Why has my car insurance renewal gone up?

A claim-free year does not guarantee a cheaper renewal

It's easy to think that a claim-free year should always mean a lower premium. In practice, repair costs, theft levels, parts prices and the insurer’s wider claims experience can all move in the opposite direction.

Check the details before blaming the price. A house move, job change, different annual mileage, another driver or a different parking arrangement can affect a quotation. Check that the renewal information is accurate before deciding whether the price itself is the problem.

Sometimes the insurer has simply changed its appetite

Insurers regularly change the types of customer they want to attract. A company that was competitive for you last year may simply be less interested in the same type of risk this year.

Look past the headline premium

A cheaper quotation isn't necessarily the same policy. Look at the compulsory and voluntary excess, breakdown cover, courtesy car terms, legal expenses, windscreen cover and any restrictions that matter to you.

Give yourself time. Give yourself enough time to check alternatives properly. Rushing on the day a policy expires makes it easier to overlook an important difference in cover or enter information incorrectly.