Car insurance questions

Slaacer

Hope this is the right forum section for this.

1. not that it matters much cos I have my full irish licence for nearly 20 years now but I am curious on this one as it doesn't make sense. I did my test in France and drove there for few years before coming to Ireland, then 6 years after I got my licence there I changed over to a full Irish licence. Why insurance companies won't take these 6 years into consideration ? as if I only had my licence since I changed over to the Irish licence ? Doesn't make sense, all these licences are European licences. I have EU friends who still have their original licence for years and it's been no problem. I know this can be different for people coming from outside of the EU.

2. we have 2 cars, one registered to my wife the other to me. Last month when I renewed my wife insurance I told them I couldn't remember which name was on the VLC, (didn't have it in front of me) they told me it didn't matter as we were husband and wife and we were both on the policy. now I call the same insurance company to get a quote for the second car and they told me the car I am driving must be registered to me ? again doesn't make sense we're both named on the policy ? inconsistency - difficult to know where we stand.

any clarification on these questions would be welcomed - thank you

CiniO

Slaacer wrote: »

Hope this is the right forum section for this.

1. not that it matters much cos I have my full irish licence for nearly 20 years now but I am curious on this one as it doesn't make sense. I did my test in France and drove there for few years before coming to Ireland, then 6 years after I got my licence there I changed over to a full Irish licence. Why insurance companies won't take these 6 years into consideration ? as if I only had my licence since I changed over to the Irish licence ? Doesn't make sense, all these licences are European licences. I have EU friends who still have their original licence for years and it's been no problem. I know this can be different for people coming from outside of the EU.

2. we have 2 cars, one registered to my wife the other to me. Last month when I renewed my wife insurance I told them I couldn't remember which name was on the VLC, (didn't have it in front of me) they told me it didn't matter as we were husband and wife and we were both on the policy. now I call the same insurance company to get a quote for the second car and they told me the car I am driving must be registered to me ? again doesn't make sense we're both named on the policy ? inconsistency - difficult to know where we stand.

any clarification on these questions would be welcomed - thank you

1. What makes you think they don't consider your first 6 years of holding the licence? I passed my test inPoland in 1999, drove thhere mostly, and swapped for Irish licence in 2008. At this stage all insurers accepted I was a holder of full licence for 9 years. Now it's 15 years. What date is on your licence by B category issuing date?

2. Ringing most insurers customer helplines is completely pointless. They employ a bunch of untrained people having very little knowledge about actual insurance policy terms and conditions. You ring once and get some answer, and then you ring again, talk to different person and get exactly opposite answer.
if you want to really find out something about terms and conditions of your policy, get it in writing.

Slaacer

1. I got my licence in France in 89 but changed to an Irish licence (after being told I had to in order to get insurance here) in 96

2. I know it is often the case and that's why it is annoying - haven't tried to write to them yet though

corktina

1 what difference does it make? You'd be on full no claims away after 16 years

2 for the no claims to be allotted one car would need to be yours and one the wife's. If both cars and poliices in your name you'd onl get one lot of no claims.