Car insurance for a driver with a claim open

sdowling04

Hi all,

Im just inquiring does anyone know can you get insured if you already ahve a claim open?
The story is I'm a 21 year old male who has been driving for about 2 years now under my mothers insurance. I recently moved to Cork for work and was allowed to take the car because I needed to get to work. I was going home one day for football training and met a bunch of cars on the road to Nad. There was a big line which I was the 3rd behind a jeep traveling really slow and then a red astra. We finally met a straight with still a single white line and the astra took the jeep over no problem. I then went to overtake the jeep and when I was side by side with him I noticed him speeding up, I don't know why but I found myself in an stick situation. Instead of cutting back I made the foolish decision to speed up and over take continue to overtake him. I had him nearly over taken him and I seen a car approaching on the bend so I hit the breaks . I still thought I had plenty of time to stop but I'm guessing they were probably shocked as to why a car is driving against them. I had time to pull into the ditch a bit so it wouldnt be a head on collision but eventully we collided and there seemed to be a mild bit of damage. The passanger (a man who is about 60) came charging at me effin and blinding at me as I asked were they all allright. This continued for 2 mins or so and he eventully walked off to calm down. The wife called the gaurds were called and everyone said they were alright. The cars were removed and the insurance companies were called.

Which bring me to this week about two months later. I just bought a 1.6 307 last week so to make it a lot easier to my daily commute in cork city. I rang my insurance company and asked about Insuring myself under my new car and they said I cannot as there is a claim open in my name. I thought this should have been settled by now and then found out that they are claiming a per personal injury claim against me which I think is ridiculous to be honest. The care had slowed right down by the time the collision occurred and the passenger didn't look too sore when he nearly went to take the head off me. I do take full responsibility for the accident and it was a foolish mistake but now puts me in a really troublesome situation. I cant take out insurance until that claim is settled, which could take ages and my insurance is going to be through the roof.

Can anybody suggest a company that would insure me or any action I could take?
Thanks

sdowling04

anyone??

Pedro K

Ring brokers, and lots of them. Any company direct will just say no because there's an open claim. You'll be asked for all info about the claim. Try get a reserve figure off your previous insurer for the claim.

Are the Gardai prosecuting you for driving without due care and attention or anything?

djimi

Try some of the last chance saloon companies like XS Direct. Level of cover wont be worth a jot but it will be a piece of paper to make the car road legal.

slimjimmc

You'll just have to ring around and try as many as you can. If you can't get cover then get written letters of refusal from at least 3 of them then go to the Declined Cases Committee of the Irish Insurance Federation who will get you a quote (though not one you'll like or possibly afford)
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/motor_tax_and_insurance/motor_insurance.html

Are you a full licence holder?

As for the personal injury claim, shock and adrenalin mask many injuries and people often do not realise they're injured until days later and they have up to 2 years to lodge claim. If your insurer is investigating or contesting then that drags the process out longer.

CiniO

djimi wrote: »

Try some of the last chance saloon companies like XS Direct. Level of cover wont be worth a jot but it will be a piece of paper to make the car road legal.

To be honest I had a quick look at it, and it looks like brilliant offer.
You can have horrible claim history, you can have 11 pentalty points, etc, and you can still get a cover for something like 500.
At least it gave me a quote around that.

This might be brilliant option for someone with bad insurance record.
3000 excess is not too bad. If you don't claim, you are a winner.
If you do - you will need to fork out this 3000, but considering that with such driving history any other insurer would quote more likely over 3000, you still save.
IMHO brilliant,.

djimi

CiniO wrote: »

To be honest I had a quick look at it, and it looks like brilliant offer.
You can have horrible claim history, you can have 11 pentalty points, etc, and you can still get a cover for something like 500.
At least it gave me a quote around that.

This might be brilliant option for someone with bad insurance record.
3000 excess is not too bad. If you don't claim, you are a winner.
If you do - you will need to fork out this 3000, but considering that with such driving history any other insurer would quote more likely over 3000, you still save.
IMHO brilliant,.

Its good in so far as it allows you to get insurance and be road legal, but the high excess means that you get basically no cover from your policy unless its a very serious and expensive accident. Like I said, its literally only a piece of paper in the window to make you road legal.

You wont get cover for €500 if you have a bad history either; they were offering me cover for my car for nearly a grand, and I am a 30 year old with a clean license and a full no claims bonus.

sdowling04

Pedro K wrote: »

Ring brokers, and lots of them. Any company direct will just say no because there's an open claim. You'll be asked for all info about the claim. Try get a reserve figure off your previous insurer for the claim.

Are the Gardai prosecuting you for driving without due care and attention or anything?

I got two penalty points and a 80 euro fine for overtaking on a single line. He said he wasn't prosecuting for dangerous driving.

slimjimmc wrote: »

You'll just have to ring around and try as many as you can. If you can't get cover then get written letters of refusal from at least 3 of them then go to the Declined Cases Committee of the Irish Insurance Federation who will get you a quote (though not one you'll like or possibly afford)
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/motor_tax_and_insurance/motor_insurance.html

Are you a full licence holder?

As for the personal injury claim, shock and adrenalin mask many injuries and people often do not realise they're injured until days later and they have up to 2 years to lodge claim. If your insurer is investigating or contesting then that drags the process out longer.

Thanks for the info. Yes I'm a full licence driver since January this year