Car Insurance Renewal

If your car insurance policy is set to expire soon, it's a good time to think about renewing.

Whether you’re looking for a better deal or thinking about how you can renew, we’ve made an easy guide to navigate the important details.

How to renew your car insurance

You’ll likely get a renewal notice a few weeks before your policy is due to end. How you go about renewing policy will depend on the options available with your insurer and how you originally took out cover.

• Auto renewal. Your policy will automatically continue after the current policy period. This means you won’t have to do anything and your premiums will continue to be directly debited.
• Online. Most insurers allow you the option of renewing your policy through a member portal or through a direct process where you enter your policy number, post code and banking details.
• Phone. If you prefer to speak to a person, many providers have representatives that can help you renew your policy over the phone.
• BPAY. Your renewal notice will generally include your insurers biller code and reference, which you can use to pay with online banking.

What to do before renewing your car insurance

You’re going to want to find out how much your premiums are going up before you decide to renew.

Depending on the type and age of your car, your claims history, and whether or not you have a no claims discount, your new premium could be a lot more expensive than you expected. If you no longer feel like you’re getting the best bang for your buck, it might be time to find a new provider.

Our research found that there was a variation in average annual costs of almost $400 for comprehensive car insurance when looking at 37 different Australian insurers. Finding a good deal can save you a lot of money, but it’s important to understand what your current policy covers so you can easily compare apples to apples when you shop around.

What to do if your renewal has been declined

If you’ve missed premium payments or violated the terms of your car insurance policy, there’s a chance your renewal will be declined. In that case, you have a few options to help you get coverage:

• Contact your insurer to understand the specific reason you’ve been refused. If it’s something correctable like your payment or claims history, see if there’s a way to address these concerns and potentially renegotiate reinstatement.
• Shop around for a new car insurance policy from other providers. Even if your current insurer has declined your renewal, others may still offer you coverage.
• Improving your risk profile can be done by doing things like changing your driving behaviour, parking your vehicle in a safer location, or removing other listed drivers from your policy, especially if they’re younger or most risk prone.
• Talk to a professional like a insurance broker or agent if you need further help in finding new coverage.

Compare and switch

Product FCI	Finder Score	Roadside assistance	Accidental damage	Storm	Choice of repairer	Agreed or Market Value
Promoted Youi Comprehensive Finder Award	Finder Score 8.5 Great				Optional	Agreed or Market	Summary: One of the only insurers to automatically include roadside assistance. It also won 12 out of the 22 categories in Finder's 2024 customer satisfaction awards.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Promoted Budget Direct Comprehensive Finder Award	Finder Score 9.1 Excellent	Optional			Optional	Agreed or Market	Summary: The 2024 winner of our Best Value Car Insurance award. It's cheaper than most, plus you can lower costs by adding age restrictions. ⭐ Current offer: 15% off your first year's premium when you take out a policy online. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: Anyone who wants a good value policy.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Promoted Coles Comprehensive Insurance	Finder Score 9.1 Excellent	Optional			Optional	Agreed or Market	Summary: Coles Comprehensive Car Insurance includes the benefits you’d expect, plus features like grocery replacement (up to $200 if damaged or stolen. T&C’s apply). You’ll also collect 2 Flybuys points for every $1 you spend at Coles when you link your Flybuys (max cap, exclusions and eligible purchases apply). ⭐ Current offer: Get $50 off one Coles shop when you take out a new Coles Comprehensive Car Insurance policy and link your Flybuys account. Offer ends 17 February 2025. Plus, save 15% on your first year’s premium when you buy online. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: Those who want great quality cover and more rewards with Flybuys.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Qantas Comprehensive	Finder Score 9.1 Excellent	Optional			Optional	Agreed or Market	Summary: You need car insurance so why not get one that lets you earn Qantas Points? It's good value too (it's underwritten by the same insurer as Budget Direct). ⭐ Current offer: Earn up to 40,000 Qantas Points with every car insured by 29 January. Plus save 15% on your 1st year's premium when you purchase online. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: People who want more bang for their buck with Qantas Points.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
ROLLiN' Comprehensive	Finder Score 9 Excellent					Agreed	Summary: One of the most cost-effective insurers for under 25s, according to Finder research, with no aged-based excess. ⭐ Current offer: Get 10% off the base premium for the first 2 consecutive monthly policies and up to a 15% potential monthly discount from your 3rd month for being a safer driver. Minimum premiums may apply. T&Cs apply. Learn More. Who it might be good for: Young drivers looking to keep costs down and anyone who’d like to get more flexibility from their car insurance.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Huddle Black Comprehensive	Finder Score 8 Great					Agreed or Market	Summary: This goes further than most insurers. You get up to 2k for stolen keys, roadside assistance and rental car excess cover (for car rentals in Australia). ⭐ Current offer: Use promo code "HUDDLERSA" for 12 months FREE Roadside Assist. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: Those who want top cover for their car.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
QBE Comprehensive Green Company	Finder Score 5.9 Standard				Optional	Agreed or Market	Summary: Finder's best-rated Car Insurer for Customer Satisfaction in 2021/2022 and Green Insurer for the last 3 years. ⭐ Current offer: Save $75 when you purchase a new comprehensive policy online. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: Those who want a trustworthy insurer and more cover than other brands, such as 3-year new car replacement (e.g. they'll give you money for a new car for up to 3 years if yours is written off).	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Bingle Comprehensive Finder Award	Finder Score 8.9 Great					Market	Summary: Our data shows it’s the cheapest comprehensive policy. It just covers the basics such as damage to your car, theft and storms – it doesn’t go in for add-ons and extras. Who it might be good for: Those wanting a low-cost, no-frills policy.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Huddle Comprehensive	Finder Score 8 Great	Optional				Agreed or Market	Summary: Huddle's comprehensive policy will cover you if your vehicle is damaged or lost as a result of a collision, a natural event, a malicious act, theft or fire. It also includes up to $500 for essential repairs. ⭐ Current offer: Use promo code "HUDDLERSA" for 12 months FREE Roadside Assist. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: Someone who drives less than 15,000 km a year can opt for Pay As You Drive cover.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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FAQs

• Does my car insurance automatically renew?

  If you selected an auto renewal option when you originally bought your car insurance it will automatically renew at the end date of your current policy. However, if you chose any other option you’ll have to manually renew with your current provider or buy a new policy elsewhere.

• What happens if you don’t renew car insurance in time?

  If you don’t renew your car insurance in time you’ll still be able to legally drive it as long as you’ve bought your Compulsory Third-party Insurance (CTP or green slip). This protects you if you cause injuries or cause death to someone else in a motor accident.

• How can I get a better deal on my car insurance renewal?

  Understand what your needs are in terms of coverage so you can compare like for like with different car insurance providers.

  A good rule of thumb is just because an insurer is cheaper in one state, it doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be cheap in yours. So it’s important to find quotes for your specific location.

  You should find out if there’s any room for negotiation with your current insurer and weigh that with the price you’ll get with a different brand. Many insurers offer sign-up discounts for new customers so it’s always good to check before you make a decision.

• How do I renew my green slip?

  If you’re in NSW your green slip can be renewed separately, either through your provider or with Service NSW. In all other Australian states your green slip renewal will be included when you purchase your vehicle registration.

• Can your insurer refuse to renew your car insurance?

  If you have an increased risk profile, have too many insurance claims, or violate your policy’s terms and conditions, your insurer can refuse to renew your car insurance.

Written by

Cameron Thach

Insurance Content Writer

Cameron is the local insurance scholar at Finder. With a diverse background writing in independent education, web-3, and finance, his mission is to build helpful content and that speaks to readers in language they understand. See full bio