct Insurance appreciates the importance of protecting our client's personal information from possible security risks, and therefore all of your personal information you enter into our quote form is protected using SSL encryption technology, which works with your Internet browser to protect the data. We do offer a facility to check your current browser to test the level of encryption it provides to ensure it is appropriate - this can be found via our 'legal and security' link on the left hand frame of our quotation pages.

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Can I get instant cover with RAC Direct Insurance?

If you pay by either a credit or debit card online, RAC Direct Insurance can provide you with instant cover.

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What are the payment options with RAC Direct Insurance?

You can pay for your insurance annually using a credit /debit card or annual direct debit. Alternatively you can pay by 2 six monthly premiums. The first payment is taken via debit/credit card and the second payment, taken 6 months later, is taken via direct debit. At renewal both payments are taken via direct debit.

Rapid Bonus customers, can pay monthly premiums. If you have chosen to pay monthly premiums, you must pay the first two monthly premiums by the date the insurance starts or the insurance will not be valid. The remaining premiums will be made as follows: you must pay one monthly premium on the same day of each month, starting in month two and ending in month eight. When the policy is renewed you must pay the premiums monthly.

If you do not pay a monthly premium on the date it is due, this will give us the right to cancel this policy from the date that premium was due to be paid. If you pay monthly premiums, we will provide one month's cover for each monthly premium you pay.

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What should I do if I need to make a change to my insurance?

Contact us on 0800 404 7516 and we will make the necessary changes and send you our updated documentation in the post.

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What type of changes do I need to tell you about?

You must tell us of changes to all material facts. By material facts we mean things like change in your name, change in your mileage, modifications to your car, any driving convictions you have received. If you are in doubt about a change to your details, please let us know.

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I have heard that if I leave my keys in the car that I am not covered on my car insurance. Is this true?

Yes, that is correct. If you leave your keys in your car even if it is only to pop out and pay for your petrol or drop off a letter and your car is stolen, your car will not be covered. So remember always to take your keys with you or make sure someone stays with the car or it could prove an expensive couple of minutes!

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My child has just started driving and I want to get insurance for them. What is the best way to insure them?

It is always best to insure young drivers on their own policies. This way they will collect their own no-claim bonus which will help lower their insurance premiums. RAC Direct Insurance offers a great young driver policy. Please call 0800 404 7647 to find out more. Often parents insure their children as secondary drivers on a policy with themselves as a main driver when actually the child is the main driver of the car. Parents often think this is the cheapest way to get their children on the road, however, often this isn't the cheapest way and if we find out that the young driver is the true main driver we may not pay out on a claim. This is because the information you have provided is incorrect and the insurance becomes invalid.

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If I have a maximum no claim discount and I buy a second car can I add my no claim bonus to both cars?

The short answer is no. You must earn another set of no claim bonus for a second vehicle. However we can give our customers an introductory discount equivalent to the no claim bonus that they currently hold.

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Can I drive other people's cars under my own insurance?

No. The Driving Other Cars extension has historically allowed policyholders only to drive cars that do not belong to them and are not hired to them under a hire purchase agreement, subject to the owner's permission. The cover provided is Third Party only cover which does not cover damage to the car they are driving, but does cover liability for damage and injury to third parties. This cover operates only whilst the Policyholder is driving and was designed to be used in emergency situations only.

Our experience has shown that many drivers do not fully understand the extent or purpose of this cover and that many are utilising it without fully understanding the true cover this extension provides. To support initiatives to reduce deliberate and inadvertent uninsured driving we have removed the extension from this insurance.

This means that you and any named drivers are only insured to drive vehicles clearly identified on either your Certificate of Motor Insurance or your Insurance Schedule, which should be kept with your Certificate.

If you want to add an additional temporary car or an additional driver to your insurance you can contact us and we can arrange for a car or driver to be added to your insurance subject to normal restrictions. We will then send you an amended schedule showing the additional car or driver details.

If you need to be added to a family or friends vehicle in order to be able to drive it, they can contact their insurer who will be able to arrange this for them subject to normal restrictions.

To add temporary vehicles or additional drivers to your insurance, please contact us on 0800 404 7516.

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How can I insure my car for driving abroad?

If you pay an extra premium, your insurance can be extended to provide the same level of cover in the European Union and some other European countries as you have in the Territorial Limits. If you want to extend your insurance, you must contact us at least two weeks beforehand and we will provide the necessary documents.

We do not provide a courtesy car outside the Territorial Limits. However, you may buy our European Breakdown cover so that if there is an accident, breakdown or theft abroad, we will pay for up to 14 days self-drive car hire. We will also arrange car hire for the part of your journey that is in the Territorial Limits. If you would like more details on this cover, please call us on 0800 404 7516.

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I am taking my car off the road for a period of time - do I still have to pay my insurance premium?

If your car will be out of use for a continuous period of 28 days or more, and this is not as a result of any loss or damage covered by this insurance, we may suspend your cover and refund part of your premium for the laid-up period. We will pay this refund when you ask for the cover to start again. If you want us to suspend your cover, please call us on 0800 404 7516 and return your RAC Direct Insurance Certificate of Motor Insurance immediately.

During the period when cover is suspended, we will continue to provide cover for loss or damage caused by fire or theft while your car is in a locked private garage.

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I have been involved in an incident but am unsure of my legal position - what help can you provide?

We will give you confidential legal advice over the telephone on any personal legal matter in relation to the use of your car.

We will tell you what your legal rights are, what course of action is available to you and whether these can best be implemented by you or whether you need to consult with a lawyer. There are no consultation fees and lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For confidential legal advice call us on 0800 404 6344. Please have your insurance reference number to hand as this will be requested when you call.

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Opening hours

Monday to Friday - 8am to 10pm
Saturday - 8am to 6pm
Sunday - 10am to 4pm