When to compare car insurance before your renewal
UK motor insurers usually send a renewal notice 21 to 28 days before the policy ends, and the policy will normally auto-renew unless you act. Start comparing early so the renewal date never decides for you.
Why timing matters
Since the FCA's 2022 general insurance pricing rules, insurers can no longer charge existing customers a higher renewal price than an equivalent new customer for the same policy. The rules do not cap renewal increases — claims, age, postcode, vehicle, and broader market costs still flow through to the renewal quote.
Industry trackers, including the ABI Motor Insurance Premium Tracker and the Confused.com / WTW Car Insurance Price Index, have recorded average renewal-quote movements in double digits across recent quarters. The exact figure shifts each quarter, but the pattern is consistent: renewals are rarely flat.
Comparing 3 to 4 weeks before the renewal date gives you time to read the renewal notice, request a like-for-like quote, and either accept, negotiate, or switch — without the auto-renewal happening by default.
What to check before your car insurance renews
Renewal quote date and auto-renewal setting
Your renewal notice lists the renewal date and whether the policy is set to auto-renew. Confirm both. If auto-renewal is on, decide consciously whether to keep it on or turn it off before the date — not after.
Like-for-like cover level
Compare the renewal quote against quotes for the same cover type (comprehensive / third-party fire and theft / third-party), same voluntary excess, same mileage, and the same named drivers. A cheaper quote at a lower cover level is not a saving.
No-claims discount and protection
Check the no-claims years shown on the renewal notice match your record, and whether NCD protection is included or sold as an add-on. Protection limits the impact of a future claim on next year's renewal; it does not stop the underlying price rising.
Voluntary excess
A higher voluntary excess usually lowers the premium but raises the amount you pay before the insurer pays out on a claim. Set the excess at a level you could actually afford in one payment.
Named drivers and main driver
Check the named drivers and the declared main driver are still accurate. Listing someone as a named driver when they are in fact the main driver is fronting and can invalidate the policy.
Add-ons (legal cover, breakdown, courtesy car)
Add-ons such as legal expenses cover, breakdown cover and courtesy car cover are often pre-ticked on the renewal. Remove anything you do not need, or that duplicates cover you already have through a bank account or breakdown membership.
Timing window
When to compare
A practical window is 21 to 28 days before the renewal date — once the renewal notice has landed but with enough runway to request alternative quotes, switch insurer, or cancel auto-renewal without paying short-period charges.
Leaving it to the renewal day itself means you are usually accepting the renewal quote by default. Starting earlier than 28 days can also work, but some insurers will not quote you a new-customer price more than 30 days ahead of cover.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- FCA — General insurance pricing practices market study (PS21/5), 2021.
- ABI — Motor Insurance Premium Tracker, quarterly release.
- Confused.com / WTW — Car Insurance Price Index, quarterly release.
- Citizens Advice — Renewing your car insurance.