As 2025 draws to a close, it’s a good moment to check the basics that quietly protect your finances.
Insurance that no longer covers your needs, forgotten pensions and missing paperwork rarely cause trouble overnight, but they can cost you thousands if something goes wrong.
We asked our Which? money experts what’s genuinely worth reviewing in 2026 and what can wait. Here are the checks that matter most for your money this year.
1. Don’t overpay on your car and home insurance
After an extended period of rising prices, 2025 has seen average car and home insurance prices starting to fall – which many policyholders will welcome.
If your renewal’s coming up, put aside a bit of time for a careful review – checking your policy contains all the cover you want and what’s available elsewhere. Options that may have simply been out of your price range a year ago could now be more affordable.
Spend a little time checking whether your policy still offers value and whether your cover reflects your circumstances. Changes such as a new car, home improvements or different driving habits can all affect the price you should be paying.
A few quick checks can help keep costs down:
- Review your renewal price and compare it with new quotes.
- Check your excess and add-ons to avoid paying for cover you don’t need.
- Make sure your details are up to date.
- If you’re shopping around, check what made our best car insurance and best home insurance providers.
Even if you don’t switch, comparing prices can help you challenge a higher renewal quote.
2. Strengthen your financial safety net
The new year is a good time to review your health cover, especially if your circumstances changed last year.
The start of a new year is an ideal moment to ask the question: ‘If something unexpected happened, would the people who rely on you be financially protected?’.
Life insurance typically involves paying a monthly premium in return for a payout if you die, designed to help support your family or cover costs such as a mortgage or childcare.
If you already have a policy, it’s worth checking that the payout amount, medical conditions, length of cover and beneficiaries still reflect your circumstances today.
Some people also consider private medical insurance to get treatment quicker or to access specific treatments. Our guide to the best private health insurance can help you decide whether it’s worth it for you.
3. Get your will and key documents sorted
If you’ve been putting off writing a will, make it a resolution to get one in place this year. Having an up-to-date will ensures your wishes are carried out after you die and can make it much easier for your loved ones to administer your estate.
And remember, writing a will isn’t one and done – we recommend you review it every three years and after major life events to make sure it reflects your current circumstances and wishes.
It’s not the most exciting task, but having a will in place can spare your family a lot of stress. Without one, your estate is dealt with under intestacy rules, so you don’t get to decide who inherits what.
A simple will check should cover:
- Do you have a will in place? Our guide on how to make a will explains your options and what to include.
- Does it still reflect your current situation, such as marriage, divorce, children or moving house?
- Is your chosen executor still the right person?
- Do they know where the latest version of your will is kept?
4. Check if annual travel insurance makes more sense
Planning your year’s travelling for 2026? If you’re likely to make multiple trips, it could be worth buying an annual travel insurance policy. This is usually more cost-effective than insuring different holidays separately.
Single-trip policies can work well for a one-off holiday but – if you’re planning several breaks – annual cover often works out better value overall.
It also means you’re protected year-round without needing to arrange insurance each time you book, as long as your destinations and trip lengths fit the policy terms.
If you choose annual cover, make sure any medical conditions and planned activities are declared and kept up to date. Changes during the year can affect your cover, and failing to tell your insurer could invalidate a claim.
5. Sort your pension admin
Make sure you have nominated who your pension should go to when you die. This can usually be done easily online via your pension provider’s website.
It’s important to do so because defined contribution pensions are not part of your estate, so aren’t covered by your will.
It’s easy to lose track of pensions, especially if you’ve changed jobs a few times. Many people end up with several small pots and no clear idea of what they will add up to.
Spending a few hours checking where your pensions are held, whether your beneficiary details are up to date, what charges you’re paying and whether you’re still contributing to the right one can make a real difference.
Even small fees can eat into long-term growth, and old workplace schemes may no longer suit your plans.
- Find out more: What is a pension?
6. Don’t let your savings fall behind
If one of your resolutions is to save more, make sure your nest egg is earning interest at the best rate possible. Shop around for accounts and switch if you spot a better deal.
If you’re saving regularly, it’s worth checking whether your money is earning a competitive rate. Leaving cash in an old account can quietly cost you over time.
A quick review could include:
- Checking if your savings account still offers a good interest rate.
- Switching providers if better deals are available.
- Considering whether an investment Isa makes sense for longer-term savings, where you can afford some risk and benefit from tax-free growth.
You don’t need to move everything at once. Even small tweaks can help make sure your savings are still working in your favour in 2026.
7. Make the most of falling mortgage rates
Current forecasts suggest mortgage rates will continue to fall in 2026. To take full advantage of rate cuts, anyone remortgaging next year should shop around for the best deal, as our research shows lenders rarely offer preferential rates to existing customers.
The average two-year fixed rate is currently around 4.85%, and five-year fixes are at about 4.91%, but with cheaper deals now appearing, shopping around can pay off.
If you’re remortgaging next year, many lenders let you secure a new rate up to six months ahead. That gives you breathing space to compare options, rather than rushing or rolling onto an expensive standard variable rate.
Even if your lender offers you a deal, it’s worth checking what else is out there. Our guide to the best mortgage rates can help you see whether switching could save you money.
8. Make tax less stressful
As a former freelancer, I was terrible at keeping track of the paperwork and records I needed for self-assessment, and a lot of chaotic and frantic tears were shed in the lead-up to January 31.
Make an email folder, get some plastic wallets, label everything, and commit an hour a month to getting things sorted.
Consider resetting your tax admin, especially if you’re self-employed, freelance or have income outside PAYE (pay as you earn). Getting organised early makes it far easier to stay on top of deadlines and avoid last-minute stress later in the year.
Using our Income tax calculator can help you estimate your bill and plan ahead, rather than being caught out when the deadline approaches.
9. Check your bills and subscriptions
Every couple of months I go through my accounts to check I’m not paying for anything I no longer use.
Streaming services are a good example. You can rotate between Disney+, Netflix and others rather than have them all at once, and I also recently managed to find a cheaper Sim deal for my phone.
Budgeting apps can help flag subscriptions and recurring payments, and some will alert you when a deal is coming to an end so you know it’s time to shop around.
Small, regular payments have a habit of slipping under the radar.
Streaming services, apps, gym memberships and old mobile deals can keep draining your budget long after you stop using them.
Start with a quick check of:
- Direct debits and standing orders
- Subscriptions you rarely use
- Mobile, broadband and TV deals.
Switching can pay off. Our research shows that broadband customers who leave the Big Four providers can save up to £165 a year, while switching both TV and broadband can save more than £230.
Loyalty rarely pays, so a quick review could be one of the easiest money wins of the year.
