Many people assume that because their first years premium was competitive they will continue to get good value for money from the same insurer. In fact, as an existing customer renewing your car insurance, you could be paying for discounts your insurance company offers to attract new customers.

This is a common way for car insurance companies to get new customers onto their books.

Become a New Customer
A simple way to ensure you don`t pay more than a new customer for exactly the same cover is to become a new customer.

Instead of just accepting your renewal premium, get a quote from your current insurer as a new customer. This will expose any discount given by your insurer to new customers which you will be paying for if you renew as an existing policyholder.

Call the insurers advertised phone number or get a quote from their website, but don`t use the contact details from your renewal pack.

Shop Around
Armed with the best quote from your current insurer compare it against at least ten other car insurance companies. The internet makes this far less hassle than it used to be and you can now get multiple quotes from major insurers using comparitive car insurance sites such as Moneysupermarket and Screentrade.