UK driver as a named driver in Ireland

mrbubbles

Hey folks,

I'm 28, male and have been driving for 11 years over in the UK. I have my own car (with it's own policy) and have accumulated 11 years worth of no-claims bonuses.

I've just moved over to Dublin so I recently spoke to my girlfriends insurance broker about getting added on her car as a named driver and he quoted me €1500 (in addition to the €700 that she already pays).

Admittedly it's quite a nice car (09 plate Mini) but this does seem extortionate given that my fully comprehensive policy in the UK costs £138 (€165).

I was wondering if this was because my insurance history in the UK is untraceable, or perhaps my no-claims not valid in this country? He couldn't give me any more details than just the price.

I can't imagine that this is that uncommon a situation... Are insurers who specialise in insuring UK drivers?

Many thanks for any advice.

Galadriel

mrbubbles wrote: »

Hey folks,

I'm 28, male and have been driving for 11 years over in the UK. I have my own car (with it's own policy) and have accumulated 11 years worth of no-claims bonuses.

I've just moved over to Dublin so I recently spoke to my girlfriends insurance broker about getting added on her car as a named driver and he quoted me €1500 (in addition to the €700 that she already pays).

Admittedly it's quite a nice car (09 plate Mini) but this does seem extortionate given that my fully comprehensive policy in the UK costs £138 (€165).

I was wondering if this was because my insurance history in the UK is untraceable, or perhaps my no-claims not valid in this country? He couldn't give me any more details than just the price.

I can't imagine that this is that uncommon a situation... Are insurers who specialise in insuring UK drivers?

Many thanks for any advice.

My OH has a full UK license and is a named driver on my policy, it cost nothing extra to add him, he has been in Ireland for years though with his own policy and no claims etc. so maybe that's it.

oldyouth

Something SERIOUSLY wrong there. Your girlfriend needs to find a new insurer to take you both on. An EU licence is as acceptable as an Irish one, so that can't be it. Do you have an unusual occupation or chequered driving history?

keithclancy

oldyouth wrote: »

Something SERIOUSLY wrong there. Your girlfriend needs to find a new insurer to take you both on. An EU licence is as acceptable as an Irish one, so that can't be it. Do you have an unusual occupation or chequered driving history?

NCB though is not transferable.

peteb2

Your driving experience wouldnt impact the price charged by most insurers to be added to a policy. At €1,500 is there something you arent telling us? Conviction? Disqualification? Penalty points?

mrbubbles

keithclancy wrote: »

NCB though is not transferable.

This could be it, I'm going to try getting a getting a quote in the UK without NCB and see if it comes out much higher.

peteb2 wrote: »

Your driving experience wouldnt impact the price charged by most insurers to be added to a policy. At €1,500 is there something you arent telling us? Conviction? Disqualification? Penalty points?

I wish it was that simple, but no. I've no criminal record, have never been disqualified and never even had any points for speeding...

Layinghen

Are you trying to add yourself and your car onto her policy or just yourself as a driver of her car?

mrbubbles

Just myself as a named driver onto her car...

timmy4u2

Maybe your girlfriend likes her Mini too much and is telling porkies.

On the serious side there is something very wrong here.
I am a named driver on a female family friend in the UK and it actually brought down the cost of hervinsurance.
All licences are EU now so have the same authority across all EU countries

Layinghen

Then as everybody else has said there seems to be something seriously wrong with the quote. You don't say what your occupation is, perhaps that might have something to do with it, but the price that you have been quoted seems incredible.

A full UK or any EU licence would be treated the same as a full Irish licence. You need to get back to the Broker and find out exactly the reason for that price. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.

peteb2

peteb2 wrote: »

Your driving experience wouldnt impact the price charged by most insurers to be added to a policy. At €1,500 is there something you arent telling us? Conviction? Disqualification? Penalty points?

+1

With the gender directive(male & female are rated the same) it has to be something to do with your driving history, occupation or age that is making it so expensive. If you are a few years younger then her it could be that it's a company that don't insure people under 30 for the product she has. A full UK license is generally rated the same as an Irish one.

beauf

You need to shop around. They don't want to insure you.

mrbubbles

Thanks for the advice everyone.

timmy4u2 wrote: »

Maybe your girlfriend likes her Mini too much and is telling porkies.

On the serious side there is something very wrong here.
I am a named driver on a female family friend in the UK and it actually brought down the cost of hervinsurance.
All licences are EU now so have the same authority across all EU countries

I thought that but it's actually her idea, she's fed up of having to drive me everywhere

Layinghen wrote: »

You don't say what your occupation is, perhaps that might have something to do with it, but the price that you have been quoted seems incredible.

Sorry, missed that bit - I'm a Web Developer so nothing spectacular or dangerous there!

Deleted User wrote: »

With the gender directive(male & female are rated the same) it has to be something to do with your driving history, occupation or age that is making it so expensive. If you are a few years younger then her it could be that it's a company that don't insure people under 30 for the product she has. A full UK license is generally rated the same as an Irish one.

I'm 28 and she's 27. As mentioned, I've nothing on my driving history which should cause a jump like that (reflected in the fact that my policy at home only costs €165). Similarly, I was added to my Dad's policy for a while and that bought down the price of his.

beauf wrote: »

You need to shop around. They don't want to insure you.

I suspect that this is simply the case. When she enquired, all the information they asked from me was:

<Name>
28 years old male
Web Developer (Software Engineer)
No convictions, disqualifications or penalty points.
10+ years no claims bonus (UK)

and all the feedback we received was:

Quite expensive. It would cost an extra €1340.00 for cover to 29/05/2014.
You would need to forward a full copy of his driving licence both front and back.

I guess that maybe because she renewed in August (her policy runs until the end of may) they thought they could take the mick and that we'd just pay it, rather than moving half way through the policy... I think perhaps I'll do a comparison, see what the best price I can get for both of us would be, and then speak to him again and see if theres anything he can do to stop us leaving.

Thanks again folks

They have no right to quote you that price at all, unless she's getting some policy holder only discount for mirroring a NCB or something that's all I can think of.

seamus

The only thing I can think is that because he has no car of his own, they're effectively quoting him the full cost of being insured on the vehicle. Because he has no NCB, the full risk is 1340, whereas she has an NCB which gives her a ~40% discount and come out at around €700.

Still sounds completely wrong though, as only person can drive the car at a time, so the risk isn't doubled!

Doing a quick quote for you alone (i.e. not as named driver) on FBD, you can get 3rd party insurance on it for €305.

I'm also shocked that she's paying €700. That seems pretty damn high.

Horrocksjm

I am from the uk and been in ireland for the last two years. I have been on my OH policy for the past year and there was no additional cost for me to be added!!!

mrbubbles

That settles it then! I'll have a shop around tonight and get some quotes for both of us, I'm sure we can do better than €1,340.

Thanks again guys

pow wow

Horrocksjm wrote: »

I am from the uk and been in ireland for the last two years. I have been on my OH policy for the past year and there was no additional cost for me to be added!!!

+1, I'm named on my dad's policy with a UK licence and 7 yrs NCB and it didn't cost him anything. His car is a 2012 and I've been insured on it since it left the forecourt, no extra charge at all.

Let us know how you get on OP, curious as to how you'll get on

mrbubbles

pow wow wrote: »

+1, I'm named on my dad's policy with a UK licence and 7 yrs NCB and it didn't cost him anything. His car is a 2012 and I've been insured on it since it left the forecourt, no extra charge at all.

Let us know how you get on OP, curious as to how you'll get on

For those who are interested... found a policy for the two of us, fully comprehensive, for €530. Will be cancelling her existing policy on Monday!

oldyouth

mrbubbles wrote: »

For those who are interested... found a policy for the two of us, fully comprehensive, for €530. Will be cancelling her existing policy on Monday!

Well done. Her current insurers are losing the business because someone in that organisation didn't know their job. I'd still move regardless, but I would ask for a breakdown in the original quote they gave you. I'll expect they will fob you off when they see what happened