Many insurers renew car insurance automatically, usually once a year on the same day you originally took out your policy.
But if your car insurance doesn’t renew automatically, you’ll have to renew it yourself. If you’re unsure what sort of arrangement you have with your insurer, for more you can read our guide to checking your car insurance.
Some believe that you can save money by renewing your car insurance early. Others claim that you can get cheaper car insurance if you renew your policy in a certain month, or even during a certain time of day.
In this post we’ll investigate these claims, before exploring some other ways you can get cheaper car insurance.
Is There a Cheapest Month to Buy Car Insurance?
No. There is no month of the year during which car insurance costs less than it does other months. Insurers calculate the cost of premiums on a case-by-case basis. They’ll consider the car you’re driving, your history as a driver, and a few other factors such as your job and your parking arrangement.
One thing they won’t check: The calendar.
Yes, the price of insurance can fluctuate based on market trends. But these trends are tricky to track, and even harder to predict. As such, there’s simply no way of accurately assessing whether car insurance will cost more or less from one month to the next.
Is There a Best Time of Day to Buy Car Insurance?
So insurers won’t check the calendar when calculating the cost of your car insurance premium. Neither will they check the clock. There is no reason why insurers would charge different premiums depending on the time of day.
It doesn’t matter if you buy insurance at 9am on a Monday or 3pm on a Sunday – you’re almost certain to get the same quote on each day.
How Long Before My Car Insurance Runs Out Should I Renew?
But all this being said, you might be able to make a saving if you renew your car insurance early. Money Saving Expert found that many insurers offer cheaper quotes if you renew between 20 and 26 days before your renewal date when they analysed the data from three price comparison websites – Compare the Market, Confused.com, and MoneySupermarket.
Why can car insurance be cheaper if you renew early?
Because car insurance is all about risk. If you renew your car insurance early, it could demonstrate that you’re sensible, conscientious and organised. Insurers might think that, if you take car insurance this seriously, then you must take driving seriously too.
And if you take driving seriously, then you’re less likely to be involved in an accident. You’re therefore lower-risk, and you might pay less for your insurance as a result.
But it’s not the case that the earlier you renew, the more you can save. Money Saving Expert also found that insurers tend to charge more for premiums if you try and take out a new policy more than 30 days before your renewal date.
How to Get Cheaper Car Insurance
So the point at which you renew your car insurance policy could affect the price of your premium. But there are other, more reliable ways to get cheaper car insurance, particularly if you’re a new driver:
- Drive an “insurance friendly” car
- Build up a no claims discount
- Take the government’s pass plus scheme
For more ways you can save, you can read our full guide to getting cheaper car insurance.
Is Your Car Insurance Policy Due for Renewal?
You can make significant savings through switching to an insurer that understands your needs as a driver.
At Go Girl, we’re committed to driving down the cost of car insurance. That’s why we offer competitive cover for drivers of all ages, with a range of fantastic extras. And you can start building up your no claims discount as soon as you take out your policy, so you can look forward to making further savings in no time at all.
