10 million motorists let their car insurance auto-renew without shopping around
New research from Go.Compare has revealed that nearly a fifth of Brits (18.50%)* allow their car insurance policy to automatically renew without checking if they could get a better deal, equating to over 10 million** Brits.
Among those surveyed, 13.15% admitted to letting their car insurance auto-renew without comparing other offers, while a further 5.35% said they often forget to shop around until after their policy has already been renewed.
The research also found that men are more likely than women to let their policy auto-renew, with 22.64% of male drivers doing so compared to 14.59% of female drivers. And when looking at age groups, drivers aged 25 to 34 were the most likely to let their insurance roll over automatically, with 29.39% admitting to it.
However, not all drivers are missing out. 24.30% of respondents said they wait until their renewal date and then compare policies, often switching providers to save money. Meanwhile, 29.45% take a more proactive approach, shopping around well in advance of their renewal to lock in the best deals.
Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go.Compare, commented on the findings:
“While the cost of car insurance may have come down in Q1 of 2025, it’s still 22% more expensive than it was in the same time period in 2023.*** Shopping around is a really simple way to save money, and with so many Brits letting their car insurance auto-renew, it’s clear that millions could be missing out on savings.
“Insurance providers regularly adjust how they price risk, so the insurer who offered you the best deal last time might not offer the most competitive one this time around. And in the last year, your circumstances might have changed, so while it might be convenient, it could leave you underinsured or out of pocket.
“Taking a few minutes to shop around can make a big difference. And there are other things you can do to get cheaper car insurance when it’s time for renewal:
- Shop around early - Start looking at least three weeks before your renewal date - purchasing your car insurance policy 26 days before the renewal date is a great way to save money – you could end up paying 30% more if you leave it till the same day.****
- Don’t assume loyalty pays - Staying with the same provider doesn’t always mean better rates or improved cover.
- Update your details - Make sure your personal info and driving history are accurate to avoid overpaying. If you don’t know how far you have driven in a year, take a look at your last two MOTs - they’ll have your mileage on at the time of your MOT and help you to accurately work out your annual mileage.
- Pay Annually - Our latest data shows that motorists end up paying 57% more for their car insurance when they pay monthly instead of annually, so if you can, pay for your premium all in one go.*****
- Consider your cover - While you might think that opting for the lowest level of cover is the cheapest option, this isn’t always the case. Our latest data shows that Third Party Only is 34% more expensive than comprehensive.******”
For more tips on how to get cheaper car insurance visit: https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/guide/top-tips-for-cheaper-car-insurance/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 UK Nationally Representative Consumers. 1528 of those surveyed have a legal driving license and drive a vehicle. The data was collected between 09.07.2025 - 11.07.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
18.5% Combines 'I typically let my car insurance auto-renew without looking at the other deals available’ and ‘I often forget to shop around until after my auto-renewal has already gone through and it's too late’
**UK 16+ population is 55,190,347 according to the Office for National Statistics. This was multiplied by 18.5%, corresponding to the percentage of people who selected 'I typically let my car insurance auto-renew without looking at the other deals available’ and ‘I often forget to shop around until after my auto-renewal has already gone through and it's too late’ .18.5%* 55,190,347 = 10,210,214.195
***Based on the median premium of car insurance sales made through Go.Compare for dates between 1 January - 31 March 2023 and 1 January - 31 March 2025 inclusive for payment type "Annually" broken down by cover type.
****Based on annual comprehensive car insurance sales purchased through Go.Compare between January and December 2024.
*****Based on Median premium of car insurance for policies sold through Go.Compare between 1 January 2025 and 30 April 2025, split by payment type.
****** Based on the median premium of car insurance sales made through Go.Compare for dates between 1 Jan 2025 and 31 March 2025 inclusive for payment type "Annually" broken down by cover type. Comprehensive car insurance was £418 and Third Party Only is £559.
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).