Car insurance premiums are on the rise, according to a price comparison website.

Moneysupermarket.com has revealed figures showing that car insurance rose by an average of 4.5 per cent in the last six months of 2007.

After staying relatively flat for most of 2006 and through to the first part of 2007 with the average premiums at £290, it now stands at £303.

According to Moneysupermarket.com, around 64 different online and mainstream insurers were at various times last year the cheapest on the market.

Richard Mason, from the website, said that although online providers sometimes did work out cheaper, due to low overheads, this was not always the case.

He added: "Men are continuing to pay about £40 more for their insurance than women, but this has as much to do with the type of cars they drive... men are more prone to buy cars with bigger engines, which then attract higher insurance premiums."

Mr Mason continued by saying that generally insurance was cheaper for older drivers.

Strangely, research has found that females in their 30s were consistently paying less in premiums than those in their 40s over the past two years.

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