An average charge of £22 is issued to policy holders for amendments, duplications and cancellations. There is currently no regulation in place to limit the amounts that insurers can charge for adjustments and because failing to disclose information to insurance companies can invalidate policies, drivers have no alternative but to pay the fees.

Comparison site, uSwitch, has revealed that it can cost up to £25 for a duplicate document, £26 for policy adjustments and £52.50 for a policy cancellation. In 2007, 14 million Britons had to fork out £333 million for policy changes.

“It’s always worth having a conversation with your insurer as some are willing to waive these fees or will at least be open to negotiation,” said uSwitch insurance expert, Ashton Berkhauer.

“The worst course of action is to do nothing at all – inaccurate details on the policy could make it invalid, leaving you without a leg to stand on if you come to claim.”