The British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba) claimed that misfuelling is one of the most common causes of vehicle breakdowns , with 150,000 drivers affected by the problem each year.
According to the organisation, 22 per cent of comprehensive motor insurance policies available on the market refer to misfuelling, while 40 per cent of insurers said they would not meet the cost of a misfuelling claim.
Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive, said: "Nobody goes out to put the wrong fuel in their car; if the motorist is innocent the insurance industry would normally treat this as an accidental damage claim."
However, some car insurance policies contain certain exclusions that mean motorists may not be able to make a claim, he added.
Lucy Hunter, Sainsbury's Car Insurance manager, recently said that premiums have been "rising steadily" and could increase by up to ten per cent this year.
© Adfero Ltd
