The UK city of Blackburn is the leader in actively pursuing the most affordable car insurance options online, according to a recent study from motor insurer Zego.

Google trends data revealed that searches for economical car insurance within the UK have surged by an impressive 125% over the past year. Conversely, ONS data revealed that motor insurance has outpaced CPI inflation, with a growth rate of 43.1% in stark contrast to the 8.7% inflationary increase for the 12 months leading to May 2023.

Blackburn emerged as the frontrunner among UK cities actively pursuing affordable car insurance, with a monthly average of 6,564 searches per 100,000 residents. To provide context, Blackburn’s residents are conducting 36% more searches for cost-effective car insurance compared to their counterparts in Norwich, which secured the tenth position on the list.

UK cities want lower car insurance

Birmingham secured the second spot on the list, with an average of 6,269 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Notably, the West Midlands Police reported the highest vehicle crime rate in the UK in March, reaching 113.6 incidents per 100,000 individuals. This statistic could be contributing to elevated motor insurance expenses in Birmingham.

Preston claimed third place, with a monthly average of 5,497 searches for affordable car insurance per 100,000 residents. Notably, searches in Preston frequently revolved around topics like dashcams and installing black boxes as means to lower insurance costs.

Inverness, despite having the smallest population within the top 10 cities, secured the fourth spot on the list. Its residents conducted an average of 5,307 searches for economical car insurance each month per 100,000 individuals. Lincoln followed suit in fifth, boasting an average of 5,077 monthly searches per 100,000 residents.

Hereford closely followed in the sixth position, with only a marginal difference of 0.17%, conducting 5,068 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, Manchester was the seventh city on the list, registering 5,009 searches per 100,000 individuals. Clean Cities Campaign data revealed that privately owned cars in Manchester increased from 117,388 in 2012 to 154,109 in 2022.

Burnley claimed the eighth position, with an average of 4,701 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Salford closely trailed behind, with 4,645 monthly searches per 100,000 individuals.

Finally, securing the 10th spot was Norwich, with an average of 4,566 monthly searches per 100,000 people.

At the other end of the spectrum, it was Newport, Wakefield, and Derry that emerged as the three UK cities displaying the least concern regarding seeking out cheaper car insurance options.

“Given the rise in motor insurance costs concurrent with inflation this year, it is unsurprising that individuals in the UK are diligently seeking out the most favourable insurance deals available to them,” Zego CEO Sten Saar said.

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