Consumers in the UK are not getting the same product for the same price when they shop for their personal insurance needs on comparison sites, a study has found.

London-based analytics company GlobalData reached the conclusion based on its research of the four leading aggregators in the country.

“While it is no great surprise that prices vary between the sites, the scale of some of the differences is alarming,” Insurance Analyst Ben Carey-Evans said.

“The sites pitch themselves as being on the side of the consumer, and they certainly have made the process of buying insurance a lot quicker.

“However, if consumers feel the need to start checking several sites, or even the emerging trend of a comparison site for the comparison sites then the aggregator’s greatest strength, its speed, will diminish.”

The research covered motor, home, travel and pet insurance.