According to research by online usability consultancy, Webcredible, the quote process is often difficult, forms are ambiguous and sites lack clear information for customers to follow.

Twenty UK insurers were given a mark out of 100 for usability after being rated against 20 different criteria in Webcredible's Online Motor Insurance Usability Report.

Issues singled out as putting customers off include the failure to inform customers how long the quote process will take and what information they are likely to need to complete forms.

Other issues include telephone numbers not being clearly displayed - putting off those customers that prefer to pay offline - and a lack of help when errors were encountered.

Webcredible managing director, Trenton Moss, said if companies make more effort to design their websites around the needs of customers they could reap significant rewards.

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