Insurance on foreign driving licence.

somebody_else

Hi

I just off the phone with AXA and I've been told that from next Year insurance would go up by 25% if You don't have Irish driver licence !

Can anyone confirm it ?

Tom

ThreeLineWhip

No need to confirm anything.

Insurance companies here already load foreign licence holders as it is. Something to do with there is no way to check their history.

somebody_else

It work the same as in Ire.

You ask Your insurer for proof of no claim bonus then (in English) and You can present it to insurance company here to check history of the driver.

Tom

ThreeLineWhip

somebody_else wrote: »

It work the same as in Ire.

You ask Your insurer for proof of no claim bonus then (in English) and You can present it to insurance company here to check history of the driver.

Tom

Not quite.

Not every country has no claims. In many countries it is the car that is insured and not the driver.

The point is that insurance companies have no way to check if a person presenting a foreign licence has points or convictions. So they play safe by loading.

keithclancy

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

Not quite.

Not every country has no claims. In many countries it is the car that is insured and not the driver.

The point is that insurance companies have no way to check if a person presenting a foreign licence has points or convictions. So they play safe by loading.

And that would be solved by exchanging it for an Irish license ? :rolleyes:

I drive in the Netherlands with a Dutch car and Dutch Insurance with an Irish license.

No Loading whatsoever.

ThreeLineWhip

One might say that AXA et al are in cahoots with the Gardaí to get all these resident foreigners off their penalty point immune driving licences.

somebody_else

To say it clear.

Insurance companies looking for more profit.

I know that a lot of people will not exchange theirs licences for multiple of reasons.

Tom

ShadowHearth

Some insurance companies are pure dicks when it comes to foreign license.

It's funny how I needed to go to driving school for 4 months 3 days per week theory lessons and 2 days per week driving with instructor and only then be able to even apply for my test, but my driving license is less valuable then: "here you go lad, try not to hit objects and you will be grand. come after few years if you feel like it and try to pass your test. "
To make it even worse we get a full proper EU driving license and it is less valuable then Irish one.


Anyway I have exchanged my driving license for Irish one last year. It is more of a convenience, because I live here full time and don't ever plan to get back to the old country.

keithclancy

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Some insurance companies are pure dicks when it comes to foreign license.

It's funny how I needed to go to driving school for 4 months 3 days per week theory lessons and 2 days per week driving with instructor and only then be able to even apply for my test, but my driving license is less valuable then: "here you go lad, try not to hit objects and you will be grand. come after few years if you feel like it and try to pass your test. "
To make it even worse we get a full proper EU driving license and it is less valuable then Irish one.


Anyway I have exchanged my driving license for Irish one last year. It is more of a convenience, because I live here full time and don't ever plan to get back to the old country.

An Irish License is an EU Driving License.

ThreeLineWhip

That may be the case but many insurance companies in Ireland do not share that view and consider their holders in the same esteem as bank robbers and kidnappers.

jimmycrackcorm

Brother got a lhd car and was told by his insurance company that were he foreign then his quote would be loaded because the assumption was a lack of driving on the left.

spodoinkle

somebody_else wrote: »

Hi

I just off the phone with AXA and I've been told that from next Year insurance would go up by 25% if You don't have Irish driver licence !

Can anyone confirm it ?

Tom

It doesnt make sense to give indication percentages as to what might affect premiums next year. When the Gender Directive came into effect in December, many companies lessened the length of time a quote is valid for in order to work out their prices as they weren't prepared.

somebody_else

I'm just passing what I heard over the phone.

My opinion about this is couple of post above.

Tom

Marcusm

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

Not quite.

Not every country has no claims. In many countries it is the car that is insured and not the driver.

The point is that insurance companies have no way to check if a person presenting a foreign licence has points or convictions. So they play safe by loading.

AXA, of course, has operations in most European countries and would be able to run checks if they could be arsed. While I don't think it should be mandatory to cover any driver from any country, there is a case here for regulatory interjection to ensure that non Irish licensed drivers are not discriminated against. I suspect that they can argue that the ability to effect a licence exchange means that they are not discriminating but that only demonstrates the bluntness of their loading - if a person exchanges to an Irish licence, the history is no more available than prior to the exchange but presumably the flat rate loading is not applied.

connorsml

This practice (where it applies to EU licenses) does appear to be illegal. My MEP contacted the European commission and he replied citing the EU driving licenses directive.


Has anyone else experienced this recently?