Shortening the notice period is a way of giving yourself time to extend the respective insurance programmes at the end of the year. As a rule, the → Insurer or the → Policyholder three months before the end of the year. If negotiations on an extension or a change to a new contract have been → Insurer has not yet been concluded, both parties can apply for a reduction in the notice period, e.g. by one month. This means that the existing contract can be terminated by 31 October, for example, and not by 30 September as originally intended. The respective other party must agree to the extension of the notice period after it has been notified, otherwise it is invalid.