Research commissioned by Moneysupermarket.com found that a hardcore of 2.5 million GB motorists would commit fraud rather than risk jeopardising a car insurance claim.

The survey by YouGov, asked UK motorists what they would do if they forgot to lock their car and it was stolen. Less than one in five (18%) said they would disclose the full facts without being pressed and 41% would own up to their mistake if asked, while a further 26% would withhold the truth until they felt the pressure was too much.

Richard Mason, managing director of insurance at Moneysupermarket.com, said: ?It?s extremely worrying that one in three drivers would actively attempt a cover-up if their carelessness led to a claim.

?People may not see the omission of certain facts as fraud, but if these facts helped lead to the claim then that?s exactly what it is. We would urge all drivers to tell the full truth; insurance fraud is a criminal offence and the overall consequences could be far more costly than the sums they are trying to salvage by being economical with the truth.

?A conviction for fraud will leave a lasting impression on the individual?s life and the insurance industry may well refuse to cover them in future, meaning they can no longer drive at all.?

The results also showed that men are more likely to withhold the truth with 11% professing total innocence compared to 6% of women drivers. Welsh drivers are most honest, with 25% saying they would tell all without prompting, compared with 10% of those from the North East. Scottish motorists were the least likely to refuse to give full details under pressure, with only 5% choosing non-disclosure.

Richard Mason added: ?Insurance companies are often seen as the bad guys, but there are two sides and drivers need to own up to their mistakes. In such circumstances, insurers will assess the full details of the claim and are generally pretty reasonable when it comes to paying out.?