Direct Gap

GAP Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection)directgap.co.uk

Direct Gap is a UK-based FCA-regulated specialist provider of Gap Insurance products, selling direct-to-consumer online to private car owners, van owners, and vehicle finance customers, with over 100,000 lifetime customers and a 4.9/5 Feefo rating.

Company typePrivate
Founded2006
HeadquartersHebden Bridge, United Kingdom
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Direct Gap does

Direct Gap is a UK-based specialist provider of Guaranteed Asset Protection (Gap) Insurance products, operating as a direct-to-consumer digital broker since its founding in 2006. The company is currently administered by Sura Group Limited (company number 16964263), an FCA-regulated appointed representative of Alternative Propositions Ltd, following successive administrative transfers from Motor Gap Limited and Spectrum Insurance Services Limited. Its core product set spans Lease & Contract Hire, Return to Invoice Plus, Vehicle Replacement Plus, and Van Gap Insurance, supplemented by ancillary cover such as Tyre, Alloy Wheel, Scratch & Dent, and Short Term Car Insurance, plus a free 14-day promotional policy and a depreciation calculator. A pay-monthly option is facilitated through Premium Credit Limited, and the primary insurer relationship is with Helvetia Global Solutions Ltd, with Hiscox as an alternative underwriter.

The platform is a self-service website enabling instant online quotes with no commission-driven sales staff; telephone support operates Mon-Fri 9am-5pm for assistance. Pricing starts at £69 for standard cover, with manufacturer-specific policies (over 30 brands including BMW, Mercedes, Tesla, Volvo) and policies for vehicles valued £1,000 to £100,000. Distribution relies on organic SEO, the company's own website, price comparison partnerships (Confused.com, leasing.com, Moneyshake.com, CarAdviser.com, AutoExpress), and social media. Payment processing is handled via Opayo and PayPal, with no public-facing API or developer integrations.

Direct Gap earns revenue primarily through commission paid by insurers on policies sold (acting as appointed representative), plus a transaction fee component from Premium Credit for financing introductions. The customer base is exclusively individual UK consumers across three core personas: private car owners, van owners, and vehicle finance/lease customers, with a cumulative lifetime base exceeding 100,000 and over £4,000,000 paid out in claims historically. The business has maintained a 4.9/5 Feefo rating across 15,535 verified reviews and claims to be the UK's largest specialist gap insurance provider by market share.

Direct Gap firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Direct Gap
Legal name: Sura Group Limited
Website: https://directgap.co.uk
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2006
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Direct Gap is a UK-based FCA-regulated specialist provider of Gap Insurance products, selling direct-to-consumer online to private car owners, van owners, and vehicle finance customers, with over 100,000 lifetime customers and a 4.9/5 Feefo rating.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Direct Gap industry classification

Industry

Product category: GAP Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection)
NAICS: Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)
SIC: Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
akta.pro primary industry: Gap Insurance (Auto Loan/Lease) (FSAJAAAK)
akta.pro secondary industries: GAP & Vehicle Protection Products (GAP Waiver/Insurance, Lease/Loan Protection) (FSAJALAC), Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA)

Keywords

Gap insurance products
Vehicle insurance
Specialist insurance
Online insurance broker
Motor insurance

Where Direct Gap is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Hebden Bridge
HQ country: United Kingdom
HQ region: Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

Direct Gap business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Gap Insurance Product Sales: Direct Gap acts as an appointed representative for insurance and credit broking activities. The company is remunerated by commission paid by insurers. Offers gap insurance products including Finance/Contract Hire, Return to Invoice+, Vehicle Replacement+, and Agreed Value policies.
Ancillary Insurance Products: Additional coverage products including Tyre Insurance, Alloy Wheel Insurance, Scratch & Dent Insurance, and Short Term Car Insurance. Sold alongside or in combination with gap insurance policies.
Credit/Financing Facilitation: Monthly payment option facilitated through Premium Credit Limited. The company receives commission for introducing customers to Premium Credit for financing of insurance premiums.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Pay-as-you-go	Van Gap Insurance starting price
Subscription	Pay-as-you-go	Standard Gap Insurance starting price
Hybrid	Monthly	Pay Monthly Option

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Direct Gap product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Direct Gap sells specialist Gap Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection) policies direct to the UK public via its website, covering the shortfall between a motor insurer's total-loss settlement and either the outstanding finance balance, the original invoice price, or the cost of a like-for-like replacement vehicle. Core products include Lease & Contract Hire, Return to Invoice Plus, Vehicle Replacement Plus, and Van Gap Insurance, supplemented by ancillary motor cover such as Tyre & Alloy, Scratch & Dent, Alloy Wheel, Tyre, and Short Term Car Insurance.

Product overview

Direct Gap is a specialist Gap Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection) provider operating as a digital insurance broker. The core product portfolio consists of four main Gap Insurance policies: Lease & Contract Hire (finance protection), Return to Invoice Plus (back to purchase price), Vehicle Replacement Plus (new-for-old replacement), and Van Gap Insurance. Additional ancillary products include Tyre & Alloy Insurance, Scratch & Dent Insurance, Alloy Wheel Insurance, Tyre Insurance, and Short Term Car Insurance. The company also offers a free 14-day Drive Away Gap Insurance and manufacturer-specific policies for over 30 car brands. Customers can pay upfront or spread costs over 12 months via Premium Credit. The offering is FCA-regulated, distributed through a website platform with free online tools like a depreciation calculator.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Lease & Contract Hire Gap Insurance Pays the difference between the motor insurer's total-loss settlement and the outstanding finance balance. Designed for vehicles on lease and contract hire agreements; not available for HP, PCP, cash, or loan purchases.
Return to Invoice Plus (RTI+) Gap Insurance Pays the difference between the motor insurer's settlement and either the original invoice price of the vehicle or the amount outstanding on finance, whichever is highest.
Vehicle Replacement Plus (VRI+) Gap Insurance Pays the difference between the motor insurer's settlement and the cost of a replacement vehicle matching the original specification, age, and mileage, or the amount outstanding on finance, whichever is highest.
Agreed Value Gap Insurance Pays the difference between the motor insurer's settlement and 100% of the Glass's Guide retail price at the time the policy was purchased. Currently not being offered.
Van Gap Insurance Gap insurance specifically designed for vans up to 3,500kg GVW, covering commercial vans, campervans, and lease vans.
Free 14-Day Drive Away Gap Insurance Complimentary 14-day gap insurance cover that pays the difference between purchase price and the motor insurer's settlement, with a maximum payout of £5,000.
Tyre & Alloy Insurance Combined cover for accidental or malicious damage to alloy wheels and tyres.
Scratch & Dent Insurance Covers the cost of smart repairs for minor cosmetic damage to the vehicle's exterior, interior trim, and alloy wheels.
Alloy Wheel Insurance Helps pay for repair or replacement of alloy wheels damaged by accidental or malicious damage.
Tyre Insurance Covers repair or replacement of tyres that sustain accidental or malicious damage.
Short Term Car Insurance Temporary comprehensive car insurance lasting from 1 hour up to 28 days.
Pay Monthly Gap Insurance Allows customers to spread the cost of Gap Insurance policies over 12 monthly instalments through Premium Credit. Subject to a £12.50 admin fee per non-Direct Debit payment and a £100 minimum premium.

Quantifiable outcome

Save up to 75% compared to dealership GAP insurance prices
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Direct Gap

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Direct Gap technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Direct Gap partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Helvetia Global Solutions LtdcoreOthersPrimary insurer for Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance products and ancillary products (Tyre Insurance, Alloy Wheel Insurance, Scratch & Dent Insurance)
Hiscox Insurance Company LimitedminorOthersAlternative insurer offering Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance products
FeefominorOthersIndependent review platform providing verified customer reviews and the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. Direct Gap maintains 4.9/5 rating based on 15,535 reviews.
Price Comparison PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured on price comparison websites including Confused.com, leasing.com, Moneyshake.com, CarAdviser.com, and AutoExpress. These partners display Direct Gap's offerings to their audience of car buyers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct Gap competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

ALA Insurance: UK specialist provider of GAP insurance and related motor protection products, directly competing with Direct Gap across personal car, lease, and contract hire GAP. Highly comparable business model: digital broker selling direct, FCA-regulated, with similar policy types and customer base.
Click4Gap: UK specialist GAP insurance broker selling Return to Invoice, Vehicle Replacement, and Finance GAP policies online to private car and van owners. Closely overlaps with Direct Gap on product set, distribution channels, and target customer.
Sureterm Direct: UK specialist broker focused on GAP, tyre, alloy, and cosmetic car insurance products. Direct competitor on both core GAP and ancillary add-on cover, with similar digital broker distribution model.
EasyGap Insurance: UK specialist GAP insurance provider selling RTI, VRI, and finance GAP cover directly to consumers online. Comparable specialist focus and direct-to-consumer broker model.

Emerging players

MotorEasy: UK motoring services platform offering extended warranties, GAP, and vehicle servicing products. Comparable in adjacent vehicle protection categories with overlapping GAP offering, but broader product portfolio than Direct Gap.
Dayinsure: UK specialist in short-term and temporary car insurance, sold direct online. Overlaps with Direct Gap's short-term car insurance add-on and shares the same digital broker distribution approach.
Tempcover: UK specialist in temporary and short-term car insurance, competing in one of Direct Gap's ancillary product categories with a similar online broker model.

Broad incumbents

Swiftcover: UK personal lines motor insurance provider with a digital-first model; while not a GAP specialist, it sells GAP as part of broader motor offerings and represents a broader-incumbent benchmark for digital motor insurance distribution.
Hastings Direct: UK personal lines motor and home insurance carrier with significant digital presence. Comparable as a broader motor insurance incumbent that distributes GAP via partners, but not a specialist in the category.
Aviva: Major UK insurance carrier offering motor, home, and GAP-style cover across distribution channels. Relevant as a large-scale incumbent providing scale, regulatory, and capital benchmarks for the UK GAP category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Direct Gap compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance5 records

Direct Gap financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Direct Gap leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Direct Gap funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Direct Gap M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Direct Gap

What does Direct Gap do?

Is Direct Gap a public or private company?

Direct Gap is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.

When was Direct Gap founded?

Direct Gap was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Direct Gap based?

Direct Gap is headquartered in Hebden Bridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.

How does Direct Gap make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Gap Insurance Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are ancillary Insurance Products and credit/Financing Facilitation.

Who are Direct Gap's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are ALA Insurance, Click4Gap, Sureterm Direct and EasyGap Insurance. Emerging players are MotorEasy, Dayinsure and Tempcover. Broad incumbents are Swiftcover, Hastings Direct and Aviva.

Does Direct Gap have an API?

No public API is recorded for Direct Gap.

What industry is Direct Gap in?

Direct Gap's product category is GAP Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection). Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAAAK, Gap Insurance (Auto Loan/Lease), with a secondary code of FSAJALAC, GAP & Vehicle Protection Products (GAP Waiver/Insurance, Lease/Loan Protection). Its NAICS code is 524210 and its SIC code is 6411.