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Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert (MSE) has warned Brits renewing their carinsurance to avoid doing one thing. Martin Lewis' finance website has urged Brits not to accept their renewal quote.

After three years of average cost increases (up 68%), the last year has seen the average price of car insurance drop by 9%, according to MoneySupermarket.

But analyst Defaqto has revealed that prices are starting to rise due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. MSE'sCompare+ Car Insurance tool can help Brits save money by giving them a benchmark quote using the cheapest deal from MoneySupermarket's comparison.

It will then take you through some personalised tips, including the best time to get quotes, the level of excess, the best way to pay, the cheapest acceptable job title, adding extra drivers, whether it's worth combining home insurance, and more.

MoneySavingExpert reader, Alan, emailed to MSE last month: "My renewal price had gone up from £374 to £549. Using the MSE tool, I was able to find a comparable quote for £251 - a saving of nearly £300/yr!"

If Defaqto is correct and car insurance prices do climb, locking in a new policy now could help ensure you get lower prices for the coming year. This is only worth doing if you haven't claimed on your insurance.

According to MSE, you should set your policy start date 25 days before your renewal is due. This is the sweet spot for the lowest prices.

Comparison sites don't check multicar cover, but MSE's rule of thumb is: "If you're on a multicar policy, check separate policies to see if you can save; if you're on separate, check multicar."

The best-known multicar cover (one policy for all cars in a home) is Admiral, but LV, Aviva, Diamond and Elephant also offer these policies. Don't worry if your renewals are at different dates - their systems work with that.

Axa, Direct Line, Churchill and Privilege all offer discounts for multiple cars on separate policies - so it's worth checking, especially if they're cheapest for one of your vehicles.