Direct Line is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, operating under the RBS Insurance division. It specialises in providing a range of insurance products, as well as several other financial services.

Direct Line was founded by Peter Wood in 1985 and was the first company in the UK to offer insurance over the telephone. Following its early success it became the UK's largest provider of motor vehicle insurance.

Its head office is located in Croydon, England, but the company also has offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow, Scotland.  

Direct Line is traditionally known in the UK for its distinctive logo, a red telephone on wheels, which has been used for many years in advertising campaigns, although recently it has been accompanied with a computer mouse on wheels to reflect the recent alternative - applying  online.

The Direct Line insurance products include Travel Insurance, Business Insurance, Pet Insurance, Breakdown Cover, European Breakdown, Van Insurance, Home Emergency, Critical Illness Cover, Buy to Let Insurance, Loans and Mortgages, as well as a range of financial products under Direct Line Financial Services (DLFS).