One in four British motorists admit they’ve lied on an insurance application, according to research from insurance.co.uk, a comparison site.

The research reveals a widespread habit amongst the nation at large for fabricating details in insurance applications in an effort to cut costs, with the catalogue of lies ranging from the seemingly innocent to the more severe.

One in 10 pretend their vehicle is parked in a more secure area than it actually is, while one in 20 are less than truthful about the distances they drive, the value of their car and the reasons they use it.

A small, but worrying 1% are upfront about the fact they have lied about their address, penalty points, or other serious criminal convictions. The study also provided an interesting insight into the nation’s moral sensibilities. Despite the fact that so many admitted to lying, 98% said they believed themselves to be honest individuals.

When asked to rank the severity of various offences, 44% put insurance fraud on a par with ‘pinching a chocolate bar’ and ‘travelling without a valid ticket’.

Steve Grainger, head of insurance.co.uk, said: “Lying to an insurer is often considered to be a ‘victimless crime’, but this is far from the truth.

“Many motorists would never dream of illegally driving without insurance, but they seem to be blissfully unaware that entering inaccurate information on a motor insurance application could make their policy worthless, leaving themselves and those around them at considerable risk.

“Although it’s natural to want to get the cheapest quote you can, this should never be done at the expense of cover.”