I have been with Direct Line for two years now and I must say it's been great.
I managed to get my excess back when I claimed because the accident wasn't my fault - I got it back through the legal cover. Direct Line even let me use my legal cover to claim for personal injury too.
The garages Direct Line recommend for repair work got my car up and running again very quickly. I got a hire car straightaway. Most of my friends have said that this is the thing they have the most problems with when they have to make a claim.