1.15 million people confess to having driven a car in the last year without any car insurance, according to a survey by Sainsbury’s Car Insurance. The survey revealed that 19% said it was because they couldn’t afford it, 19% said they didn’t think it was necessary, 13% said they forgot to purchase it, while 13% said they didn’t have time to arrange cover.

The most common offenders are those aged between 17 and 24. The least likely to offend were the over 65s. It is a commonly known fact that insurance for younger or newer drivers is far costlier than for older car-owners. This may account for the spotted patterns of higher rates of offense in younger people.

On a regional basis, 6% of people in London have confessed to driving in the last 12 months with no insurance in place – the highest for any part of Britain. This may be due to the fact that car insurance London comes at a dramatically higher price due to the higher rate of accidents.

Figures elsewhere are South West & Wales (5%), Yorkshire & Humberside (4%), Scotland (3%), North (2%), South East (1%), East Midlands & Anglia (1%) and West Midlands (1%). According to the Association of British Insurers, the cost of uninsured motorists adds a further £25 to £30 to the average annual car insurance premium.

It is illegal to drive a car with no insurance in place and the punishment for those caught include fines, a driving ban or having their cars crushed

As well as offering competitive premiums, Sainsbury’s Car Insurance also offers motorists an extensive range of cover and benefits. This includes a courtesy car when using one of its recommended repairers (comprehensive cover only) and a no claim discount of 70% if you take out a policy and have not made a claim in the past five years, rising to 75% after a further five years’ claim free driving with Sainsbury’s Car Insurance. It is also one of only a few providers to offer new for old replacement child car seats after an accident as a standard feature of its comprehensive policy, even when there is no visible damage, as well as support and compensation if you’re a victim of carjacking or road rage.

Ironically, right now is a very good time to purchase car insurance, as the AA’s index report shows: In the last year, the average annual premium quoted for comprehensive car insurance has risen by nearly 6%.

The good news is that the latest figures show a slight reversal in the trend. Average comprehensive car insurance premiums fell by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2008.

According to AA Insurance, this is largely due to the time of year. Because it’s currently a ‘peak period’ for car insurance sales, many companies are holding rates down to try and gain market share.

You might need to act fast to take advantage of these blips: Home and car insurance premiums are expected to rise again over the coming year.

And in the longer term, prices may be forced up still further by extreme weather conditions. Professor Stuart Lane of Durham University recently predicted that we’re entering a ‘flood-rich’ period, with even more serious flooding likely to hit the UK in years to come.

It seems that now is a good time to take out a new insurance policy. This is particularly true of car and home insurance, as premiums are likely to rise – possibly steeply – in the months to come.

If your current policy is up for renewal, remember to shop around rather than automatically renewing with your existing company. You’re likely to get a much better deal as a new customer.