Business insurance · United Kingdom · Head-to-head
AXA Business UK vs Direct Line for Business
Two United Kingdom business insurance options, compared side by side for United Kingdom trades.
Which should you choose?
AXA Business UK and Direct Line for Business are both Tier A, which every business insurance entry without a reputation warning receives, so the tier does not separate them. Weigh the pros, cons, pricing and United Kingdom-specific notes below against your trade and region.
AXA Business UK
Tier A · ListedAXA's UK business insurance for tradespeople, bought online: pick the covers you need, from £7 a month
AXA Insurance UK plc, part of the AXA group, sells business insurance to UK tradespeople through an online quote. You choose from public liability (£1 million to £10 million depending on occupation), employers' liability, professional indemnity and business contents, with add-ons such as tools, hired-in plant, contract works, business interruption, legal expenses and cyber. AXA says it protects over 867,000 businesses.
Pros
- + Choose only the covers you need
- + Business insurance from £7 a month, by AXA's own figure
- + Trade add-ons including tools, hired-in plant, contract works and legal expenses
- + AXA says it protects over 867,000 businesses
Cons
- − AXA's £7 figure is what 10% of its customers paid or less in April-June 2026
- − Public liability limits depend on your occupation
- − No per-trade prices published; your premium comes from a quote
United Kingdom note
AXA notes that employers' liability is a legal requirement if you have any staff; it is one of the covers you select, with a £10 million limit. AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (firm reference 202312).
Direct Line for Business
Tier A · ListedAviva-owned direct insurer selling tradesperson cover online and by phone, with covers you choose
Direct Line for Business is the business insurance brand of Direct Line, whose group has been owned by Aviva since July 2025. It sells tradesperson insurance direct, online and by phone, and says it has over 500,000 business policies. You build a policy from public liability (£1 million to £10 million), employers' liability (up to £10 million as standard), tools, stock, plant and contract works, with add-ons such as overnight tools, personal accident, professional indemnity and legal expenses.
Pros
- + Employers' liability up to £10 million as standard, Direct Line says
- + Choose the covers you need, including tools, stock, plant and contract works
- + No admin fees for policy changes and 0% APR on monthly payments, Direct Line says
- + Offers to beat another insurer's quote on equivalent cover for new policies, with conditions
Cons
- − No published prices; premiums by quote
- − Tools cover has a £1,500 single-item limit and overnight tools cover costs extra
- − Direct Line is proposing to move insurance business from U K Insurance Limited to Aviva Insurance Limited
- − The price-beat offer needs proof of the other quote and excludes some policy types
United Kingdom note
Policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited of Leeds, authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (registration 202810). Direct Line says it is proposing to transfer insurance business from U K Insurance Limited to Aviva Insurance Limited, which may affect its customers, so check which company is your insurer at renewal.
More United Kingdom options
See all United Kingdom business insurance vendors and the rest of the United Kingdom directory.