Insurance Renewal with 2 points?

serotonin_sam

Its almost insurance renewal time for me. I picked up two penalty points during the year and although i'm over 30, i will just have the one years no claims bonus. Insurance last year cost me €1300 on a fiesta.

Q. Should i declare the points?

Q. If i dont declare them, in the event of a claim, is it guaranteed that they have the information available to show that i picked up points?

IrishRover

I don't think the 2 points will make any significant difference to your premium.

Rabies

Shouldn't make too much of a difference to your premium. Insurnace companies stated before that there would be an increase in the premium for a motorist if they get 6+ points.

Seth Brundle

If you lie you may get caught and your insurance could well be declared void!
If you are involved in an incident, then you may be asked to provide proof as to when you recieved the points.

Fudger

declare them..... as the others are saying if you have an accident and they find out you never declared you had penalty points your insurance may be void.

Insurances companies will do there best not to have to pay out......no matter how much or how little.

When you ring a insurance company to say you where in an accident they don't ask if your ok they just want your policy number..........

pedro ferio-vti

Declare them, what hibernian are doing now is offering a 5-10% discount to ppl who have no penalty points, which is good. But on the other hand with hibernian if you don't declare your points and you have a claim they will apply a €2500 excess onto your policy which would mean in effect you would have to pay the first €2500 of a claim. Not a good scenario.....

Somebody said that only if you have more than 6 points it doesn't affect your premium? Well yes thats partially correct. If your insured with AXA they (points) won't affect your premium until you have 6 points or more but each company will have a different approach to penalty points as i've just illustrated here. Be safe and declare them!

Pete

eigrod

on a slightly related topic :

1) Do gardai who perform speed-checks with the standard 'hairdryer' from squad cars have the capability to penalise with penalty points or is it always done from a static road-side camera ? (this is a discussion we have been having in work)

2) Does anyone know how long after being caught breaking the speed limit, one may expect to receive a letter notifying that penalty points & fine are being applied for the offence.

Thanks.

seamus

Originally posted by eigrod
1) Do gardai who perform speed-checks with the standard 'hairdryer' from squad cars have the capability to penalise with penalty points or is it always done from a static road-side camera ? (this is a discussion we have been having in work)

If you are caught for speeding, you get points, regardless of the nature of how you were caught.

2) Does anyone know how long after being caught breaking the speed limit, one may expect to receive a letter notifying that penalty points & fine are being applied for the offence.

Afaik, they have up to 6 months before they can charge you, so that's the maximum amount of time it can take for the letter arrive. Personally I've never gotten one, but from what I've heard it around 4-6 weeks on average.

rymus

4-6 weeks is about right I'd say. I think I got my letter within the 2 month mark.

I'm obviously mistaken on this one but I thought your insurance company would have been privvy to the details of you getting points when renewal time comes up. I didn't know that it was left to the trustworthy recipient of the points to inform their insurance company.

Genghis

Try getting your quote first (before declaring the points), and then before you actually take the cover, let them know. You may then be offered a revised quote. At least this way you find out if the points make a difference to your premium.

eigrod

Thanks guys.

halkar

If you are not asked don't tell, I got my renewal and nothing on it about points. I don't have any points but if I had I wouldn't tell them unless they ask for it.
IMAO it should be non of their bussiness unless you are close to mark of being disqualified.

ando

AFAIK The insurance companies dont have access to the points database yet. If they dont have access, then screw em if they ask you. Your not obligated to say if you do or dont.

Seth Brundle

Originally posted by ando
AFAIK The insurance companies dont have access to the points database yet. If they dont have access, then screw em if they ask you. Your not obligated to say if you do or dont.

They usually ask if you have ever been convicted of speeding, etc.
there may also be something within the small print of the policy stating that you must notify them in the event of being awarded points.

serotonin_sam

Ok, guys thanks for the info. I decided to declare the points - and it didnt make any difference. Heres how it panned out:

Axa: 1300; 127 excess; no screen cover; no protected claims.
Allianz: No quote - as they require minimum 2 yrs. ncb
Eagle Star: 1159; 190 excess; no claims protection (either 1 or 2 yrs. loss of ncb upon claiming)
Hibernian: 801; 300 excess; no protected ncb; breakdown assistance/legal exp./ 3rd party cover on other vehicles
One Direct: 860; otherwise as per hibernian quote.
FBD: 612; no excess; no screen cover; includes protected ncb;

For the hibernian and fbd quotes, i only got to giving them the scoop on the penalty points after they had quoted and they showed disinterest - so no change in quote.

My Insurance is set to more than half in cost (from 1300 to 612)!!

<edit> I should add that the above quoations are based on a 30yr. old with one years NCB/full license for over 5 years/3rd party fire n theft.

As regards discussion above on how long it takes for the points to come through, it was approx. 2 months in my case - they're slow at the moment and will be until this new system of theirs comes into play.
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