When is the best time to renew car insurance?

We've heard this cry a lot over the last 12 months as insurers have been steadily putting prices up. The rise you've seen could be down to rising costs that insurers have to pay to get vehicles repaired or replaced (such as rising staff costs, more expensive parts). Or it may be that your insurer has changed its strategy and no longer wants to offer the cheapest prices, or no longer wants customers with your risk and driving profile.

Of course, the above assumes that nothing's changed with your circumstances. If it has, then where you live, the car you drive, any driving convictions or accidents can all change the price you're quoted – see what affects my car insurance quote.

Yet, rather than comparing your new price to the one you paid last year, use our Car Insurance Compare+ tool to see quotes from multiple insurers at once, so you can work out where your renewal price sits. If all insurers are quoting a similar price, then it's likely that's just the new level you'll need to pay. But never assume this without checking, you could miss out on saving £100s.