Russian License and Irish Insurance

ScaniaIrizar

I have a question regarding a Russian driving license and Irish insurance.

My wife and I (she is Russia, I am Irish) are travelling to Ireland in July and August to visit the family etc. I don't have a license as I never needed one and now I'm living in Russia.

My wife has a Russian license and I want to know if it's possible for her to become a named driver on the insurance of my mother or father? We want to borrow a car to drive around a little! Is it possible on a Russian license?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Corkbah

ScaniaIrizar wrote: »

I have a question regarding a Russian driving license and Irish insurance.

My wife and I (she is Russia, I am Irish) are travelling to Ireland in July and August to visit the family etc. I don't have a license as I never needed one and now I'm living in Russia.

My wife has a Russian license and I want to know if it's possible for her to become a named driver on the insurance of my mother or father? We want to borrow a car to drive around a little! Is it possible on a Russian license?

Thanks in advance for any help.

I could be wrong but it would be the same as any other licence .... phone up insurance company to add another driver for a couple of weeks (send a photocopy of her licence (photographic ID) ... declaration that she doesnt have penalty points or endorsements and holds a full clean licence.

you are assuming your parents dont mind you and your wife taking their car and drive around a little - you could always hire one from one of the many companies operating here....have you asked your parents if it would be ok to take their car for a day or two or more while you visit....its a huge inconvenience if you have a car and are suddenly without one for a few days.

ScaniaIrizar

Hi Corkbah, thanks for the info.

Yes my parents won't mind, there are always at least 2 of my family's cars sitting at home (sisters share a lift to work for example) and my parents are insured to drive on all of them.

As for renting a car, it's another option but an expensive one unfortunately. We will arrive in Ireland after our multi-stop European vacation and I'd rather save the money if possible!

I also thought just to phone up but I wanted some advice from here also. Internet searches yield very vague results in some instances, and then detailed answers that say both 'yes' and 'no'. It is hard to know who to believe!

Mar4ix

I think rent car would be cheaper option, as those are deigned for tourists, and rental company providing insurance for all kind tourists, all depend how long you need car. if for month or two, maybe its worth put your wife as named driver on your parents policy then .

ScaniaIrizar

My wife isn't a vodka-swigging bear fighting Russian driver - she is a university lecturer!

I'd hope that an insurance company can't discriminate on the basis of race/ethnicity/sex etc...

ScaniaIrizar

Mar4ix wrote: »

I think rent car would be cheaper option, as those are deigned for tourists, and rental company providing insurance for all kind tourists, all depend how long you need car. if for month or two, maybe its worth put your wife as named driver on your parents policy then .

We want a car for around 2 weeks to travel around Ireland. Renting is just too expensive for this.

JoseJones

You can definitely do it, I do it regularly when I go home to visit. When I did it at Xmas it cost me about €35 for the week, the only way to find out how much it will cost is to call them. They didn't look for any scans of my licence or anything, just my age, licence type, occupation.

ScaniaIrizar

JoseJones wrote: »

You can definitely do it, I do it regularly when I go home to visit. When I did it at Xmas it cost me about €35 for the week, the only way to find out how much it will cost is to call them. They didn't look for any scans of my licence or anything, just my age, licence type, occupation.

Thanks for the info. Where was your license issued however?

Mar4ix

ScaniaIrizar wrote: »

We want a car for around 2 weeks to travel around Ireland. Renting is just too expensive for this.

two weeks are not bad for renting a car, it is all depend what t&c insurance company will make and how much money they want for that.

rent a car in this time of year would be pretty cheap, i use to use one broker for car rental in different countries... there is pic of two week rental ....

Thats rough price guide :




sure ... on top of that insurance...

ScaniaIrizar

Mar4ix wrote: »

two weeks are not bad for renting a car, it is all depend what t&c insurance company will make and how much money they want for that.

rent a car in this time of year would be pretty cheap, i use to use one broker for car rental in different countries... there is pic of two week rental ....

Thats rough price guide :




sure ... on top of that insurance...

Many thanks for the information - very informative!

We are coming to Ireland in July/August so tourist high season prices would apply. There are still some good deals to be got but why pay this money IF the insurance will cost less?

Also, I notice from car rental websites that they require the license to be issued for at least one year - is this a strict requirement as my wife's license was issued only last month (It will be valid for 7 months upon our arrival)?

Mar4ix

hmmm ... July / August ... that wont be cheap for rental cars.

Originally , i think , there shouldn't be problems put your wife temporarily as named driver on your parents insurance policy , but .... there is always but ... all depend of insurance company and there conditions, .... so better contact insurance company, and find out, ...

doubt somebody will give you definitive answer on your question, just insurance representative will be able answer this question, ... also there could be problems, as it is very tricky with insurance companies .... one day you call and just ask, may you do this and that ... their answer is " yes " , and when you going set up insurance ... you get "no" ....


What I would do in your situations is.... prepare money for rent car, and try get your wife as named driver on spot in time, when yous are here in Ireland, if you get her as named driver... happy days, if not .... no worries, you have been prepared for this .

Just my 2 cents.

ScaniaIrizar

Very good advice Mar4ix, will keep it in mind. Thanks!

JoseJones

ScaniaIrizar wrote: »

Thanks for the info. Where was your license issued however?

I have a UK licence so still EU, just give them a call and see.

ScaniaIrizar

OSI wrote: »

They wouldn't be discriminating on race or ethnicity (although I'd be suprised if they didn't), and they were up till this year discriminating on sex.

They would be basing their risk on the fact that your wife earned her license in a country with one of the worst safety records in the world, and also in a system that is rather different to the Irish one. Not being used to Irish roads, rules or attitudes makes her a pretty big risk.

While I agree that there is a certain risk factor involved, surely a clean license (with a notarised and certified statement to that effect) merits consideration for insurance? Incidentally, Russia statistically isn't one of the worst in the world (igonre the idiotic Youtube videos). Depending on your source, there are a few well developed nations well ahead of Russia.

I do see your point though, thanks for it. I guess the best option is to contact the insurers directly

ThreeLineWhip

Once they hear "Russian Licence" the shutters will come down hard and fast.

Best option would be renting also a International Driving Licence would be needed.

Marcusm

Not sure if they have a list of acceptable countries but 2 years ago I put an Aussie cousin (2 years licenced) on my Quinn insurance for a week. Only charge was a small admin fee.

ThreeLineWhip

Australia is on the list of recognised countries that are allowed to exchange for an Irish licence. Also they drive on the left.

Unrealistic

OP you need to talk to your parents' insurance company. All the insurers have different policies on situations like this. Also, your wife needs to get a International Driving Permit from the local DPS. Some Irish insurers will insure a driver who holds a Russian issued IDP, others won't, but all of them will refuse to ensure a driver who has a Russian license only without an IDP to go with it.

ThreeLineWhip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Russia

As it has the Latin letters on it I doubt a IDP would make any difference as it is not a licence at all. It is merely a translation of a foreign licence.

Unrealistic

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Russia

As it has the Latin letters on it I doubt a IDP would make any difference as it is not a licence at all. It is merely a translation of a foreign licence.

From personal experience it does make a very big difference. You can't really see it from the picture on the wikipedia page because all of the other info is greyed out but the license itself is almost entirely in Cyrllic with just a few Latin letters inserted here and there and anyone from an insurance company looking at it is just going to take fright and say 'no'.

MadsL

OSI wrote: »

They wouldn't be discriminating on race or ethnicity (although I'd be suprised if they didn't), and they were up till this year discriminating on sex.

They would be basing their risk on the fact that your wife earned her license in a country with one of the worst safety records in the world, and also in a system that is rather different to the Irish one. Not being used to Irish roads, rules or attitudes makes her a pretty big risk.

They do. But I'm trying very very very hard to stop them.

djimi

The only way to know for sure is to get your parents to ring their insurers and ask them. Nobody on here is going to be able to give you a definitive answer as all insurers are different.

ThreeLineWhip

I would be very surprised if any insurer in Ireland would cover a Russian licence holder.

ScaniaIrizar

Thanks all for the advice, some good and useful information.

Unrealistic

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

I would be very surprised if any insurer in Ireland would cover a Russian licence holder.

Recent experience: Liberty will with an IDP. AXA will if you pass the Irish theory test and get a Learner Permit (you can drive unaccompanied for one year based on the Russian license and IDP, I guess they just want you to get the Learner Permit to show you understand the Rules of the Road here.)

ThreeLineWhip

I am shocked that those IDP yokes are even recognised here.

Unrealistic

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

I am shocked that those IDP yokes are even recognised here.

Why? Ireland is a signatory to the relevant UN convention so we are obliged to recognise them. Irish issued IDPs are recognised in Russia and elsewhere, even when the traffic policeman who stops you hasn't a clue where Ireland is. It's a system that works reasonably well and we'd be a lot worse off without it.

ThreeLineWhip

I have found them to be a waste of money in the past.

"oh you must get one for eastern europe etc etc!" No need at all, never a problem with a traffic cop even in the most officious places.

mathepac

Before we had photos on our licences, I had to get an IDP issued to me by the AA for trips to countries where photo-id was required for car rental or even for entry to bars / licensed premises. They are very handy to have as back-up id when travelling outside the EU and as posted already the scheme is UN-backed.

Unrealistic

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

I have found them to be a waste of money in the past.

"oh you must get one for eastern europe etc etc!" No need at all, never a problem with a traffic cop even in the most officious places.

I guess you didn't travel far enough east then. I wouldn't advise driving in Russia without one.

halkar

ScaniaIrizar wrote: »

.... my wife's license was issued only last month (It will be valid for 7 months upon our arrival)?

She only got her license and she will be driving on the wrong side of the road. You be safer on public transport.