To think direct debits shouldn't be able to autorenew if the amount has changed?

[KlippityKloppity]

I have pet insurance. I got the email last month saying it was auto renewing. Fair enough. I was in an insanely stressful time at work so saw the email and thought "sure, fine" expecting it to renew as it always does.
Except now on closer inspection I realise it has fucking DOUBLED (and ive made zero claims since I took it out 3 years ago).
Okay, fine: they sent me an email giving me a headsup. But AIBU to think thats not fucking good enough? I had no reason to suspect they would randomly hike up my premiums like that.
Now I cant change anything im locked into it for a year and I just think its disgusting because I cant afford that price jump 😩 I think its really dishonest

Auto renew is the work of the devil. Whatever insurance or other contract I sign up to the FIRST thing I do is make sure auto renew is turned off, even if it means calling the company to do so (a pain in the neck). I would rather keep track and find the cheapest year on year, (though I understand not everyone has the time or inclination to do so.)

You can still do that with auto-renew.

I change my insurers regularly. I get the email with the new premium on (and that as a pp has pointed out, also informs me that I can shop around) and then I go to the comparison sites and the Martin Lewis site

But I still opt for auto renew, just in case I forget to renew/re-insure in time.

Again, the whole point of a direct debit is that it's for a variable amount! If you want it to be the same amount every month you need a Standing Order. But you won't be able to renew that. Or pay a variable bill like a credit card or electricity bill. Or do any of the things that a Direct Debit is actually for. Thus is completely on the OP for not reading her emails.

Then set it up as a Standing Order where YOU control the amount going out each time.

This is a total non-problem. The solution already exists.

Those of them who are online very probably; but there are still a lot of older folk who are not online (or who are but are not all that adventurous or confident), and so are effectively locked out of many of the best deals.

They can ask family members for help, I suppose, but they have to know about the existence of price comparison sites in the first place,and how much they can genuinely save you - or at least put you in a much better negotiating position.

I do get that a lot of people won't know what a standing order is though - it is like the cheque book - not something most people encounter every day and seems to be rarely used. My point was more that it would be a maybe yearly thing for the bank to text for each increased rate for insurance or whatever has steadily been coming out at one amount - they have the software to do this automatically. They must get thousands of calls with people complaining such and such company took more that they were meant to. So although I know there is a solution, I just think maybe it doesn't need to be a problem if they were caring more about their customers and the cost of living crisis.

How would that work, though? For argument's sake, your last year's premium was £100. The renewal for this year comes in for £103, but your SO pays them £100 again - so you haven't paid enough to buy and enact the new policy, but you have still paid them £100 - which their accounts department may not recognise and struggle to even allocate.

Im intrigued how insurance works eg my car insurance quote was iirc £555 v 379 last year. Nothing has changed except me, DH and the car are a year older. I got renewal with a different insurer for about 370. When I called to cancel, the person asked if I wanted them to see if they could they could get a better price for me. Ie "dont leave" ...i said no thanks as id already set up the direct debit with the new company. But if they could do it for less (im sure they would have come back with a lower figure) where did the original renewal price come from?
If it had been eg 400, I probably would have gone with it out of laziness!