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Motorists and home owners have been warned to beware of administration fees of up to £55 if they make minor changes to their insurance policies.

A survey by Which? found that 70% of car insurers and 33% of home insurers now charge for policy alterations such as changing an address or marital status.

Which? said the fees were often buried in the small print and were too high.

The insurance industry said charges would only be proportionate to costs.

"Insurers do not look to make any additional charge for policy changes unless they incur costs," said a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

"Where an insurer makes a charge, then they should make it clear why this charge is being made," he added.

'Hidden' information

Citing research by the banking industry analysts Defaqto, Which? said in 2004 fewer than a fifth of motor insurers had charged for administering minor policy changes.

And while just over 20% of insurers had charged a fee if someone cancelled their policy early, two-thirds now did so.

"Such information may be hidden in the small print or not be specified in the policy document at all," it warned.

The scale of the charges varied widely.

While the average cost of altering a motor policy was now £21 the highest was £55.

The average change to a home insurance policy was £18 but the highest was £35.

Charges for a duplicate policy could also be high, up to £30 in some cases.

"Whether it's £30, £55 or an £85 fee, insurance companies are going to have a hard time trying to justify the exorbitant charges they're billing for routine tasks such as changing an address on a policy or providing duplicate policy documents," said Which? chief executive, Peter Vicary-Smith.

"It's about time insurance companies start treating their customers fairly and make administrative charges proportionate and transparent," he added.

Refunds

The latest Which? survey also points the finger at cancellation charges where a policy holder ends their insurance early.

A partial refund for the unused portion of the policy is usually paid, but Which? said this was often not proportionate.

"Many insurers will calculate the refund based on a system of short-term rates," Which? said.

"This means that if you cancel in the third month, you might only get back 50% of the annual premium, 20% after six months, and nothing at all for those who cancel after nine months," it said.

The survey, of 151 motor insurers and 180 home insurers, found that cancellation fees were imposed by two-thirds of car insurers and one-third of home insurers.

The average cancellation fee for car insurance was £40 and while the average home insurance cancellation charge was £31.