Direct Line established high levels of recall among consumers. In September 2014, the brand worked with Saatchi and Saatchi to relaunch its advertising, using Hollywood actor Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe, a Mafia style 'fixer'. The company had one million customers after eight years. The company expanded with a series of new offshoots in the 1990s. In 1995, a Spanish offshoot, Linea Direct, started offering motor insurance in Spain. They expanded into travel insurance in 1996, pet insurance in 1997, and Direct Line Breakdown started offering breakdown insurance in 1998. Their non general insurance products umbrella Direct Line Financial services launched their
Churchill Insurance Churchill Insurance Churchill Insurance is a United Kingdom insurance company based in Bromley, London. Founded in 1989, as one of the country’s first direct car insurance companies, the company has expanded to offer a range of general insurance products. Churchill is part of the Direct Line Group; policies are underwritten by the parent United Kingdom Insurance Limited. Churchill is notable for its advertising, that features a talking nodding dog mascot. Churchill Insurance Company Limited was launched by founder Martin Long in June 1989, as a direct car insurance provider. Long was backed by Winterthur, at that time a Credit Suisse