Around a fifth of motorists across Northern Ireland and the wider UK believe car insurance policies are deliberately designed to cause confusion.

New research also shows that a lot of Northern Ireland car insurance customers are unsure as to what exactly their policy does and doesn't cover them for.

One in five motorists polled by swiftcover.com are convinced car insurance providers set out to confuse them, while 42 per cent have trouble understanding the terms used in their policy.

"Car insurance is very complex, so this means that the wording used in policy terms and conditions can be fairly complicated," acknowledged Tina Shortle, marketing director at the car insurance site. "Some drivers struggle with the terms used in their insurance, but it's vital that they read and understand their insurance policies so they know exactly what they are covered for."

The car insurance study also revealed that 17 per cent of motorists believe a "fully comprehensive" policy permits them to drive any car. Nine per cent think it means anyone can drive their car.

Another 17 per cent of car insurance customers admitted they don't actually read through their policies in the first place.