Loyalty does not always pay when it comes to finding the best savings account deal, according to moneysupermarket.com.
Market research by the comparison website shows that while savings account providers often tempt existing customers to keep their savings with the same bank, exclusive offers do not always provide the best interest rates on the market.
Customers should be wary of going with 'existing customers only' deals, moneysupermarket.com says, which might seem like the easy option, and a better rate than that offered to new customers, but they might still find better returns elsewhere.
Not only should consumers shop around to find the best savings rate, but they should continue to check rates regularly to ensure that they are getting "as much bang for their buck" as they can while interest rates remain low.
Moneysupermarket counsels savers that it does not take a lot of effort to find the best savings account, but that the rewards can be significant, and that if they have debts then they can use the higher returns from their savings to repay their debts faster.
For example, some providers are offering their existing customers 'exclusive' rates of around 2.00 per cent on instant access savings accounts, the analysis shows, but by shopping around, savers could get a market leading 2.90 per cent with the Post Office Online Saver.
Commenting, Kevin Mountford, head of banking at moneysupermarket.com said: "There is a misconception amongst consumers that they will get preferential deals from their current provider when taking out a new financial product. However, a brief look across the high street banks reveals that it is very much a case of swings and roundabouts, with no single provider offering best buys across the board."
Savers need to be 'scouring the market place' he said, to seek out the most competitive deals from other banks and building societies.
"It's understandable that people want to keep their finances simple and the convenience of doing all their banking with one provider is often more important to them than securing the market leading rate for a loan or credit card.
"For others, they prefer the service provided by their bank but it still amazes me how many people are dissatisfied with their bank, but still remain loyal. Banks rely on this apathy from their customers and during this difficult economic period, consumers need to be generating as much value from their money as possible."
© Fair Investment Company Ltd