If you drive, you must renew your car insurance annually, but what happens if you can’t remember when that year’s up? With tips on how to find out when to update your policy and how to get cheap car insurance renewal quotes, here’s the comparison site mustard.co.uk.

How do I know if my car is insured?

The easiest way to find out if your car is insured is by checking the Motor Insurance Database (MID). The service is free and it will show you whether or not your car is currently insured – visit: askMID.com.

Bear in mind that this service only tells you whether or not your car is covered at the time of checking. It won’t show you when the policy was activated or when it will expire.

How can I find out when my car insurance is due?

In most instances, your insurer will remind you that your policy is due to end around four weeks before it expires. If your policy automatically renews, they should also give you a renewal price along with last year’s premium so you can compare the two.

If you don’t want to wait for your insurer’s reminder, you’ll have to do some old-fashioned admin, for example:

  • Logging into your account if you manage your policy online and checking the expiry date
  • Go through old emails to see if you were sent your policy electronically
  • Check your bank statements for car insurance payments

What happens if I don’t renew my car insurance on time?

If you’re driving on public roads, you must have car insurance. Driving without a suitable policy comes with serious penalties.

If you’re caught without cover, you could face a fixed penalty fine of £300 and be given up to six penalty points. If you end up in court, you could be given an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving.

It’s also important to know that having penalty points on your licence or being convicted of driving offences, can lead to higher premiums. This is because insurers are likely to interpret this as an example of risky behaviour, which could increase the chances of you making a claim in the future.

Should I auto-renew my car insurance in future?

Some insurers offer automatic car insurance renewal. Essentially, this means your policy will ‘roll over’ and continue for another 12-months (or for as long as you have auto-renew set up).

Bear in mind that the renewal price is not likely to be the same as you paid before. Even if you haven’t made a claim in the last 12-months, insurance premiums are affected by inflation and other market forces so you can expect prices to fluctuate accordingly.

While auto-renewing your car insurance makes admin much simpler, it could mean you miss better deals and end up paying more than you need to.

How can I get the best car insurance deal?

If you’re looking for good value car insurance, it’s best to shop around and compare what’s on offer. Remember – just because your premium was a great deal last year, there’s no guarantee that it’s still a great deal this year.

As well as comparing quotes at sites like mustard.co.uk, you can help keep premiums as low as possible by:

 

  • Increasing your voluntary excess – the amount you agree to still needs to be affordable because you won’t be able to proceed with a claim unless you pay it.
  • Adding a named driver – a more experienced named driver can lower costs.
  • Choosing telematics insurance – a telematics device fitted in your car will monitor your driving, focusing on acceleration, braking, cornering and speed. If you drive consistently well, your premium could fall faster compared to drivers with standard non-telematics policies.
  • Keeping your car secure – you can shave a little off your premium by keeping your car as safe and secure as possible. If you don’t have the luxury of a locked garage or private driveway, it could be worth investing in an immobiliser.
  • Driving fewer miles – this won’t be practical for everyone but cutting down on your mileage can reduce premiums as your exposure to risk is lower. If you can’t reduce your miles, try to be as accurate as you can instead. Overestimating your mileage can mean you end up paying more unnecessarily.