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Can I renew my car insurance while a claim is pending?

Car insurance claims can take a few weeks to be settled, especially if there’s a dispute about who’s liable and the insurers must investigate the incident. Occasionally people see their current insurance policy expire while their claim is still open. But can you still renew your policy with an ongoing claim?

Luckily, an ongoing claim doesn't prevent you from taking out a new policy, including with another provider. But it may impact the price you pay. 

You’ll need to disclose the pending claim, and any other insurance claims you’ve made over the previous few years (usually five), to your new insurer. Recent claims can increase your quoted premiums.

Insurers will also often ask you for the value of any recent claim as part of your application for cover. If the value hasn’t been determined for your outstanding claim, you can ask your current insurer for an estimate and submit this.

Additionally, if your insurer hasn’t determined who’s at fault in the accident, you and the other party will have assumed joint liability. This can mean a claim from an accident you believe isn’t your fault may end up increasing your premiums more than it should.

While any recent claim will push up your premiums, at-fault clams have a bigger impact and can also wipe a no-claims bonus you might be hoping to transfer to your new insurer. However, if the claim is later settled in your favour, you can submit proof to your new insurer, and they may adjust your premiums and issue you a refund.

Your old insurer will still be the one to settle the claim, so you’ll need to stay in contact with them.

*51% of consumers could save £518.14 on their Car Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next five cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from June 2025 data. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances and how you selected your current insurance supplier.

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