Two-thirds of motorists who contacted their insurer to challenge the price of their car insurance renewal quote were offered a cheaper premium, according to new research by consumer champion Which?. Yet almost four in ten drivers – 37% – simply accepted their renewal quote without questioning it.
The findings suggest that millions of motorists could be missing out on savings by treating their insurer's renewal price as a final figure rather than an opening offer.
Significant savings for those who haggle
Which? found that 58% of motorists had contacted their insurer in the past year to discuss the price of their policy. Of those, 65% were offered a lower premium.
The average saving among customers who accepted a new offer was £60 a year for those paying annually, while motorists paying monthly achieved an average discount of £21 a month – £252 over a year. Crucially, more than half of those who secured a cheaper deal did not have to change their policy.
Some 58% said they made no changes at all, suggesting the lower price was effectively a straight discount rather than the result of altering their cover. Others secured a reduction by making changes such as increasing their excess.
Insurer differences
The chances of securing a reduction varied considerably between insurers. Among Admiral customers questioned by Which?, 72% of those who discussed their premium secured a lower price. And 57% of those who got a reduction did so without making any changes to their policy.
Hastings Direct also performed strongly, with 68% of customers who discussed their price seeing their premium reduced. Of those who secured a lower price, 63% did not make changes to their policy.
The figures do not mean that every customer will be able to obtain a discount – and the insurers stressed that their pricing decisions are based on individual circumstances and pricing systems.
Which? contacted 25 insurers
Which? contacted 25 insurers last November to ask about their approach to negotiating with renewing customers. Only 12 said they might be receptive to negotiating prices. Fewer explicitly said that actual discounts could be offered, referring to measures such as a 'valuable customer discount' or discounts to reward loyalty.
Sam Richardson, Editor of Which? Money, said motorists should not automatically regard a renewal quote as the best price available.
“Far too many of us take our car insurer’s renewal quote at face value, when we should really be looking at it as an opening offer,” he said.
“Just a quick call to your insurer when it’s time to renew could pay real dividends, with most people in our survey finding the experience of haggling straightforward. Insurers factor price negotiations into their premiums, so if you’re not benefiting from a discount, the unfortunate reality is that you could well be funding someone else's.”
Older drivers more likely to get a straight discount
The Which? research also found significant differences depending on the age and circumstances of motorists. Older drivers were more likely than younger motorists to receive a straight discount.
Younger drivers, meanwhile, were more likely to have to make changes to their policy in order to secure a lower price. Vulnerable customers – which can include people with certain health conditions, those experiencing financial difficulties or people lacking confidence online – were more likely to contact their insurer about the price.
They were also more likely to be offered a reduction. However, they were significantly more likely to make changes to their policy in order to bring down the cost. This is important because motorists should make sure they understand any changes before accepting a cheaper premium.
A lower price is of little benefit if it comes with reduced cover that no longer meets their needs.
Insurers respond
Hastings Direct said it does not haggle or negotiate with customers, but said it could consider a lower price where a customer had shopped around and found a better deal.
It said: “Where customers have shopped around (which we encourage them to do) and found a better price, we are able to consider offering a lower price. This is not decided by our customer service agents but is calculated by whether we can afford to reduce our margins to sustainably retain that customer.”
The insurer also said it monitors pricing outcomes for vulnerable customers and provides additional support and protections. It added that “on average those with vulnerabilities receive outcomes that are at least as good as non-vulnerable customers - sometimes better”.
Admiral said its renewal prices were based on information held about each customer alongside claims and pricing data. An Admiral spokesperson said: “Our renewal prices are based on the information we hold about each customer, alongside our claims and pricing data, to ensure they are fair and accurate.
“We make clear in our renewal communications that customers can contact us if their circumstances have changed, their details need updating, they’ve found a cheaper quote or they’re unhappy with their renewal terms. In these cases, we review the policy and, where appropriate, apply any available discount through a consistent, system-led process.”
The company added that it closely monitors its pricing and renewal processes and has additional safeguards for vulnerable customers.
Don't just accept the first price
The research underlines the importance of shopping around when a renewal notice arrives. Drivers should check what they are being offered elsewhere before deciding whether to stay with their existing insurer. But Which?'s findings suggest that even motorists who want to remain with their current insurer should not necessarily assume the renewal quote is the lowest price available.
A simple conversation about the premium could result in a reduction – although there is no guarantee an insurer will agree to one. And drivers should check carefully whether any reduction comes with changes to their cover, excess or other terms.
The Which? research was based on a weighted survey of 2,000 UK adults with car insurance, carried out online by Deltapoll in April 2026.
