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

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Finder Score (low-high)Finder Score (high-low)

Product	Finder Score	Roadside assistance	Accidental damage	Storm	Choice of repairer	Agreed or Market Value
Promoted Youi Comprehensive Best Rated Brand	Finder Score 8.5 Great				Optional	Agreed or Market	Summary: A great value policy with exceptional customer service. Youi won the 2024 Finder Award for Customer Satisfaction. It scored highly for features and benefits, customer service and reliability. It also automatically includes roadside assistance in its price - a feature that typically costs upwards of $90 per year.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Promoted Coles Comprehensive Insurance Finder Award	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: Collect 10,000 Flybuys Points when you take out a new Coles Comprehensive Car Insurance policy and link your Flybuys account. Offer ends 30 April 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...
Promoted Budget Direct Comprehensive	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...
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 28 May. 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...
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). 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. 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...
Real Comprehensive	Finder Score 8 Great	Optional				Agreed	Summary: Real Comprehensive Car Insurance provides similar coverage to other insurers for the important stuff like looking after your car if it's stolen or you crash. It's also one of the few insurers who offer a Pay As You Drive policy, so you might be able to save big if you don't drive much. Who it might be good for: Those that don't drive much can take advantage of its Pay As You Drive policy.	Get QuoteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Australian Seniors Comprehensive	Finder Score	Optional				Agreed	Finder’s summary: Australian Seniors’ comprehensive policy includes complimentary hire car for a stolen car, up to $1,000 for a damaged trailer or caravan, up to $500 for emergency travel and accommodation cover. ⭐ Current offers: Save 5% on your first year's car insurance premium by holding a valid Seniors Card. T&Cs apply. Who it might be good for: People over 50 years old looking for flexible cover options.	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

Writer

With a background in writing across education, Web3, and finance, Cameron’s mission is to create content that speaks directly to readers in a way that’s easy to understand, helping them navigate complex topics with confidence. Cameron studied a Bachelor of Commerce, Economics and Marketing at Macquarie University, graduating in 2019. See full bio