Just had an email from car insurance warning me renewal is on it way.

The no claims bonus is valid for the new insurance company. Its not like.it can only be used with your current insurers

Comparison site every time.

I recently changed and the one I was moving from let me try different excesses etc to see if I could get it down but it was still double the one I went with in the end,

I've been driving a long time and I don't have accidents so I have put my excess up a lot.

Similar to OP, I thought if I called my insurer to let them know I found many much cheaper car insurance options as I thought this would make them see sense; at least 10 years ago, dear reader I was wrong. Even the poor chap on the end of the phone could see 'sense', he couldn't alter it, so I took my business elsewhere.

Many years later it's very rare that I stay more than a year with a Car Insurance provider. However, for Buildings and Contents Insurance my current provider has been realistic and kept my business for 3 years.

It's worth noting that I'm 'lower end' on my cover and haven't made a claim since 1997, except for 2 'no-fault' prangs over many years which were settled without affecting my NCD

Breakdown cover - I've stayed with the AA for many years because I do think they provide the most reliable service, not the cheapest, but again I'm not top end and they do let me grind the price down if it's too high. Long time RAC customers might have similar experiences.

Use a price comparison first and then call your insurers to see if they can match the best quote. If they can't you switch.

I've done this every year with Direct line as their post quote is always way too high. This year I ditched them as they didn't want to price match

There's a no claims bonus though.

Mine went up £42. Fully comprehensive. Wait for your quote then do a price comparison.

When my renewal came through, it was a lot higher, so I did a comparison. I then did a live chat telling them the prices I had been quoted, whilst speaking an email came through with a reduced renewal price, it said we can see you’ve been on a comparison site and want to match the quotes you received.

Apparently it's because of the increase in electric and hybrid cars. If they are involved in an accident it costs a fortune. Even if you don't have one you could be in an accident with one.
That's what I was told I think on here when I was moaning a few months back about my son's insurance going sky high even though he's never had an accident.

I don't bother getting a quote for my current house insurer to match, I just tell them I'm not very happy.

Mine actually went down from £216 to £202 a year but the house insurance goes up every year so I ring them and they put it down again, it's certainly quicker to renew with the same one and just ring them than go through the rigmarole of comparison sites and add ons each year

No never. Always go on to comparison sites.

Only after I already have a quote from elsewhere for them to match or better. Even then, I don't tell them what it is, just ask them to sharpen their pencil. If they sharpen it sufficiently, I stay, if they don't, I move. Simples.

I wait for the renewal, then price check like for line and then haggle. If they don't offer a good deal I move.

Get on the comparison sites, you then either
Go with the best price (of the ones you've actually heard of)
Or
Call current insurer and ask them to match the quote. If they won't/can't you leave them.

Although I don't usually go with the second option, as I think they should've just given me a better price to start with.

Use comparison sites I think it’s 23 days is the best price .

I did it at 22 days first time ever .. mine didn’t increase .

i never bother renewing with the same company …. There is no benefit to company Loyality.

Never done that, what's the point when there are much cheaper deals? I found one that was £270 cheaper than their offer, it's not like they are going to reduce it by that much.

I was with Marshmallow insurance, it just doubled from £45 to £85!

Mine for my old vw doubled DOUBLED from RBS, I’m 50

phoned expecting to have to do the old flannel dance…no budging

went elsewhere but still very expensive

my car insurance was £260 and renewal quote was £410, I called twice and they didn’t change the price so I cancelled and found another car insurance for £250. Use a comparison site and you will find a good deal within 10mins.

Noooo, you get onto a comparison site and get your quotes. Then when you ring them you say that x provider will provide the same cover for £xxx and ask them to match it. If they don't, you cancel and go with the cheaper insurer from the comparison site.

Under the latest rules they should be quoting based on their current assessment of your risk factors. It shouldn’t matter how long you’ve been with them. If another company offers you a better rate it may be because you fit the gaps in their current risk appetite…ie no company wants only motorists who fit one profile, they want to spread the risk. What exactly that means will vary by company.

Of course, that’s all assuming the system is working…

I rang to see if they could reduce it as it had gone up by over £250, almost double. They improved it by £4! I did manage to get it for only about £60 more in the end using a comparison site.

I got a renewal quote for +40% so I did the comparison sites and a few others but they were worse! Had to absorb the 40% increase which was hundreds of pounds.

Don’t bother ringing you’ll be on hold until next week. Just go on confused.com or wherever, you get the cheapest deal available and some nice perks often too. You can then save your details so it’s much easier to get a fresh quote next time too.

I've never stayed with the same insurer more than a year, ever. The renewals always much more and when I call up to see if it can be reduced, they can never match the price I've found elsewhere. Always go on comparison sites first!