Would you tell your car insurer the truth?

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Over 11 million British drivers would resist telling their insurers the truth to ensure a payout, according to a survey.

Price comparison site moneysupermarket.com asked British motorists what they would do if they had failed to secure their car properly and it was stolen.

Just over one third (36 percent) said they would tell their insurer the truth but 33 percent would not. The other 31 percent were undecided.

"It seems many British motorists are ready to cover up their own carelessness, which could have led to the claim for the stolen car in the first place," said Richard Mason, director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com.

"You may think that telling a little white lie or holding back the whole truth is no cause for concern but if your claim is as a result of your own wrongdoing, insurers are likely to see it as fraudulent," he added.

"If claims are regularly being paid out to drivers who don't deserve it, the honest motorist loses out and could see future premiums increase."

The survey of 1,404 drivers found men are more likely to lie than women, with 39 percent reluctant to own up to their own carelessness, compared with 26 percent of women.

(Reporting by Stephen Addison, editing by Paul Casciato)

(stephen.addison.reuters.com@reuters.net)