“Useless beyond belief.
Useless. You get what you pay for. I have bronze cover and been with them 2 yrs with no need to use them but the one time you need them, they have 1 chance to provide the service and they failed miserably.I drove my car to work and when I came out, it wouldn't start. After speaking to help desk, I was offered EITHER road side assistance OR tow to a garage or home, but not both. If I opted for road side and he couldn't start/fix car, that would be it and I wouldn't be recovered, but left at work and that would be the end of their service. Anyway, asked for roadside repair and after 2 1/2hr wait, I gave up and got a taxi home. Terrible. Looks like AA for me next year.”
“Absolute travesty of a business. I would very strongly advise staying well away from Nova Direct. Firstly it took me 45 minutes to link my policy to my account due to technical issues their end, no ability for phone support here. Luckily they have live chat during the working day but it was chocolate tea pot help "it works for me so it should for you" was essentially the response I got. Finally it just worked after the 50th attempt with no change to what I was doing.
I then cancelled my policy at a charge of £9 (fine with that). Following my cancellation I got an email saying I needed to pay for the remaining 6 months on the policy. So here is where my issue is. Yes if you read the small print in the terms this would be stated so legally they are in their right to do this. At no point during the cancellation was I reminded of this though, that's just shady business practise. Additionally, why was I charged £9 if I had to pay the remaining balance anyway. I would have just kept the policy until it ran out if I knew and been better off.
Absolute shocker, stay away for the love of god!”
“Don’t bother ringing Nova
I spent 90 minutes trying to ring them then got cut off tried again for another 30 mins got cut off
If they can’t answer phone I can only imagine how long they’d send recovery
What a waste of time”
“Awful service, cancelled policy after they wouldn't come out to my sons car because of 48 hour policy clause. He managed to get the car re-started but then broke down a few days later at which point they refused to come out. Its a scam, avoid.”
“Whatever you do, don't purchase breakdown cover through this company. I broke down woth a blow out, as well as engine problems near to the highest point of the M62 westbound. When I got through to the call handling centre (apparently a separate entity to Nova breakdown insurance, but operate from the same building) I was met with a call operator whose sole objective was to use the traumatic situation that I was in, with my wife and 10 year old daughter, on a windswept hill, absolutely freezing, with lorries howling by, to extract extra costs (£40.00 to send a mechanic out and replace the wheel) or £140.00 if I wanted a tow truck, as he had determined that my car had gone into 'limp mode' and therefore my full cover, was made void under those circumstances! I ended up paying a breakdown guy which was patrolling that section of the motorway, as he was accustomed to do, a £120.00 fee to take my car away. In my 35 years of driving, I've never experienced a breakdown company like this one. When you try to complain, it is impossible to speak to a human being to voice your complaint. Steer well clear of this shocking company!”
“AVOID!
my mum been with them years,never contacted them within a certain time frame,she struggled to drive her car home around midnight,rung them the next morning and they said they wouldn't recover the car to the local garage
i went straight back onto the there website,went to my account and deleted auto renew”
“Broke down on a winters night in the countryside Nova direct offered 7.5 miles recovery to a garage closed for the night even though my policy states national recovery then abandoned me on Llandegla moors . Rogue traders cancel your policy take one with a reputable company incase you have a breakdown Nova will not adhere to policy terms.”
“Would not give this SHAM OF A COMPANY EVEN ONE STAR my son bought and paid for BREAKDOWN cover and when he needed the help HE PAID FOR they told him they would not come out as he didn’t have a spare wheel and jack the company should have a MULTI FIT WHEEL FOR THIS TYPE OF BREAKDOWN he was left STRANDED ON THE MOTORWAY AT NIGHT WE had to pay for a private company to get him back to a garage this company broke the contract with US THE CUSTOMER DO NOT USE THEM”
“Disgusting Company Nova Direct are. Complete rogue traders that need to be reported to Trading Standards ASAP!
I took out a policy for Home emergency breakdown cover. My payment taken straight away. When I called for a leaking water pipe I was told to pay over a hundred pound access which I refused, only to be told by the manager in the phone that I was wasting they're time and they would cancel my policy with no refund (£130). And this so called manager very rudely terminated my call workout any explanation. Reported to trading standards ombudsman!”
“I paid the first monthly fee of £12.50 and all seemed well, but then I got a DD agreement through for £14.99 per month. I queried this with Nova and they replied saying that they did not know what the monthly fee would be when I took out the policy. So I requested to cancel, but they said I would not be refunded the initial £12.50, as this is kept as a cancellation fee with the credit company. Further, they demanded I pay an additional £9.98 to cancel with them!! I argued this but they kept just referring to the absurdly lengthy terms and conditions. I couldn't be bothered to argue with such an unscrupulous and pernicious company any further so I paid the cancellation fee.
You would think this would be the end of it, but they are now sending me threatening emails, demanding I pay the full annual premium or they will send debt collectors to my house.
I would strongly urge anyone to avoid this company like the plague!! I have no doubt that if you ever had to make a claim, they would find a way not to pay anyway!! They really do represent the very worst stereoptypes of insurance companies.”
“DO NOT USE Nova Direct for European Recovery! It is a scam. Our car broke down on a French motorway (one tire puncture). They never answered the phone and they refused to reimburse the cost of French Motorway recovery.
We called the "Emergency" number on their policy document, no answer after 1 hour and 10 min in 35 degrees heat with my pregnant wife and 2 kids by the motorway.
The next day, after sorting out recovery and changing the tyres ourselves, Direct Nova refused to reimburse the £220 cost of recovery.
They say it's because we didn't notify them of travel dates... DESPITE BOOKING SPECIFIC DAYS ON THE POLICY 10 days before the breakdown.”
“I took out highest policy but they are a scam company . I travelled from Portugal to Bilbao, car broke down smoke pouring out , lost power, pulled into a garage in Spain ,phoned them ,because we could move it backwards and forwards they wouldn't come , told us to drive it on motorway even though had lost power , so drove on Spanish motorways lorries bearing down , at 40 miles an hour smoke pouring out , so scary and illegal they don't care at all. Had to get car towed €100 had to change my ferry €€89 and car fixed €450 they just washed their hands of us ,still have PTSD they're the most terrible company I've ever dealt with getting my solicitor involved now ,they are scam”
“Pet insurance - but not really.
The IPID which is the key information document fails to point out the ridiculous limitations they apply which would mostly leave you with a claim total below the excess. In the policy wording it is not highlighted or clearly set out in a table as required by the Ombudsman, therefore easy to miss, it looks like it’s been added later.
It’s not really insurance for accident or illness on the basis that they limit claims in the following ways;
1. See a vet within 12 hours of issue - but they’ll only cover £90 of emergency or in home fees which are typically at least £250. (What they will cover is lower than their excess)
2. Claim within 48 hours - even though they ask if the treatment is completed on their claim form which makes you think you have to wait. (Although they point out you failed to claim accordingly and then suggest as goodwill they’ll overlook it…mmmm).
3. Excess of £100 - but see below for limitations. This has to be paid up front when claiming rather than when it’s accepted and a proposed settlement is made.
4. Limited to vet consultation at £45 total. Under £100 excess.
5. Limited to medication at £50 total. Under £100 excess, even when combined with vet consultation.
6. Based on timings and claim criteria - you must submit multiple claims for ongoing treatments for things like arthritis medications instead of it being considered part of the same claim. Pay excess again and go through idiotic and archaic claim process all over again.
7. Can’t speak to anyone in either the broker firm or the claims manager.
8. Suspect that the independent Claims Manager is the same company or at least linked as the tone in their replies is exactly the same as the Nova Direct chat responses. Suggesting that any questions to clarify inclusions and exclusions would be ‘advice’ for example so they can avoid confirming the absurdity in writing. Oh and forget any chance of them actually answering any of your questions, instead you’ll be patronised and lectured on completely unrelated matters.
9. They don’t cover any investigations at all - not any. X-rays, scans and so on…you know the costly bits.
10. You won’t find any of this bulleted or clearly pointed out anywhere on their site or partner sites. It’s all conveniently hidden in their policy wording without even a clear heading ‘LIMITATIONS’ to make it obvious.
The Financial Ombudsman should investigate their practices as the other reviews show it’s across the board.
They are shoddy at best and potentially deliberately deceiving consumers at worst (aka obtaining money for services that they won’t be able to rely upon!).”
“Yes,I bought your breakdown policy on 3rdmarch 2024.i recieved some information but I haven't received my nova breakdown policy number.could you help me in this regarding policy no.
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