Motorists in the North West of England pay the highest premiums in the country, according to a survey from Tesco Motor Insurance. They pay, on average, 23% more in premiums than the rest of the country.
High crime rates, traffic congestion and a large number of expensive cars are to blame for the high premiums, said the report.
The figures from Tesco showed the average annual premium in the North West was £535.39, compared with £518.34 in Greater London.
Tesco said drivers in East Anglia had the cheapest motor insurance, paying on average £399.06, a figure 7.7% below the national average.
Tesco said the high premiums in the North West were the result of a large urban population. "There are two large cities, Manchester and Liverpool, in the region as well as a number of large towns. This means there is a lot of traffic congestion and, as a result, a lot of bumps and scratches," said a spokeswoman.
"Secondly the crime rate is high, as it usually is in urban areas," she continued. "And thirdly, people tend to associate London and the South east with wealth, but there are real pockets of wealth in the North West and a lot of very valuable cars being driven around."
