Car insurance is something everyone likes to pretend they’re an expert on. If you even so much as utter to someone that you’re about to renew a policy or look for one, you will be bombarded with “tips” on what to do, where to look, who to buy from and what to get covered.
What should be a straightforward process can become overwhelming, especially if you’re a new driver or have only been behind the wheel for a year or so.
So, if you know you’ll need to renew your car insurance soon, is there such a thing as the perfect window to get a great deal? Let’s declutter all the advice and help set things straight, so you know when to renew car insurance.
There isn’t really such a thing as “the best time”
A bit like someone saying you should book a holiday a year in advance or ask for no salt on your fries at McDonalds to get fresh ones, if you have the idea set in your head that you need the best deal possible, ignore all the chatter and plan ahead.
You’ll hear people say you need to do it about a month out and no sooner than a week before a policy is up for renewal. In all honesty, the best time to get can insurance is when the thought first occurs. The sooner you know you’ll need it, the easier planning and comparing will be. Obviously, for AA car insurance customers, we take care of it by comparing different policies based on your needs to find better quotes.
How can I make car insurance renewal easier?
Get your information in order. We’d be surprised if you could remember everything you had to provide when getting a quote last year, but some of the information you typically need to give when filling out a renewal quote would include:
- Your Eircode
- Your job type
- Your estimated mileage
- The car make, model and engine size
(Most young/new drivers will start in smaller cars with smaller engines) - When the car was first registered & when you bought it
- Second driver information
(If you want to add one to a policy) - If you’ve made any modifications to the car
- How long you’ve had your license
- When you want a new policy to start
- If you’ve had to claim in the last five years
It helps to know these things ahead of time, so you don’t feel frustrated filling out a quote form. Again, the sooner you think of renewing & the more aware of the process, the less hassle you’ll encounter.
When should Novice drivers renew their insurance policy?
If you’ve only just been on the road for the last year and change, or you’re nearly at that fateful day where the N plate (which stands for Novice and not New – something people often forget) can be taken down, you might not know what to be doing with car insurance. You might even be getting flashbacks to the shock of the costs when researching for the first time.
For those newly qualified to be on the road, please read our blog post on advice for first-time driver insurance; it has some really good tips on ways to lower the overall cost of a quote, especially if you’re going between year one and two.
For anyone who’s now looking to find a better deal on their insurance, see if AA car insurance can help you find a fair quote. We've teamed up with some of Ireland's top insurers to get you great value Car Insurance.
Always staying covered with our help
Don’t forget, while insurance is a must, don’t overlook getting protection if you have a breakdown (or you’re a passenger when someone else is driving.) With AA Membership, you can get 24/7 nationwide coverage, with AA customers experiencing an 80%* roadside repair rate.
*The total number of AA member jobs attended of 21,984 and of this amount, 17,697 being repaired on site in January to July 2021
