How well the renewal round goes depends on preparation – and this checklist is that preparation, in tick-box points. Timing: it's worth starting weeks before the renewal date. The full scheduling logic is in the renewal routine article; for a deeper review, see the fleet audit.
- Preparation has four rounds: data (claims list, fleet) → structure (cover, deductibles) → strategy (a market round?) → deadlines.
- Requesting the claims list is the first step – it takes the longest, so start there.
- By the end of the checklist, the company is ready to decide: a clear picture, known deadlines, a chosen direction.
- I carry most of the points myself – the list also shows what's on the company and what's on me.
Round 1 – Data (start as early as possible)
- ☐ Claims list requested from the insurer – itemised, multi-year, with statuses (I handle this)
- ☐ List of open claims reviewed – following up on any stuck cases (me)
- ☐ Vehicle list updated: fleet, usage, roles, superstructure values (the company, using the template)
- ☐ In-year changes gathered: new premises, activity, change of financing (the company)
- ☐ The insurer's records checked against your own list – discrepancies clarified (together)
Round 2 – Structure
- ☐ Claims picture analysed: trend, pattern, frequency, average claim size (me)
- ☐ Casco matrix reviewed: is every vehicle at its real value and the right level? (together)
- ☐ Deductible policy reviewed against the claims picture – does it need adjusting? (together)
- ☐ Extras reviewed: what worked, what didn't – what was missing? (the company's experience + me)
- ☐ List of claims-prevention measures put together for the negotiation (together)
Round 3 – Strategy and deadlines
- ☐ Decision: a full market round or a maintenance round? (the company, with my recommendation)
- ☐ If a market round: request-for-quote package put together, insurer shortlist set (me)
- ☐ Map of cancellation and switching deadlines drawn up – what has to be submitted when (me)
- ☐ Internal decision date set – who decides, when, on what basis (the company)
The end of the round – and the start of the next one
By the end of the checklist, everything is in place for the decision: a clear claims picture, an up-to-date fleet, a well-thought-out structure, known deadlines – now the quote comparison and the negotiation can begin. One closing tip: when you close out the round, it's worth spending 10 minutes on a note for next year (what went well, what to do differently) – it's the fastest possible start to the next renewal. Because of the autumn renewal season, preparation for a Q4 renewal date is best started by late summer or early autumn at the latest.
The checklist on the calendar: a scheduling pattern
The points on the list become a plan once they're scheduled on the calendar. One proven pattern for a Q4 renewal date: start the data round in late summer (claims list request, updating the list), the structure round in early autumn (analysis, matrix, deductibles), the strategic decision and the quote request in mid-autumn, and the decision and handover in the weeks before the renewal date – timed to the cancellation deadlines. For a different renewal date, the schedule shifts proportionally. It's worth copying the calendar entries every year: from the second year on, preparation stops being a project and becomes a repeating routine – which is exactly the goal.
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