How often should I shop my auto insurance?

At minimum, every renewal — typically every 6 or 12 months. Rates can change significantly at renewal, even without claims or violations.

Definitely shop after:

• A major life event (move, marriage, new vehicle, teen driver added)
• A claim or ticket falls off your record (typically 3-5 years)
• Significant credit improvement
• A rate increase from your current carrier
• A bundling change (added or dropped home/renters insurance)

Get quotes from at least 3-5 carriers. The spread between cheapest and most expensive for the same coverage often exceeds 40%, and the carrier that was cheapest 3 years ago may not be cheapest now.