People with the cheapest car and home insurance bills tend to shop around for the best deals. If you choose to accept your renewal quote each year, by letting your policy roll on you're probably paying far more than you need to.

It's wrong to assume that your loyalty will be rewarded as research shows it is usually more expensive to stick with the same insurer for more than 12 months. Insurers tend to increase their charges each year for existing customers whilst offering attractive low cost rates to entice new customers. 

The best approach is to review your cover and shop around on a regular basis. However, not all of us do this as market research firm Mintel estimate that 70% of home insurance customers – around 11.7 million people – obtain only a single quote before arranging cover. A report commissioned by the Daily Telegraph found that these consumers are potentially throwing away as much as £180 each a year by failing to shop around for the best home insurance deals.

For drivers, consumer choice has never been greater and those of us who take the time to shop around know it can be extremely worthwhile, as the difference between the worst and best car insurance quotes can amount to hundreds of pounds! The aim of this website is to make it easy for you to find the best car insurance deals. Whether you're an experienced driver looking to cut the cost of your premium, or seeking cheap car insurance for young drivers, shopping around can save you money, but it also encourages you to review your policy requirements to ensure you are sufficiently protected. 

You can now insure yourself against almost any eventuality. There's car insurance, buildings insurance, contents insurance, life assurance and critical illness insurance. Mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) covers your mortgage repayments for a period if you are unable to work due to an accident, sickness or unemployment. Even the family cat appears to have caught the attention of some insurers, with the growth of pet insurance plans. But, as a homeowner, certain types of insurance will be more important than others.

No lender will agree to give you a mortgage without buildings insurance. If you are the freeholder (you own the building and the land that it stands on), it is your responsibility to arrange this insurance.

Your property is the lender's security on the loan, so it will understandably want you to have that property insured against damage from fire, subsidence or heavy storms. Your lender will usually offer to sell buildings insurance, but if you do this, you'll be paying through the nose. 

The average customer pays around £200 a year for buildings insurance, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Some people are paying the price for apathy and will better off shopping around. By using the internet you can get cheaper quotes and save as much as 40 per cent on your premiums.

Home contents insurance offers cover on the household goods and possessions inside your property, including the garden if you have one. Policies offer cover on a 'new for old' basis, so if anything happens to your curtains, lawn mower or stereo, you should be able to replace damaged goods with a new model.

Cash in your home should be covered from theft or smoke damage, for example, as is accidental damage to TVs, home computers, or replacement locks and even possessions damaged outside the home. Extras like accidental damage cover can be useful protection against DIY disasters.