Confused.com’s Q3 2026 Price Index shows UK drivers in Inner London pay £1,079 a year on average for car insurance – £391 more than drivers in Central Scotland.
Key points
- According to Confused.com’s Car Insurance Price Index for the third quarter of 2026, the UK national average comprehensive premium is £713 a year.
- Inner London remains the most expensive region at £1,079, while Central Scotland is one of the cheapest listed areas at £688.
- Northern Ireland saw the sharpest rise over the year, up 25% (+£209) to £1,059, even as the UK average fell 3% over the same period.
- Where a car is normally kept is only one of several factors insurers use to price a policy, alongside the driver’s profile and claims history.
UK drivers in Inner London now pay close to £400 more a year for comprehensive car insurance than drivers in Central Scotland, according to the latest quarterly price index from comparison site Confused.com.
Where a car is registered and kept has long been one of the factors UK insurers use to calculate a premium, alongside a driver’s age, claims history and the vehicle itself. The gap between regions has been tracked for two decades by Confused.com’s quarterly index, compiled from more than six million quotes submitted on its platform.
How location affects a UK car insurance premium
UK insurers price comprehensive and third-party cover using a combination of factors: a driver’s age and claims record, the car’s make and model, annual mileage – and the area where the vehicle is normally kept overnight. Insurers hold their own data on theft, accident and vandalism rates by postcode area, which is commercially sensitive and not published in full by any regulator or trade body. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) publishes only a national average through its Motor Insurance Premium Tracker, without a public breakdown by postcode or region.
Independent comparison sites fill part of that gap. Confused.com, one of the UK’s largest comparison platforms, has published a quarterly Car Insurance Price Index since 2006, based on real quotes submitted by drivers through its own site rather than estimated figures.
„When you receive your car insurance renewal price, it’s easy to think that’s the best price you’re getting.“
Matt Crole-Rees, motoring expert at Confused.com
Where premiums are highest and lowest
According to the Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index for the third quarter of 2026, the UK average premium was £713, down £22 (3%) on the same period a year earlier. Regional figures vary considerably around that average.
| Region | Average premium | Change vs. 12 months ago |
|---|---|---|
| Inner London | £1,079 | −6% (−£70) |
| Northern Ireland | £1,059 | +25% (+£209) |
| Outer London | £905 | −6% (−£55) |
| North West England | £718 | −6% (−£46) |
| Central Scotland | £688 | +3% (+£20) |
| UK average | £713 | −3% (−£22) |
Source: Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index, Q3 2026. The index does not publish a full ranking of all UK regions, only the figures shown above.
Confused.com describes Inner London as “traditionally the most expensive region” for car insurance, while Northern Ireland recorded the steepest year-on-year increase of any area in the index, despite the UK average falling slightly over the same period.
How the Confused.com index is compiled
The index is based on more than six million quotes submitted by drivers through Confused.com, with each regional price calculated as an average of the best five quotes received for comprehensive cover, unless stated otherwise. It has run quarterly since 2006 and is produced together with the insurance data and analytics firm WTW. Because the figures come from real quote requests rather than a model, they reflect what insurers were actually willing to offer drivers during the survey period – not a published rate table.
Putting the gap in context
- Inner London average: £1,079 a year
- Central Scotland average: £688 a year
- Difference: £391 a year, or roughly £33 a month – about 57% more in Inner London than in Central Scotland.
This is a comparison of two regional averages from one quarter, not a quote for any individual driver. An actual premium still depends on age, claims history, the car itself and the cover chosen.
What this means for your own premium
A postcode is only one factor in a UK car insurance quote, and insurers weigh it differently against age, driving history, car type and annual mileage. A driver who moves from a lower-cost area to a higher-cost one may see a renewal quote rise for reasons unrelated to their own driving record. Comparison sites recommend getting quotes from several insurers before a renewal date, since loyalty does not automatically bring a competitive price.
The ABI has repeatedly stated that insurers price risk individually and that national or regional averages do not predict what any one driver will be quoted. Drivers who believe a renewal price has risen sharply without a change in their own circumstances can ask their insurer directly what changed, and are free to shop around ahead of the renewal date.
Checklist for drivers
Practical checklist
- Compare quotes from several insurers well before your renewal date, not just on the day.
- Ask your current insurer directly what changed if a renewal price rises sharply.
- Check whether your car is parked on the street or in a garage overnight, as this affects risk and price.
- Review your annual mileage estimate – an outdated figure can distort your premium.
- Read the full policy wording, not just the headline price, before switching providers.
Moving house during the year can shift a driver into a different pricing area independently of the quarterly index described here. That is a separate, individual change and not part of the national trend reported by Confused.com.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my postcode affect my car insurance price?
Insurers use historical theft, accident and vandalism data for the area where a car is normally kept as one factor in calculating risk, alongside the driver’s own profile and the vehicle itself.
Is there an official UK table of car insurance prices by postcode?
No single public body publishes a full postcode-level premium table. The ABI publishes only a national average, while comparison sites such as Confused.com publish broader regional figures based on their own quote data.
Does a high regional average mean every driver there pays that much?
No. Regional averages mask large differences between individual drivers. Age, claims history, car type and cover chosen typically have a bigger effect on an individual quote than the region alone.
What can I do if my renewal price rises sharply?
Ask your insurer what changed, and compare quotes from other providers before the renewal date. Switching is usually possible at any time, though cancelling a policy mid-term can carry a fee under some contracts.
Sources and status
- Confused.com: Car Insurance Price Index, Q3 2026, published September 2026.
- Association of British Insurers (ABI): Motor Insurance Premium Tracker (national average premium reference).
Research and data as of: 2 November 2026.
Transparency note: AI-assisted tools were used in researching, structuring and writing this article. The sources used are listed in the article. Publication takes place only after manual editorial approval. Country edition based on an article from Net Trends, researched for the United Kingdom. Photo: illustrative image.
