Research by Personal Finances website MoneyExpert has revealed however that these companies fundamental selling point just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. In fact quite the opposite appears to be true; the study found that quotes for the top four annual insurance policies was a not-insignificant £72.

In a thorough test using several test cars and varying the key factor used to determine the amount quoted by insurers MoneyExpert found that women-only insurance companies consistently quoted more.

In a comparison of quotes for a 2002 Citroen C5 for example, the top price quoted by the test group of women’s only insurers was £225 by Sheila’s Wheels, this was a full £36 cheaper than the next best women’s only policy but still significantly more pricey than the £198 quoted by Swift Cover or indeed any of the top 5 general insurers. In fact the top five women’s only policies averaged out at £278, a full £72 more than the top five general policies.

Of course this comparison only took into account price without considering the full service offered by each of the policies, factors such as the amount of excess you would have to pay and your complementary car entitlement should also be considered when choosing your policy.

Ultimately drivers hunting for the best deal would be well advised to shop around for a deal that not only appears to be cheap but matches their individual needs. If the prospect of checking through countless insurers to find the best policy sounds tiresome comparison sites offer a handy timesaving service, try Uswitch or Fool.co.uk where you can compare car, home and life insurance. Another time saving option is to go through a panel insurer who will find the best quote from a pool of different insurers (Examples include Asda Car Insurance who use a panel of 20 insurers and Endsleigh).