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Guide by kind of contract

How to stop an insurance policy renewing

General guidance for insurance policies: what happens if you do nothing, how to cancel, what to check and what to keep. It isn’t about any one company, so check your own contract for the details.

What happens if you do nothing

  • The policy renews for the next term.
  • The premium may change at renewal.

How to cancel, step by step

  1. Find your renewal date and notice deadline
  2. Call or email the insurer before it auto-renews
  3. State clearly you do not want to renew
  4. Confirm no early cancellation fee applies
  5. Get written confirmation of the cancellation

Checklist

  • Locate the renewal notice and premium for the next term.
  • Confirm the cancellation deadline and method (email, portal, phone).
  • Compare at least one alternative quote.

Watch out for

  • Some policies renew unless you opt out by a specific date.
  • Brokers and insurers may have different cancellation channels.

When to start

Start about 45 days before the renewal date⁠—earlier if there is a notice period, so you still have time to decide, compare and send your notice.

Documents to keep

  • Policy schedule
  • Renewal notice
  • Any claim summary

An email you can copy

Replace the parts in brackets. Send it to the address in your contract or on the provider’s contact page, and keep the reply.

Subject: Renewal confirmation & cancellation deadline – [provider name] – Policy [policy number]

Hello,

I’m reviewing my policy renewal for [provider name] (Policy: [policy number]).

Please confirm:
- Renewal date and next-term premium
- Cancellation deadline and required notice
- The exact cancellation method

Thank you,
[your name]

If you call

What to say, and what to ask for in writing:

  • I’m reviewing renewal and need the next-term premium and cancellation deadline.
  • What changes at renewal (price, coverage, fees)?
  • Please email me the details and reference number.

Official factsBased on official sources, as of the date shown⁠—not features or prices of the app.

Insurance in Germany: terms and notice

If you live in Germany: the standard-terms rules on contract length and notice periods (§ 309 No. 9 BGB) don’t apply to insurance. The Insurance Contract Act (VVG) applies instead.

An automatic renewal agreed in advance is only valid for up to one year at a time. A policy without a fixed end can be canceled as of the end of the current insurance period (both sides may agree to waive this right for up to two years). The notice period must be the same for both sides and between one and three months.

A policy signed for more than three years can be canceled as of the end of the third year or any later year, with three months’ notice.

If the insurer raises the premium under an adjustment clause without changing the cover accordingly, you can cancel within one month of receiving the notice, effective at the earliest when the increase takes effect. The insurer must tell you about this right in its notice.

In property insurance, such as home contents insurance, either side can cancel after a claim, until one month after the settlement talks have ended. You can’t cancel for a date later than the end of the current insurance period.

Private health insurance has its own cancellation rules.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific case, Germany’s consumer advice centers (Verbraucherzentralen) can help.

Sources: Section 309, German Civil Code (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 11, Insurance Contract Act (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 40, Insurance Contract Act (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 92, Insurance Contract Act (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab), Section 205, Insurance Contract Act (in German)⁠ (opens in a new tab) checked

Guides by kind of contract

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From Aplo Apps

Renewal Radar: Know when to cancel⁠—before your contracts renew.

A subscription and contract tracker for iPhone and iPad that alerts you before renewals and cancel-by dates, so you can keep, cancel or renegotiate on time.

In the app, a playbook for each kind of contract lists the steps, a checklist and an email and call script to copy. The free version shows a preview; Premium unlocks the full playbooks.

Download on the App Store: Renewal Radar: Cancel On Time(opens in a new tab)About Renewal Radar