Direct Line Travel Insurance: No New Policies Post-Aviva

Direct Line travel insurance holders face a divided reality: existing policies remain valid under Aviva’s ownership, but new applicants are turned away. The Aviva acquisition, completed on 1 July 2025 after CMA clearance, positions Direct Line as a brand in transition — its identity slowly absorbed into Aviva’s broader personal lines operation, with £125 million in cost savings as the stated goal.

New Policies: No longer offered · Existing Policies: Still covered · Claims Method: Online form preferred · Parent Company: Aviva acquired · Support Availability: 24/7 help

The key facts table summarises the current policy landscape for Direct Line customers following the acquisition.

Why is Direct Line no longer offering travel insurance?

Direct Line’s travel insurance journey has followed a winding path over the past five years. The brand first suspended sales to new customers on 13 March 2020 at 3pm, citing a “huge increase in demand for travel insurance” during the coronavirus outbreak, according to Insurance Times. That temporary halt affected both single and multi-trip products across Direct Line, Churchill, and Admiral — which share the same underwriter.

The company later restored COVID-19 cancellation cover on 5 March 2020, removing restrictions that had blocked claims related to quarantine, self-isolation, and government lockdown cancellations, the Direct Line Group news site confirmed. Updated policies also covered FCDO advice changes within 28 days of departure if the advice wasn’t in place when the policy was purchased.

However, the current situation reflects a more permanent shift. Direct Line is no longer offering new travel insurance policies under Aviva’s ownership, though existing policyholders remain covered. The move places Direct Line among several insurers — including Admiral, LV, and others — that have scaled back or exited the travel insurance market, citing rising medical exclusion challenges and increased claims volatility.

Updated pullouts by Admiral, Aviva, Direct Line

Aviva stopped offering “travel disruption” cover and “airspace closure” cover to new customers during the pandemic. LV became the first major insurer to stop selling travel insurance during COVID-19. Axa and Coverwise excluded coronavirus-related cancellation claims for policies purchased after 9am on 13 March 2020, while Insure and Go set an earlier cutoff at 11.59pm on 11 March 2020.

Direct Line is no longer offering new travel insurance policies.

Are Aviva taking over Direct Line?

Yes. The Competition and Markets Authority cleared Aviva’s acquisition of Direct Line on 1 July 2025, and the deal became effective the same day. Direct Line shares ceased trading at 7:30am on 2 July 2025 and were delisted from the Official List and London Stock Exchange by 8:00am on 3 July 2025, Aviva’s newsroom confirmed.

The acquisition adds over 8 million Direct Line personal lines policies to Aviva’s existing portfolio of over 10 million policies. Morningstar analysis projects this will increase Aviva’s UK personal lines market share to slightly above 15%.

Post-acquisition cost savings plans

Aviva is targeting £125 million in pretax run-rate cost savings from integration. Notably, Direct Line had its own existing plan for £100 million in cost savings prior to the acquisition — a figure that now sits within the broader Aviva efficiency target. The boards of Aviva and Direct Line agreed to the takeover on 23 July 2025, according to Morningstar.

Direct Line shareholders approved the acquisition in March 2025 during court and general meetings. The scheme circular was published in February 2025, and regulators including the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority approved the change of control.

Is direct line travel insurance any good?

Customer sentiment for Direct Line travel insurance reflects a large but mixed user base. The brand built its customer base to over 10 million policyholders under the legacy Direct Line Group, with Churchill sharing the same underwriter and comparable product structures.

Customer reviews on Trustpilot

Direct Line has accumulated reviews across consumer platforms, though scores vary by product line. Trustpilot entries for Direct Line travel insurance show the brand performing moderately on claims handling speed and communication — common pain points across the broader UK insurance market.

Any change in your health can affect your cover.

Policy documents stress that declaration accuracy matters: travellers must report health changes that occur after purchasing a policy. For customers who declared conditions accurately and experienced straightforward claims, Direct Line historically delivered competitive pricing and multi-trip options.

Can I get travel insurance if I have a hernia?

Standard travel insurance policies typically exclude pre-existing medical conditions, including hernias, unless specifically declared and covered. Direct Line’s policy wording requires travellers to disclose health changes that occur after policy purchase — a point that policy documents emphasise as affecting cover validity.

Travelling with hernia options

For travellers with hernias, specialist providers exist. Medical travel insurance brokers and niche insurers offer policies that cover pre-existing conditions, though at higher premiums. Specialist providers like MIA and similar operations cater to travellers who cannot secure standard coverage.

What conditions are not covered by travel insurance?

Travel insurance policies across the UK market — including Direct Line — generally exclude claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions unless specifically declared and accepted by the insurer. The policy booklet makes clear that medical emergencies abroad related to undisclosed conditions fall outside standard cover.

Common exclusions including kidney stones, pancreatitis

Conditions that commonly require specialist travel insurance coverage include kidney stones, pancreatitis, hernias, and other chronic or acute conditions. The Financial Conduct Authority has highlighted that pre-existing condition exclusions remain one of the top consumer complaints in travel insurance, particularly for travellers who assume their routine medications or stable conditions are automatically covered.

Travellers with chronic conditions should seek specialist providers or carefully compare policies that explicitly include their medical history. Direct Line’s standard offering, like most mainstream UK travel insurers, screens for pre-existing conditions at point of sale and excludes related claims.

Timeline

Three distinct phases mark Direct Line’s travel insurance trajectory.

The timeline shows a progression from temporary COVID suspension to permanent acquisition restructuring — with travel insurance effectively orphaned from the mainstream product lineup by July 2025.

Clarity section

What we know for certain

• Direct Line halted new travel insurance sales on 13 March 2020
• Aviva acquisition of Direct Line became effective on 1 July 2025
• Direct Line shares were delisted from London Stock Exchange on 3 July 2025
• Existing Direct Line travel insurance policies remain valid
• Over 8 million Direct Line policies transferred to Aviva
• Aviva is targeting £125 million in cost savings from integration

What remains uncertain

• Whether Aviva will relaunch a Direct Line-branded travel insurance product
• Specific internal factors behind the permanent travel insurance pullout
• Future pricing changes for remaining Direct Line policyholders

Expert perspectives

Industry observers have flagged the broader pattern of insurer exits from travel insurance as a structural challenge for UK consumers.

“LV became the first major insurer to stop selling travel insurance during COVID-19” — MoneySavingExpert analysis from March 2020

The travel insurance market contraction accelerated after the pandemic, with multiple providers citing claims volatility and medical exclusion complexity as unsustainable. Direct Line’s withdrawal joins Admiral and LV in a trend that has reduced consumer choice in the mass-market travel segment.

Summary

Direct Line travel insurance holders face a divided reality: their existing policies remain valid under Aviva’s ownership, but new applicants will need to look elsewhere. The Aviva acquisition, completed on 1 July 2025 after CMA clearance, positions Direct Line as a brand in transition — its identity slowly absorbed into Aviva’s broader personal lines operation, with £125 million in cost savings as the stated goal. For existing policyholders, the immediate implication is clear: manage renewals now, review policy terms carefully, and do not assume that Aviva will offer a direct replacement product under the same brand. For travellers with medical conditions like hernias or kidney stones, specialist providers remain the practical path — mainstream insurers have signalled, repeatedly, that mass-market travel cover is not where they intend to compete.

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Existing policies stay fully protected post-Aviva, where policyholders can utilise Direct Line contact number alongside online claims for round-the-clock support.

Frequently asked questions