An unexpected rise in claims made by victims of uninsured drivers is being blamed for adding to already high car insurance costs.

Claims against uninsured drivers rose 10pc in the past 12 months, to around 11,000, according to new figures from the Motor Insurers' Bureau, the body responsible for compensating victims.

It is the first time there has been an increase in claims since 2004, when there were around 25,000 a year. The Bureau also pays out to victims of "hit and run" incidents but this is recorded in a separate figure.

Compensation is funded by an annual levy paid by insurance companies and is set each year depending on the level of claims. This year the levy will be £256m, up from £250m in 2016, while 2018's levy has not been set.

Insurers pass on the cost of this levy to their customers through higher annual car insurance premiums.

Ashton West, chief executive of the Motor Insurers' Bureau, said: "In the past year or so, for the first time in a decade or more, we are starting to see the trend of reduction actually change direction, and we have started to see it increase.

He added that further work would be done to work out why these claims are rising.