# DI-M-A-06: My car premium went up after I made a claim. What can I do when it's time to renew? Collected 11 October 2026 [Car insurance study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/insurance/car-insurance) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 483d1435-cfb9-4dfb-a9cb-950ec754e980 If your car insurance premium has gone up after making a claim, you have options when renewal comes around. You don't have to automatically accept your insurer's new price. In New Zealand, you can compare other insurers, negotiate with your current provider, and adjust your cover to see whether you can bring the cost down. The key is to compare the total cost and the protection you're getting, rather than just looking for the cheapest premium. ## 5 things to do before renewing ### 1. Shop around with other insurers Start getting quotes about two to four weeks before your renewal date. Compare several insurers using the same details, including your car, drivers, excess and level of cover. - Be honest about your previous claim and claims history. - Ask whether the claim affects your premium or eligibility for any no-claims discount. - Check whether the quote includes the same cover for theft, accidental damage, windscreen damage and replacement value. A different insurer may assess your risk differently, so your renewal increase doesn't necessarily mean every insurer will charge you more. ### 2. Ask your current insurer to review the increase Call your insurer before renewing and ask for a breakdown of the new premium. Find out how much of the increase is due to your claim, compared with general pricing changes, taxes or levies. You can ask: - Can you review my renewal price or offer a retention discount? - Has my no-claims discount changed? - Would a higher excess reduce my premium? - Are there any discounts or lower-cost cover options available? If you have a competing quote, mention it. Your insurer may be willing to offer a better price, although it isn't guaranteed. ### 3. Check whether you can change your excess Your excess is the amount you pay towards a claim. Increasing it can lower your premium, but it means you'll pay more yourself if you need to claim again. For example, if a higher excess saves you $100 a year but increases your excess by $500, you'd need five claim-free years to save $500 in premiums, assuming the premium saving stays the same. Only choose an excess you could comfortably afford to pay. ### 4. Check whether you need all your current cover Review whether comprehensive cover still makes financial sense for your car, or whether third-party fire and theft or third-party-only cover would meet your needs. Consider: - Your car's current market value. - Whether you could afford to repair or replace it yourself. - Whether you need optional extras such as roadside assistance or rental-car cover. - Whether the agreed value on your policy is still appropriate. Third-party cover is cheaper, but it generally won't pay to repair your own car if you cause an accident. Don't sacrifice cover you're likely to need just to save on premiums. [Car insurance](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/cars/paying-registering-insuring-car/car-insurance)[Car Insurance Renewal Checklist](https://www.icnz.org.nz/individuals/consumer-guides/renewing-your-private-motor-vehicle-insurance/) ### 5. Check whether the claim should affect your premium The type of claim and who was responsible can make a difference. - If the accident wasn't your fault: Ask whether your insurer can remove or reduce any claim-related loading, particularly if you have the other driver's details. - If it was a windscreen or glass claim: Ask whether this affects your no-claims discount under your particular policy. - If you were at fault: Ask how long the claim will affect your pricing and whether your discount can build back up over time. A claim doesn't automatically mean you'll lose every no-claims discount. The rules vary between insurers and policies. [Car insurance buying guide](https://www.consumer.org.nz/services/car-insurance/guide)[Car insurance](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/cars/paying-registering-insuring-car/car-insurance) ## A message you can send your insurer Email Subject : Request for car insurance renewal review Hi, I've received my car insurance renewal and noticed that my premium has increased following my recent claim. Before I renew, could you please: - Explain how much of the increase relates to my claim and how much relates to other pricing changes. - Confirm whether my no-claims discount has changed. - Review my premium and let me know whether any discounts or alternative cover options are available. - Provide revised quotes for different excess levels, if applicable. I'm also comparing quotes from other insurers, so I'd appreciate your best available renewal offer. Thanks for your help. ## Where to get independent help in New Zealand - [Consumer NZ – Car insurance buying guide](https://www.consumer.org.nz/services/car-insurance/guide): Compare policies and premiums and learn about ways to save. - [New Zealand Consumer Protection – Car insurance](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/cars/paying-registering-insuring-car/car-insurance): Understand cover types, excesses and your obligations. - [Financial Markets Authority – Insurance](https://www.fma.govt.nz/consumer/everyday-finance/insurance/): Learn about fair treatment, complaints and dispute resolution. If you can't resolve a complaint directly, ask your insurer which dispute resolution scheme it belongs to. [Car insurance buying guide](https://www.consumer.org.nz/services/car-insurance/guide)[Car insurance](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/cars/paying-registering-insuring-car/car-insurance)[Insurance](https://www.fma.govt.nz/consumer/everyday-finance/insurance/) One important tip: Don't cancel your existing policy until your replacement cover is confirmed and in force. [Insurance](https://www.fma.govt.nz/consumer/everyday-finance/insurance/) ## I can help you work out your best next move Two details would help me tailor the advice to your situation in New Zealand: - Was your claim your fault, not your fault, or are you unsure? - Roughly how much has your premium increased — for example, from $100 to $140 a month, or from $1,000 to $1,400 a year? With those details, I can help you assess which options are most worth trying first. ## Gemini Answer ID: 2f37eb32-e74c-4291-8074-3c59ea8078f1 Experiencing a jump in your car insurance premium after making a claim is frustrating, but it is a common part of how insurers price risk. When an at-fault claim is logged (or even a few claims close together), insurers may recalculate your risk profile, reduce your "no-claims bonus" (or no-claims discount/protection), or factor in broader market-wide cost pressures like rising repair and part prices. When your renewal notice arrives, you do not have to accept the increased price. Several actionable steps can help lower your premium: --- ### 1. Shop Around and Compare the Market * **The Action:** Never let your policy auto-renew without checking alternative providers. Different insurers weight risk, claim history, and vehicle types very differently. * **How to do it:** Use online insurance comparison tools (such as Quashed or NZ-based broker platforms) or contact a few competing providers directly. A cheaper base quote from a new insurer can frequently wipe out the penalty increase from your previous claim. ### 2. Negotiate with Your Current Insurer * **The Action:** Call your current provider before your renewal date. Let them know you have seen lower quotes elsewhere and ask if they can review or discount your renewal price. * **Tip:** Insurers often have discretion or retention discounts they can apply to keep loyal customers from leaving. ### 3. Adjust Your Voluntary Excess * **The Action:** Raise the amount you agree to pay out-of-pocket if you need to make a claim. * **The Math:** Shifting your excess from a lower amount (e.g., $400) to a higher amount (e.g., $1,000) significantly reduces your annual premium. Ensure you set the excess at a level you could comfortably cover in an emergency. ### 4. Review and Update Driver Profiles * **The Action:** Check who is listed as a driver on your policy. * **Tip:** If you have young drivers (under 25) or occasional drivers listed who no longer use the vehicle regularly, remove them. Restricting the policy to named, experienced drivers or a "policyholder only" basis often lowers the cost. ### 5. Re-evaluate Optional Add-Ons and Cover Levels * **The Action:** Strip away unnecessary extras. * **Tip:** Look closely at add-ons like guaranteed rental cars, roadside assistance, or specific windscreen waivers. If your car has depreciated significantly over time, check whether your "agreed value" or "market value" sum insured matches current market reality so you aren’t paying to over-insure it. ### 6. Pay Annually Instead of Monthly * **The Action:** If you are in a position to do so, pay your premium in one lump sum for the year. * **Tip:** Most NZ insurers add administration fees, instalment costs, or interest charges when you break payments down into monthly installments. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 4be8545f-d66f-4ad0-9b0e-e151e3d54bf0 It is incredibly frustrating to see your bill climb right after you have used the coverage you paid for. While you **cannot negotiate the raw baseline rate** set by your insurer, you can take direct, actionable steps to force your premium back down before your policy auto-renews. Here are five mechanical sequences to lower your costs: 1\. Audit and Shop Your Policy Do not accept the renewal invitation passively. New Zealand insurers regularly charge a "loyalty tax," reserving their best promotional rates for new sign-ups. * **Gather data:** Note down your renewal quote, your car's current agreed/market value, and your specific excess level. * **Run a market scan:** Use platforms like Quashed NZ to quickly check pricing across various mainstream insurers. * **Get standalone quotes:** Fetch direct online quotes from major providers like Tower Insurance (which frequently offers online signup discounts), State Insurance, AMI, or digital-first choices like Cove. 2\. Restructure Your Excess Outlays Your "excess" is your out-of-pocket contribution during a claim. Raising this number transfers a sliver of risk back to you, which mathematically forces your premium down. * **Action:** If your standard excess is $500, ask to raise it to $1,000 or $1,500. * **The Math:** Ensure you keep this buffer sitting safely in an emergency savings account so you can cover it comfortably if you ever need to claim again. 3\. Strip Out Policy Add-ons Review your policy schedule line-by-line to see what extra benefits you are actively paying for. * **Action:** Drop optional extras that add bulk to your premium if they aren't absolutely necessary. These include roadside assistance (which can often be bought cheaper separately or via AA membership), rental car cover, or excess-free windscreen extensions. 4\. Remove High-Risk Named Drivers If you have young family members or flatmates listed on your policy who rarely or never drive your car, take them off immediately. * **Action:** Formally exclude drivers under the age of 25 from your coverage profile. Statistically, under-25 drivers carry the highest risk profile in NZ, heavily bloating your premium baseline. 5\. Change Your Payment Frequency Insurers quietly penalise drivers who choose the convenience of weekly or monthly installments. * **Action:** Switch to an **annual lump-sum payment**. Most New Zealand insurers grant up to a **10% discount** just for settling the full balance upfront. * * * Key Market Differences to Keep in Mind Strategy Option| Pro| Con ---|---|--- **Switching Providers**| Breaks the "loyalty tax" cycle; unlocks immediate sign-up discounts.| You must accurately disclose your recent claim history to the new provider. **Increasing Excess**| Drives your monthly or annual premium costs down immediately.| Increases your out-of-pocket legal risk if you have an at-fault accident. **Lowering Cover Level**| Drastically drops costs by switching from Comprehensive to Third Party.| Your own vehicle will have zero coverage against accidents, theft, or natural disasters. To help me tailor a more accurate strategy for your upcoming renewal, could you let me know: * What is your **current insurer**? * Was the recent claim deemed **at-fault** or **not-at-fault**? * Are you currently paying **annually or monthly**? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: a30b1010-bafd-4c3d-86c5-f7d145a6c96e When your car insurance premium jumps after a claim, renewal time is your opportunity to push back or adjust your coverage. Insurers recalculate your risk profile following a claim, but you are not locked into accepting the new price without exploring other options. Here are the practical steps you can take when your renewal notice arrives: * * Shop around and compare quotes: Don't just auto-renew. As highlighted by Consumer NZ, switching providers can result in significant savings. Get quotes from competing insurers in the market to see if your current provider's post-claim price is an outlier. * Negotiate with your current insurer: Call your insurer before the renewal date, mention that you've seen better rates elsewhere, and ask if they can review or discount your premium. Loyalty or multi-policy discounts (if you also bundle house or contents insurance) might be applied to bring the cost down. * Adjust your excess: You can often lower your regular premium by agreeing to a higher voluntary excess. Just ensure it's an amount you can comfortably afford to pay out-of-pocket if you happen to make another claim. * Review your vehicle and cover level: If your car has depreciated significantly since you first insured it, check whether your agreed or market value is still accurate. For older or lower-value vehicles, switching from comprehensive cover to a third-party, fire and theft policy can substantially reduce your costs. * Update your risk details: Re-evaluate the details on your policy. Let your insurer know if your annual mileage has dropped, if the car is now parked securely off-road or in a locked garage, or if you can restrict who is listed as a driver on the policy. * If you'd like, let me know: * Whether the claim was **at-fault** or **not-at-fault** * If you have a **no-claims protection** add-on * Roughly how much the **premium increased** I can give you more tailored advice on whether negotiating or switching providers makes the most sense.