Pet insurance

Interestingly enough I just received my annual renewal for Callahan our pet Rhodesian Ridgeback. The premium was exorbitant and as all insurance companies do (not just pet insurers) they simply assumed I would renew without checking around. Wrong! Why is it that the previous insurer, be it pets or cars, automatically tries to get one over on you by quoting a high premium. Then when they finally phone you and you tell them you got a premium much lower than theirs and that you have effectively fired them, they say that they could have given a competing quote! Sorry that doesn't wash with me, they should have done that in the first place. There must be some folk unable to check who unknowingly pay through the nose each year. Anyone else have any stories or advice?