The best time to renew your car insurance is around 26 days before your policy expires, as this is the pricing “sweet spot” for the cheapest quotes, according to money saving experts. Leaving it until renewal day can cost significantly more, sometimes nearly double.
If your car or home insurance renewal is coming up, there’s one simple trick that could potentially cut the cost in half. In a recent Instagram post Martin Lewis calls it one of the most important (and ridiculous) insurance tips out there, because it isn’t about changing your car, your driving, or your cover, it’s simply about changing when you get your quote. Based on millions of prices, the timing of your search can massively affect what you pay.
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The key takeaway is Martin’s “26-day rule”. The data shows there’s a sweet spot of roughly 26 days before your new policy starts (usually your renewal date). If you shop around about three to four weeks in advance, you’re far more likely to get the cheapest quotes. Leave it until the day your insurance runs out, and prices can be nearly double. Martin explains that insurers see people who renew at the last minute as a higher-risk group, so they’re charged more, even if nothing else about them has changed. It’s bonkers, but it’s how pricing models work.
The savings can be dramatic. Martin shared examples of drivers who cut their premiums almost in half just by changing the timing. One viewer paid £913 last year but used the 26-day rule this year and got the same cover for £468, saving £445, a 49% reduction. Another was quoted £555 but checked again 25 days before renewal and got a price of £222. The comments under the video are full of similar success stories, with people reporting savings of £300 compared to their auto-renewal quote, and others cutting hundreds off last year’s price simply by setting a reminder earlier.
To use the rule properly, the first step is to find your renewal date now and count back about 26 days. Put it in your diary so you don’t miss the window. Then, when that date arrives, run fresh quotes on multiple comparison sites rather than relying on just one, because the same insurer can appear at different prices depending on where you search. Crucially, you can take the policy out immediately but set it to start on your renewal date, which is how you lock in the lower early price.
Many commenters pointed out a frustrating issue: some insurers won’t release renewal quotes until 14–21 days before expiry, which makes it harder to compare directly. But that doesn’t stop you shopping around early with other providers, and in many cases switching insurer is exactly how people save the most. Auto-renewal quotes are often much higher, so it’s always worth checking rather than accepting what you’re offered.
The 26-day trick is harder if you’re buying a new car and need insurance immediately, because last-minute policies tend to cost more. If you can, it may help to delay collection slightly or start running quotes as soon as you know the car details, even before you complete the purchase. Otherwise, you may simply be stuck paying the “urgent” premium.
A few extra tips from the comments are worth noting too. One user suggested that if you expect to drive 12,000 miles, entering 11,999 can sometimes knock money off the quote. Others warned that repeatedly checking quotes day after day can cause prices to rise, as insurers can track shopping behaviour. And one person pointed out the practical benefit of sorting it early: once the policy is locked in, you’re protected from unexpected events that could happen right before renewal.
Ultimately, Martin Lewis’ advice is simple: don’t renew on renewal day. Set a reminder for around 26 days before, shop around early, and you could save hundreds, sometimes close to 50%, for no other reason than beating the industry’s pricing algorithm.
