IF anyone ever thought shopping around for car insurance was a waste of time, or not worth the effort, they should cast their eye over the latest Lansdowne Market Research survey for the AA. Not only does it show a huge disparity in premiums between companies, especially for younger drivers, but it also puts paid to the impression the direct motor insurers like to promote, that they are a cheaper alternative to the conventional insurers.

Of the four direct insurers included in the survey, Guardian Direct, Premier Direct, First Call Direct and Quinn Direct, in only two out of six categories did the direct insurer offer the cheapest quote.

As usual, women fare the best when it comes to the cheapest cover, and older women do better than younger ones. Young males are charged as much as two thirds more than young women for their insurance but once you reach the older age groups the differential is much lower - about 25 per cent. On price alone, but not taking into account the various extra benefits, the cheapest cover for female and male drivers age 25 is from Hibernian and the AA; for drivers age 35, from Premier Direct and Celtic International respectively; for drivers age 45, from the AA and Guardian Direct.

The AA stresses that price is not the only factor that needs to be taken into account. The benefits package is just as important and in brackets are the different benefits each quote includes in the table below. Bonus protection and windscreen cover are among the two most important, but only 19 out of 56 quotations include both features. (At least three of the cheapest quotes do not include both.)

This particular survey is based on comprehensive insurance for a relatively inexpensive car - a Fiesta worth just £5,000. Motorists should note that the insurer with the best quote for this model and age driver may not be as competitive for a larger, more expensive model.