Driving Experience vs NCB & other insurance questions

y2k1981

Hi All

I'm currently living in the UK and planning to move back to Irelandin a few months time. The last time I had an insurance policy was over 7 years ago (when I lived in Ireland) and I had built up a few years NCB.

I understand that my NCB will have expired by now (bit gutted, I wish I knew that 7 years ago) but some insurance companies will also ask what "driving experience" I have app. 5 years "driving experience" and at that time, the policy was in my own name and I had a full license with no claims what so ever. Can this count towards my "driving experience", or does it have to be within the past 2 years also like the NCB ?

Also, does anybody have any ideas how much of a difference the following items can have on the premium ?

- Whether car is parked on-street or off-street
- Area of the country the car is normally used in
- Annual mileage
- What the car is used for (commuting, domestic use etc)

I haven't got a place to live in Dublin yet, so if I know that the premium could change drastically based on area, then it might be worth my while looking at some areas more than others.

Thanks in advance for any help

Break all ties

Irish insurance companies tend to treat people in your situation with extereme suspicion.
I tried to get insurance one time for my parents who had no ncb because they had not drove for a few years. You would think you were trying to get insurance for Osama. No way would anyone quote.

I fear I would be in a similar situation if I was ever to comeback to Ireland. You don't get a NCB with a Bulgarian insurance policy as you insure the car and not the driver.

The main thing that affects the premium is the address. Some areas of Dublin will cost considerably more than others.

coylemj

- Whether car is parked on-street or off-street

I don't think every insurance company asks you this question and if they do, they probably only ask people who live in the centre of cities and big towns who are taking out full comp. where parking on the street would carry a bigger risk of the vehicle being robbed or stuff being stolen from it.

- Area of the country the car is normally used in

They only care about where you live, they won't ask where the car is normally used.

- Annual mileage

Not all of them ask and if they do, they will just ask if you are over or under some threshold decided by them

- What the car is used for (commuting, domestic use etc)

The basic policy is known as Class 3 which covers use of the car for social, domestic and pleasure purposes in Ireland, GB, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, most policies are Class 3.

If you need to use the vehicle for work but you are not involved in sales and do not carry good or samples you need to ask for Class 2 which might be slightly more expensive though Axa cover me for no extra charge. Class 2 usually comes with an indemnity for your employer.

The most expensive policy is Class 1 which covers you for sales.

- Occupation

You didn't ask the question but another major influence on the cost will be your occupation. People with irregular lifestyles like actors, entertainers of any kind, jockeys and on-course bookmakers are penalised with hefty premiums.

Our man in Havana

The basic policy is known as Class 3 which covers use of the car for social, domestic and pleasure purposes in Ireland, GB, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, most policies are Class 3.

And the entire European Union.

guil

nearly anyquote i have got they asked where it would be mainly used and where would the car be parked, i'm sure all of the online quotes do anyway

y2k1981

Hi All

Thanks for so many quick replies. Yea, the questions vary a little from site to site, but most do ask what the car will be used for and where it will be used. www.nononsense.ie asks this and gives a domestic category and also a domestic + commuting category, which I found a little strange ... surely commuting is domestic . Not too sure how to answer where it'll be used as I'll be using it for personal trips across the country to visit family etc

Anybody have any idea on the first question about the driving experience ?

Thakns again

coylemj

y2k1981 wrote: »

Anybody have any idea on the first question about the driving experience ?

Not sure what advice you're expecting to get in answer to that question. Just tell them that you drove from year xxxx to year yyyy when you lived in Ireland and had no claims but you haven't been driving since. Obviously if you still have a full Irish driving licence that will help.

If you allowed your Irish driving licence to expire you can get a renewal without having to do a new test provided you renew it within 10 years of the previous one expiring.

Our man in Havana

They will most likely look for written proof of any claimed driving experience.

y2k1981

Thanks for the replies. I'm was basically hoping that somebody would have a defintion of what the insurance companies mean by "driving experience" as it's a bit of an open ended question really. I'm doing this online, so I can't just "tell" them ... hence the question

I did e-mail nononsense.ie and they said that their definition of driving experience is any polocy held within the past two years where you were the named driver.

I have no problem with providing proof ... provided I know what it is exactly I need to proove first !

Our man in Havana

If they are restricting it to the last 2 years you may be stuffed.

I know a few people who drove on blanket company policies where they were not named (basically anyone working for the company could drive) for years and when they left the company they were stuffed when it came to looking for insurance. As someone said in an earlier post it would be easier to get insurance for Osama Bin Laden. It would seem that not having a policy for a long period is a very big black mark against you.

y2k1981

Yea, that does seem to be the case. Seems I'd almost be better to be a wreckless driver recently than a careful driver in the past (as far as insurance is concerned)

I guess if I go back to the original company I was with 7 years ago, I might stand more of a chance, but I'm not even too sure who they are now because of all the mergers and acquisitions

Anyway, I'll keep you posted. If anybody has any good recommendations, I'd be eternally greatful if you could pass them on

Thanks again !!