From fast food to online banking, speedy service has become a staple of our culture.

However, when purchasing car insurance is it right for consumers to expect a drive-thru service or should they change down a gear?

The very obvious answer is yes, of course they should. In order to purchase the right car insurance policy a lot of shopping around is involved.

Policies can vary vastly depending on the type of car a motorist drives, their age, driving record and the level of cover they are seeking.

Furthermore, insuring additional drivers onto a policy can raise or lower premiums depending on the record of the drivers in question.

The British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba), which represents the interests of insurance brokers and customers, always advises those seeking policies to spend time hunting around for the best deal.

Advice such as this has become especially poignant in light of recent statistics published by the AA, which have revealed that the average car insurance premium has risen by around six per cent.

It calculates that the average policy will now set back a motorist £682 per year.

Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive at Biba, commented on these statistics:

He said: "The problem is that motor insurance rates over the last ten years have run at a loss. Insurance companies haven't been making any money and have been making a loss on the written premiums.

"Our advice is always that if your insurance premium goes up then don't just accept it. Call your insurance broker and they will…look around and find you the best deal."

However, a survey conducted by YouGov has found that 28 per cent of motorists (9.6 million drivers) choose to stay with their insurance company when asked to pay more, revealed financial advice website MoneyExpert.

The survey interviewed 2,125 British adults over the age of 18 between March 31st and April 2nd.

Here at UKNetGuide we think the statistics are "worrying" and suggested that when faced with a hike of fees "many drivers just shrug their shoulders".

In other words, they would rather pay dearly for the speedy service to which they have become accustomed rather than put some leg work into improving their finances.

we can highlight the foolishness of this "fast-food" mentality, when motorists are already having to adjust their finances to deal with soaring petrol prices.

Insurance costs simply add to the burden.

On a more positive note, 14 per cent of drivers said their premiums stayed the same when they last renewed, while a lucky 17 per cent of motorists reported a decrease.

However, even if your insurance policy has remained static when you come to renew it this does not mean that you could not get a cheaper policy elsewhere – much can change in 12 months.

Maybe being a year older has benefited you - the difference between insuring a 24-year-old and a 25-year-old is often considerable.

Furthermore, a change of address may prove favourable with some insurance brokers and not others. If you care about your finances, it is worth finding out.

Online comparison websites, such as UkNetGuide have made this process simpler than ever. They will collate all of your details and then use them to search tens of insurers to find you the cheapest option.

Furthermore, this information will then be presented in a handy table, which makes comparing prices and premiums easier than ever.

As easy, some might say, as buying a burger, medium fries and diet Pepsi from a McDonald's drive-thru.