More than a quarter of all drivers have seen the cost of their car insurance rise in the last year says new research from finance site Moneyexpert. The average motor insurance premium stands at £682.

And with the AA Insurance Index also highlighting that the average motor insurance premium has risen by some 6% in the last twelve months, it is a worrying time for people already on over stretched budget.However, surprisingly, Moneyexpert say that around 9.6 million motorists have simply swallowed the increased bill imposed by their car insurance provider, rather than shopping around for an alternative deal.

Buying a used car can help you save your home says new research from Car Parts Direct. They claim that buying a three year old car or holding on to your existing vehicle is the most cost effective way to run a motor car.

Choosing a used car could be a home-saver for the Nation’s cash strapped mortgage holders, reveals the research, as a new car “is the worst investment most people will ever make”. They cite how borrowing money to finance a car will lose you money while the vehicle depreciates. As an example, a £15,000 vehicle will lose around 50% of its value in three years. A motorist borrowing the money to buy the car at 7.7% interest will pay out an extra £1,847. That’s a total “loss” of £9,347. This amount would be equivalent to paying the interest on a £100,000 mortgage for nearly two years.

Shocking research from finance website Moneyexpert has revealed that 350,000 motorists admit that they have driven within car insurance in the last year

These law-breaking drivers risk hefty costs as well as prosecution if they are caught driving without adequate motor cover. They could get points added to their licence (typically 8 – 12), a ban and a fine up to £5,0000.

The most likely offenders are those in the 18-24 age bracket, with 120,000 of them saying they have done so within the past twelve months.

A spokesman from the site commented that it was a real concern that many motorists persist in driving without adequate insurance. “They are putting the personal and financial security of others at risk” he said. .

A recent report from the RAC has highlighted how motorists are paying out £238 million every year in order to fix faulty used cars. They say that a lack of motoring familiarity and rapid decision-making means that second hand car buyers often fail to see any problems before driving off, and later have to pay out unnecessarily for repairs.

Their research looked at the issues encountered by consumers who buy used cars and then end up spending out money in order to repair them. Among the many problems were that nearly half of those surveyed (48%) said they did not know much about cars. The same amount also said that they would spend less half an hour carrying out checks on a used vehicle.

A quarter (24%) of used car buyers experience mechanical problems or difficulties within just one month, with 11% of motorists having spent over £400 repairing mechanical faults on second hand vehicles.

Over a quarter of motorists (26%) could have invalidated their car insurance by lying on their application form says research from website insurance.co.uk.

The survey reveals that the lies range from the “seemingly innocent to the more severe”. While 10% of motorists pretend their car is parked somewhere more secure than it actually is, 1% say they have not told the truth relating to penalty points, or other criminal convictions.

A spokesman from the company said that while lying to an insurance company is often thought as a victimless crime, it isn’t. The end result could be an uninsured driver who leaves not only themselves at risk, but their passengers and other road users too.

Where you park your car can affect whether you make a car insurance claim suggests research from The AA. The motoring organisation says that residential streets are no longer a safe place for car parking, with 43% of the nation’s drivers saying that they have had – or know someone who has had – their vehicle vandalised on a residential road.

Almost three-quarters of motorists (72%) have suffered from having their car keyed, smashed or kicked.

And, although historically car parks are perceived as being risky places to park, the study shows that you are more than twice as likely to have your vehicle damaged if you parked on a residential road than in a supermarket car park.

‘Green’ car finance is now available! Following last month’s budget, the Abbey have highlighted how they support the Chancellor’s commitment to helping green causes. The company say they have a a green loan for homeowners wanting to make their home more eco-friendly – such as with the installation of a solar panel or cavity wall insulation. They can also offer green car finance for people wishing to buy a more eco-friendly car.

The Abbey say that research shows that many people find going green cost-prohibitive. However, they say, their green loan does not cost any more than a traditional loan and has the added benefit of five trees being planted for each loan purchased.

Used car buyers are slowly going ‘green’ reveals research from Experian. The global information services company says that while the sale of used cars in 2007 generally flagged overall, sales of used diesel cars have actually increased.

A spokesman from the company commented that while there has been a lot in the Press about the environment and the effects that pollution can have, the rise in fuel costs as well as the forthcoming changes to car tax increases have all influenced the consumers’ car buying habits as well.

However, despite this new ‘green’ awareness, MPV’s and sports cars still saw an increase in sales last year.

Men are more likely to read their car insurance policy small print than their female counterparts reveals new research from Tesco personal finance. The company carried out a survey of gender differences when making purchases and understanding products and found that, overall, women are better buyers than men.

The study also shockingly revealed that despite checking the insurance policy small print, up to 1 million Brits have had an insurance claim (car, travel or home) rejected in the last year. The average cost to them was over £730 and this was due to them failing to understand the policy terms and conditions.

It pays to shop around when getting car finance says Sainsbury’s Bank. The company says that people looking to get a brand new car should shop around for their car loan, rather than opting for forecourt finance.

Their study also highlights that some 24.5% of new car purchases will be via car finance.

A spokesman said that the amount of motorists looking to buy a brand new vehicle has decreased by over half a million on the previous half year. And with people clearly worried about money, they should “haggle hard” on the price of a new motor as well as shop around for a competitive car finance deal.