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Small cars might not be the fastest on the road, but they are reliable and great value for money; perfect for a woman on a budget. And not only are they cheap to run and buy, they are also cheap to insure.

Diamond a direct insurer specialising in car insurance for women, looked at how much it would cost three average women to insure three small cars through itself and two other insurers. The cost for one year's insurance starts at just £186.90.

It looked at three of the most popular budget cars, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Micra and Vauxhall Corsa.

26-year-old teacher living in SW6, driving a 2003 Ford Fiesta 1.25 LX:

30-year-old nurse living in G12, driving 2004 Nissan Micra 1.2 SE:

34-year-old bank clerk living in PO16, driving a 2001 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Elegance:

All policies are comprehensive and include £100 excess, and are basedon a driver with 4 years No Claims Discount.

Diamond's acting managing director Lorna Connelly, said, "Although we'd all like to drive a sexy sports car, in reality many budgets can only stretch to a small city car. Our research shows they can be very economical to drive."

According to Parkers Guide, a 2003 Ford Fiesta 1.25 LX costs under £6000 to buy. A 2004 Nissan Micra 1.2 SE can be bought for under £7000 and a 2001 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Elegance can cost as little as £4300.

Lorna continued, "Insuring a small car is a cost effective way of staying mobile on a budget. By following our suggestions, women could save even more money."

Diamond's tips are:

• Take a voluntary excess. By having a higher excess than the standard, drivers get a reduction in their premium.
  
• Keep your mileage low and limit the use. Average mileage is 12000 miles a year, but if you don't drive that far, tell your insurer.
  
• Increase the security on your car. Insurers prefer prevention to claims and cars with alarms and immobilisers are less likely to be targeted by thieves.
  
• Get a Pass Plus driving qualification. Many insurers offer a discount for drivers who have passed this.