Car insurance renewals

[ChilliPip]

Another matter on which I could do with some advice...

We have a French registered car which we bought last February and insured through Direct Assurance. As always, we did not think about the annual renewal until yesterday when we received a letter from them informing us of the new premium due to kick in 01/02/06. Although we have been rewarded for making no claims and have had the "Coefficient de Réduction Majoration (CRM)"  increased the annual increase in the premium is so much that I am determined to find better insurance elsewhere.

I have in mind that I recently read somewhere that the law on renewal of policies in France was changing regarding the notice period. Is this so? If so, what will the new law be and when will it start? And finally, having missed the 2 month notice period (which would presumably have been 01/11/05 in this case), does that mean I cannot give notice to cancel the policy until November 2006?

Many thanks

[ChilliPip]

I think I may have just answered my own question. I have just looked again at the "Avis d'échéance principale" they sent me and saw some small print at the bottom of the page which said:

   "En application de l'article L113-15-1 due Code des Assurances, vous pouvez mettre fin au contrat à son échéance anniversaire dans un délai de 20 jours à compter de la date d'envoi du présent avis d'échéance."

Can I take this to mean that the notice period for cancellation is 20 days from the date of the renewal letter?

Many thanks