Just different risk profiles.

Answer honestly and go for the cheapest that provides the level of cover you want.

When the company first started, Direct Line didn't use third-party companies to feed them leads, which had to be paid. That brings their costs down. That was why it was called Direct Line because you went directly to them. In those days, it would have been phone calls to them directly rather than agents.

Many years ago, insurance brokers were the norm. People would go to an insurance agent in their local office to set up insurance, and the agents would make recommendations. So, to get insurance, it meant going to see an insurance broker in their office and sit down at an agents desk. Then, as time progressed, phoning up an insurance broker in their local office.

Many insurance brokers had offices in towns, and all these costs were eliminated by the new concept of phoning Direct Line directly.

Today, the Internet has become the norm.

So I suspect they don't use Go Compare or similar sites. I assume they probably still have a similar basis that has been adapted.

Insurance (per provider) is very postcode driven, sometimes Direct Line would be cheapist sometimes the most expencive. Its why its good to get some varied quotes.

You may have ticked a box different between providers, or the providers are making different background assumptions.

However, it is policy dependent also perhaps your Direct Line policy doesnt include something, like Track and Trace for leaks. It's good to get the defacto comparison your insurance adviser can compare and make a recomendation.