Direct Line vs Simply Business:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Direct Line had more branded searches than Simply Business among landlord insurance providers in the United Kingdom. Direct Line had about 5,400 branded searches, while Simply Business had 1,600. Direct Line made up 29.2% of all landlord insurance provider searches we track, and Simply Business accounted for 8.6%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about landlord insurance providers, Direct Line appeared in four of the five answers and Simply Business in none.
Who do people search for more?
Direct Line, about 3 searches for every 1 for Simply Business
Who does AI mention more?
Direct Line, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Simply Business in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Direct Line, the only one of the two named
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Top landlord insurance providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Direct Line was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Simply Business did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Direct Line4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Alan Boswell3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Aviva2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
HomeLet0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Simply Business0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Rentguard0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Hiscox0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about landlord insurance providers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best landlord insurance in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which company should I use for landlord insurance on a buy-to-let?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Who offers the best rent guarantee and landlord cover?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“landlord insurance”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“landlord insurance uk”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 27, 2026.
Is Direct Line or Simply Business more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Direct Line and Simply Business by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven landlord insurance providers we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Direct Line, Simply Business. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | HomeLet | Direct Line | Simply Business | Aviva | Alan Boswell | Rentguard | Hiscox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46.3% | 37.7% | 7.4% | 5% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 0.29% |
| Nov 2025 | 46.7% | 38% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 0.29% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.2% | 37.8% | 7% | 5% | 2.2% | 1.5% | 0.35% |
| Jan 2026 | 41.8% | 41.8% | 8.2% | 4.5% | 2% | 1.3% | 0.36% |
| Feb 2026 | 46.6% | 38% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 46.3% | 37.8% | 7.4% | 4.1% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.4% | 34.3% | 6.3% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 0.44% |
| May 2026 | 56.4% | 30.8% | 5.7% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 0.97% | 0.51% |
| Jun 2026 | 56.7% | 30.9% | 5.7% | 3.4% | 1.8% | 0.97% | 0.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 60.9% | 27.2% | 5% | 3.6% | 2% | 0.86% | 0.45% |
| Aug 2026 | 54.5% | 29.7% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 0.77% | 0.39% |
| Sep 2026 | 53.5% | 29.2% | 8.6% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 0.92% | 0.38% |
Direct Line and Simply Business sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “direct line landlord insurance”.
How has the Direct Line and Simply Business comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Direct Line was ahead of Simply Business in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Direct Line’s share of searches among landlord insurance providers in the United Kingdom moved from 37.7% to 29.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.6K to 5.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Simply Business’ share of searches among landlord insurance providers in the United Kingdom moved from 7.4% to 8.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.3K to 1.6K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom landlord insurance providers in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Simply Business gained share of searches among landlord insurance providers in the United Kingdom, from 7.2% to 8.6%.
In September 2026, Direct Line lost share of searches among landlord insurance providers in the United Kingdom, from 29.7% to 29.2%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Direct Line’s and Simply Business’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Direct Line
1 branded search term
- direct line landlord insurance
Simply Business
1 branded search term
- simply business landlord insurance
Other head-to-heads among landlord insurance providers
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