I don’t recommend shopping your rates every year unless there’s a change — you’ve added vehicles or you moved. Once you’re with a top-rated carrier at competitive rates, if there haven’t been significant changes it may not make sense to change.

Shopping rates, in plain terms, means actively comparing your current premium against other carriers to see if a better deal exists. The question is whether doing it every twelve months is a good habit or wasted effort. The short answer is: it depends on whether anything has changed.

The Default Recommendation

We do not recommend shopping your rates every year as a reflex. If you’re already with a top-rated carrier at a competitive premium and there have been no significant changes, the friction of switching often outweighs the small price difference you might find. New paperwork, new ID cards, updating your mortgage company or lender, and potentially restarting loyalty discounts all eat into a marginal year-one saving. Our note on whether switching actually saves money walks through the math.

When Shopping Makes Sense

Shopping does make sense when something has changed. The clearest triggers:

1. You added a vehicle, replaced one, or changed how a vehicle is used.
2. You added or removed a driver — a teen got licensed, an adult child moved out.
3. You moved, even within the same town. Rating territory matters.
4. You finished a home project that changes the rebuild cost or risk profile.
5. You had a claim drop off your record after three to five years.
6. Your premium jumped meaningfully at renewal with no obvious explanation.
7. You’re approaching the end of an introductory or new-customer discount with your current carrier.

If any of these apply to you, a review is worth the half hour it takes. Our note on the best time to switch covers timing.

Shopping isn’t the goal — staying properly covered at a fair price is. Sometimes those align. Sometimes the right answer is staying put.

The Annual Review vs. Annual Shopping

There is a difference between shopping your rates and reviewing your coverage. The first asks: can I pay less? The second asks: am I covered correctly? We recommend the second every year — even when you don’t shop. A quick conversation about whether your dwelling amount still reflects rebuild cost, whether your liability limits still fit your net worth, and whether new endorsements would help is worth doing annually. Our note on whether the agency reviews your policy every year covers what that looks like with us.

What Loyalty Actually Earns You

Some carriers reward tenure — through claim-free discounts, accident forgiveness, longevity credits, and similar programs. Constantly switching can leave those benefits on the table. That’s why we are honest with customers when staying is the right call. Our note on captive agents versus independent agencies explains why this honesty is structurally easier for an independent shop. We don’t lose if you stay — we only lose if you’re with the wrong carrier for your situation.

How to Decide This Year

If something on the list above has changed, request a review. If nothing has, hold steady and revisit at next renewal. For a full picture of how we approach reviews, the personal insurance hub and the note on reviewing all your policies at once are good entry points. The fair comparison guide is also worth reading if you decide to shop. When you’re ready, start a personal insurance quote with your current declarations page in hand.