Anyone insured with XS Direct?

Zascar · 10-12-2008 2:32pm #1

Two years ago I bought a fairly high performance car to which the only people would insure me was XS Direct. Basically I got fully comp insurance for €1,000 – but I have an Excess of 4k. I was prepared to take the risk and really it actually makes me drive more safely knowing if I do have a knock I’ll be out of pocket 4 grand. Thankfully I have had no problems and have not needed to claim. However, a mate of mine just wrote off his car last week. Sheet ice on the road, back went out and straight into a barrier. He is with XS direct too and just called me to tell me how Awful they are and that I should switch. The policy is apparently Fully Comprehensive but upon inspection, it really isn’t that at all.

Basically, after the crash, the Guards insisted the car was towed for inspection. The insurance company did not get around to inspecting it for another three days. When they did, they called my mate to say he had to pay for the storage for this period! He said no way, it was not his fault they took so long to inspect it, and that sort of thin should be included in the insurance policy anyway. He broke his wrist in the accident so said “I won’t be claiming for Car Hire so you can just pay for that instead”. She replied saying that they do not cover car hire either! He went into more detail and apparently the policy does not include a lot of things, medical being one of them!

Also there was something about how if a 3rd party is injured, they might end up claiming from you directly. Seems ridiculous to me, but apparently there are a lot of serious holes in this apparent ‘fully comprehensive policy’.

I’m going to switch if I can, however last time I tried I called 5 companies and none of them would even quote my car. I’m 28 with 2years NCB. Madness.

Anyway, just in case anyone is thinking of using them, in the event of an accident you might well regret it.

smash · 10-12-2008 2:37pm

What car have you got?

I just switched to XS direct recently. must check my policy documents!

Zascar · 10-12-2008 2:38pm

2002 Honda Civic Type R.

Victor_M · 10-12-2008 2:41pm

TBH your mate should have known what he was and wasn't entitled to with his policy. It's well known that these high excess policy's are for people who usually can't get a more comprehensive policy anywhere else.

B00MSTICK · 10-12-2008 2:48pm

Thats a 200PS one? Surely you'd get cover somewhere else?

Zascar · 10-12-2008 2:54pm

Yes 197bhp, but no, I tried 5 companies, they will went through the details and then said "Oh, sorry, we don't insure that car"...

Any suggestions?

Eoin · 10-12-2008 2:54pm

Victor_M wrote: »

your mate should have known what he was and wasn't entitled to with his policy. It's well known that these high excess policy's are for people who usually can't get a more comprehensive policy anywhere else.

Yeah, surely people must know that they are really only getting the legal minimum cover when they go for one of these policies?

Zascar · 10-12-2008 2:55pm

I asked my broker for a "Fully Comprehensive Policy" - its just plain wrong that they can call it this.

smash · 10-12-2008 2:57pm

I don't get it, you're 28 and with 2years NCB! you should have no issues at all getting insured on a type R....

My car is a lot more high performance and I'm younger and have no issues.

B00MSTICK · 10-12-2008 3:04pm

steve06 wrote:

I don't get it, you're 28 and with 2years NCB! you should have no issues at all getting insured on a type R....

My car is a lot more high performance and I'm younger and have no issues.

Indeed, I drive a 197BHP car and am 21!

EDIT: Did you try online for quotes? Try quinn for a start, I'm sure they'd have you.

Stephen · 10-12-2008 3:19pm

Quinn seem to run away screaming at any mention of "Type R" or "VTEC".

OutlawPete · 10-12-2008 3:23pm

Do you have a full licence?

The part in the policy about a third party suing you is because you might do 3,500 euros worth of damage and not have the money to pay for it. So then the guy or girl would need to sue you to get their money.

I am with XS Direct also and I hit a taxi and did minor damage, thank God, but had to pay 1,500 to him for repairs and my own cost 700 to repair.

It's risky as your basicialy driving around with your bank account wide open on the bonnet

Nico

smash · 10-12-2008 3:32pm

My policy with XS Direct is fully loaded with all modifications to car and although the Excess is higher, the quote is half of what my renewal was with Quinn.

BrokenSpiral · 10-12-2008 3:54pm

I just spoke with the Irish Insurance Federation and queried the official use of "Comprehensive" and it's pretty weak!

The only difference between Third Party Fire & Theft and comprehensive is that with a comprehensive policy it also covers the damage to your own car if you are at fault.

That's it.

The level of cover that each insurance company offers over and above "accidental damage" to yor own vehicle is completely up to the company themselves.

So things like Replacement Car Rental, Medical Expenses, Contents, Loss of Earnings, etc may not be covered at all.

I'd love to see a plain english comparison of the policies out there right now.
Something that says "If you're with XS direct you better have VHI too!!" would be nice!!!

Henry Ford III · 10-12-2008 4:15pm

BrokenSpiral wrote: »

I just spoke with the Irish Insurance Federation and queried the official use of "Comprehensive" and it's pretty weak!

The only difference between Third Party Fire & Theft and comprehensive is that with a comprehensive policy it also covers the damage to your own car if you are at fault.

That's it.

The level of cover that each insurance company offers over and above "accidental damage" to yor own vehicle is completely up to the company themselves.

So things like Replacement Car Rental, Medical Expenses, Contents, Loss of Earnings, etc may not be covered at all.

I'd love to see a plain english comparison of the policies out there right now.
Something that says "If you're with XS direct you better have VHI too!!" would be nice!!!

Things like those are seldom covered, as it's a motor policy, not health insurance, or PHI!

CrowdedHouse · 10-12-2008 4:20pm

Quinn don't even give windscreen cover on their 'Comprehensive'

smash · 10-12-2008 4:28pm

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Quinn don't even give windscreen cover on their 'Comprehensive'

yea they do, I had it on my policy, it was an extra €20 or something.

CrowdedHouse · 10-12-2008 4:35pm

steve06 wrote: »

yea they do, I had it on my policy, it was an extra €20 or something.

My point exactly

smash · 10-12-2008 4:36pm

ah it's still cheap though, not worth thinking about!

Graham_B18C · 10-12-2008 4:39pm

Zascar wrote: »

Yes 197bhp, but no, I tried 5 companies, they will went through the details and then said "Oh, sorry, we don't insure that car"...

Any suggestions?

Im 21, full licence a year, 2 years no claims, and I got quoted on a 98 teg type r from a company called First Ireland, found them dead friendly, I applied for the quote online and it took a few days for the reply, they then rang me to see if I was happy with the quote, they quoted me 2800, which is a lot but everywhere else wouldn't quote me. When I first got the e mail I assumed they made a mistake but when they rang I realised they didn't.

If you ring they'll quote you straight away I'm nearly sure.

They wouldn't quote me on a DC5 though, not on their system. I'm sure a 01 CTR is though.

*Edit. For to say also, a relation of mine was with First Ireland and he got a cheaper quote from xs, told First Ireland and they matched it, but he's 35 with full NCB, was on an RX8. He only says good things about them

http://www.firstireland.ie/

Anyone insured with XS Direct?

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