Pretty much what I do, for the last four years Swiftcover have been pretty competitive, not the cheapest but enough little extras to keep me renewing. This year they were a good £160 worse than AXA (their parent company) a quick phone call later and the price was matched and a good £60 cheaper than last year.

I've never stayed with the same insurer at renewal. Every year I find a much cheaper quote by browsing the comparison sites, Although now I'm with Hastings I may find come my renewal date that they will rebroke and find me a good deal.

Working for an insurance broker I see all to often how underwriters tend to offer poor value at renewal. The difference between new business and renewal rates can often be staggering and it amazes me that some people just can't be bothered to shop around. However You could argue that loyal customers shouldn't have to shop around in the first place.

You're not a "loyal customer" though, to them, you're a mug or a potential fraudster, or both, who is in all probability trying to do them. They will offer you cover if you pass the basic criteria but will do their best to wriggle out of it or screw you down to the floor if you're unlucky enough to have a claim. And then rip you off in future premiums to some tune to get even that back.

Be careful with Hastings. They didn't send me any reminders at all, electronic or paper. I kicked off about it and they agreed to reduce the premium to what they were offering on the price comparison sites, but they were very sneaky in not sending any renewal notice.

I've been with QuoteMeHappy for 3 years+ now and been pleased with them. Admittedly I've not had to make a claim so I don't know what they'd be like in that respect but their mobile app is very useful and easy to use and at each renewal they've given me lots of notice and plenty of email reminders. Crucially their renewal quotes haven't been trying to screw me over. They've been slightly lower each year and have always been at or very close to the best price available on price comparison sites.

Isn't this now a (fairly recent) legal requirement?
Hastings have never been close to being cheap when I search.

I renewed mine this week. It had gone down from last year but I found much cheaper quotes through a price comparison site. I phoned my insurer to see if they could price match. They knocked a bit off but couldn't match it. However when I looked into it I was getting far more benefits through my current insurer, (Legal cover, breakdown cover etc.) which were add-ons from the cheaper insurers. If I'd have opted fore these with the cheaper ones (AXA, Swift, etc.) it would have cost more than what my current insurers were quoting.

Check if these perks are included and if you don't think you'll need them get them knocked off.

Mmm, I'm not sure the legal cover is worth much if anything and from past experience the breakdown cover is best described as basic, if you are doing lots of miles for work then it wouldn't cut the mustard at all. I know Swiftcover's claim process and glass cover is first rate from using it.

Legal cover used to mean no more than they'd sell your details to their pet lawyers, and trouser the fee without telling you. I'd bet it still works on similar lines.

Legal cover is a complete con and I always advise clients not to bother with it.

pay £30 so that if you have a non fault claim the insurer will forward your details onto a solicitor to recover your uninsured losses...

should you be unfortunate enough to have a non fault claim solicitors/amc's will be falling over themselves to offer their services anyway not forgetting the fact that if you claim through the third partys insurance ( it is the TP's fault afterall) they will pretty much give you everything you ask for within reason to avoid you going to a solicitor or accident management company in the first place. Absolute waste of money.