ALTHOUGH the average cost of insuring a family car is £360, the cost varies by more than £330 depending on where you live: from just £235 to nearly £570, according to a survey carried out by the AA.

That represents the money it would cost to fuel the car from London to Glasgow more than eight times.

Andrew Briscoe, managing director of AA Insurance Services, said: “Of course, there is a close link between car crime and the cost of cover. Five of the 10 most expensive postcode districts for insuring a Ford Focus have vehicle theft levels three times the UK average,” he said.

But that is not the whole story. “The risk of a car being stolen is one aspect of the likely cost facing an insurer,” he said.

“Cars in cities are more likely to be involved in accidents resulting in injury or damage, simply because of the density of traffic. Urban-based cars have a greater chance of being broken into or vandalised than rural-based vehicles.”

Generally, opting to live out of town will save you money on car insurance. Moving to rural Kent would save £233 compared with living in central London- enough for over 2,500 miles worth of commuting to the city or 46 days’ worth of congestion charges.

“Motorists may not wish to move house to get cheaper car insurance, but they can reduce their costs by up to a third by simply shopping around,” added Mr Briscoe.