Picture this: It’s a sunny afternoon, and you're cruising down the highway, passionately singing along to your new favorite song. It doesn’t get better than that—until you see the flashing lights in your rearview mirror. Did you renew your auto insurance? It’s not an ideal reminder, but better a ticket than a surprise repair bill. If a fender bender or a worse scenario unfolds, you’re left footing the bill, and car repairs don’t come cheap. Not to mention the possibility of greater legal penalties than a fix-it ticket that can be resolved by taking proof of auto insurance to the police station or judge.

You may not know when to renew car insurance or how to do it, but that’s not going to relieve you of these legal and financial obligations. Take some time now to review the importance of this process and how you can even use it to get a better policy and better protection for you and your ride.

When to renew car insurance

Most car insurance policies automatically renew. As long as your payments keep coming, your insurance company will keep you covered. This seems like an ideal solution and the path to permanent insurance, but it might not be the right strategy. Car insurace renewal time is a great time to consider new insurance options.

Rates from car insurance rates are not static. Your rates will likely go up every so often. Changing carriers might lead to a lower premium through discounts not offered by your current carrier. You should also update your carrier, or broker, on any circumstances that have changed since you last bought a policy. Started parking in a garage? Now working remotely and skipping the commute? These, among other lifestyle changes, can impact your rates and coverage.

You can even stop or change your coverage. If you’ve made a change that could lower your rates or that means your policy isn’t right for you anymore, it’s better to make the change as soon as possible. Think about this: if you are in an accident and learn that your coverage was insufficient, would you really want to wait as long as a year for your next renewal to make sure that you’re covered next time?