DirectAsia Car Insurance Review: Why It Might Be The Right Choice for Low Cost and Good Coverage

Renewing your car insurance soon? If you haven’t checked out DirectAsia Car Insurance, you’re missing out on cheaper premiums and easy-to-customise coverage that suit your needs.

Picking the right car insurance is really important for drivers. It protects your hard-earned money when you get into an accident. 

Direct Asia is one of the leading providers of car insurance in Singapore, known for affordable premiums and digital innovation. They cover a wide range of vehicle types, from regular cars to electric cars too. 

Whether you are renewing your car insurance soon or getting car insurance for the first time, this review will give you all the information you need to decide if DirectAsia is right for you. Let’s get started!

Table of contents:

• About DirectAsia
• DirectAsia Car Insurance Coverage Types
• Driver Plans for Any Number of Drivers Using the Car
• Add Optional Benefits According to Your Needs
• How to Save More on Premiums
• Pros & Cons of DirectAsia Car Insurance
  • Pros
  • Cons
• DirectAsia Car Insurance Claims Process
• Exclusions
• Conclusion

About DirectAsia

DirectAsia is an online insurance company founded in Singapore in 2010. Owned by global insurer Hiscox since 2014, DirectAsia aims to make buying insurance quicker, simpler, and more transparent. 

With a team of experienced insurance professionals, DirectAsia provides customers direct access and control over their policies through their user-friendly website and call centre staffed by local agents. 

As a licensed insurer regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, DirectAsia is a member of the Policy Owners' Protection Scheme to protect policyholders.

DirectAsia Car Insurance Coverage Types

DirectAsia Car Insurance offers three main coverage types for car owners: Comprehensive (COMP), Third-Party Fire & Theft (TPFT), and Third-Party Only (TPO).

• COMP covers repairs for your own car plus damage you cause to others. 
• TPFT covers damage you cause to others, plus fire or theft of your car, but not repairs to your own car. 
• TPO only covers injury or damage caused to others, not your own car repairs.

DirectAsia also offers a unique SOS Car Insurance designed for drivers who cannot get insured elsewhere due to multiple at-fault accidents. It provides another option for high-risk drivers.

The table below summarises the scope of coverage and pricing for each coverage type:

Source: DirectAsia Car Insurance Coverage Types

Driver Plans for Any Number of Drivers Using the Car

DirectAsia Car Insurance offers three different Driver Plan types: Value, Value Plus, and Flexible.

You will select the Driver Plan that matches the number of people who use your car and their age and years of driving experience.

The premium of Driver Plan: Value is the lowest, and the highest is Driver Plan: Flexible, where the plan will cover an unlimited number of experienced and inexperienced drivers. 

Add Optional Benefits According to Your Needs

You can customise your DirectAsia Car Insurance by adding optional benefits based on your unique needs. While the basic plan provides essential protection, you may want to enhance your policy with optional benefits for an extra cost. 

The ability to do so gives you control to tailor your plan. You can select the specific extras you want, understanding exactly how much more you’ll pay by including them. 

DirectAsia Car Insurance offers a range of optional benefits for drivers. The table below outlines the available options and what they cover.   

How to Save More on Premiums

DirectAsia offers additional discounts to drivers who take steps to reduce claims processing costs, such as installing an in-car camera and going paperless. These discounts allow drivers to save money on their premiums while providing incentives to practices that benefit the insurer.

Specifically, DirectAsia provides the following discounts:

• A 4% premium discount for drivers who install and maintain an in-car camera. The footage from these cameras can help expedite claims assessment, saving the insurer time and resources.
• A S$15 + GST discount for policyholders who opt to receive policy documents electronically. Going paperless reduces overhead costs.

Pros & Cons of DirectAsia Car Insurance

DirectAsia's car insurance has several pros and cons compared to other providers.

Pros

• DirectAsia car insurance has competitive and transparent pricing. You can easily see prices and adjust your excess to change the premium. It is helpful with budgeting.
• Its online self-quotation system is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it easy to get a quote.
• You can customise your plan and only pay for the benefits you need.
• Customer service is based in Singapore. It's easy to speak to someone locally who understands the local environment.
• Drivers with over 5 years of 50% no-claim discount (NCD) can get up to 60% NCD, enjoying even more significant cost savings for staying accident-free. 
• Their ‘SOS Car Insurance’ helps drivers who can't get insured elsewhere due to unfavourable accident track records to get covered to get back on the road.
• If you drive less than 8,000 km per year, you qualify for their Low Mileage plan, which has a lower premium.
• Repairs done at their approved workshops have a lifetime guarantee, provided that DirectAsia authorises the repairs and you continue to stay insured with them. 

Cons

• DirectAsia is entirely online, but some drivers prefer dealing with an agent personally and having someone to contact for claims.
• Some optional benefits cost extra with DirectAsia but are free with other insurers.
• If you drive a lot, you pay more premiums based on mileage. Other insurers may charge the same rate no matter how much you drive.

DirectAsia Car Insurance Claims Process

DirectAsia has a local team of claims specialists who will assist you with the claims process. 

You have to report the accident to DirectAsia within 24 hours. It is required even if no claim or damage is made. Not reporting an accident can affect your No Claim Discount.

You can send your car for repair at DirectAsia’s authorised workshop or a workshop of your choice if you have added the optional benefit ‘My Workshops.’ For repairs authorised by DirectAsia at their approved workshops, you enjoy a lifetime guarantee of the repair works when you continue to insure with DirectAsia. 

As a DirectAsia car insurance policyholder, you will enjoy 24/7 accident and breakdown assistance. Call 6532 1818 or +65 6603 3699 (overseas) for assistance or insurance claims advice.

Exclusions

DirectAsia's car insurance policy contains several exclusions - situations that the policy doesn’t cover. 

The policy will not pay claims arising from normal wear and tear, mechanical or electrical failure, theft of personal items, or pre-existing damage. Coverage is also excluded when the car is used for business purposes or is illegally modified.

Some other key exclusions to be aware of:

• The insurance will not pay if the driver does not have a valid license, has been previously denied insurance, or was impaired or intoxicated when the accident occurred. 
• Claims are excluded if the car has more passengers than the legal seating capacity or is driven outside the geographic area covered by the policy.
• Damage from terrorism, war, nuclear events, unlawful acts, or insurance fraud is not covered.
• The policy will not pay claims that violate trade sanctions, laws, or regulations.

In summary, DirectAsia's Car Insurance is designed to cover damages from accidents and does not pay claims arising from wear and tear, mechanical breakdown, theft, business use, driving violations, or situations specifically excluded in the policy. 

You should read and understand the complete list of exclusions, which can be found in the policy wording document, to have realistic expectations of what is covered. Being aware of what is not covered can prevent unpleasant surprises in the event of a claim.

Conclusion

DirectAsia Car Insurance offers highly customisable options through its user-friendly online quote system. Drivers can easily adjust the excess amount and see how premiums change, balancing premium costs with potential out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an accident. With many optional benefits to select from and plans tailored for any number of drivers, DirectAsia caters to all car owners. 

Contact DirectAsia at 6665 5555 for assistance if you need help choosing the right coverage for your needs.