Insurance Companies for Holders of An International Licence

SARCHER

Can anyone recommend an insurance company that will offer coverage to a driver holding an international licence at a reasonable price? I have had insurance with it and have a no claims bonus in Ireland, but now that I am shopping around, it seems there are no companies that will provide me with a quote.

murphaph

-What country issued your actual driving licence (not the International licence, which is really nothing more than a translation for convenience)?

-Was that country outside the UE/EEA?

-If so, how long have you been driving on that licence and are you resident in Ireland?

SARCHER

It was issued outside the EU and is from The Bahamas, I have held it for 18 years, resident in Ireland and have been driving in Ireland for almost three years.

As I said I have held insurance before in Ireland but the premium is a bit ridiculous even with a no-claims bonus of 61%.

Charles Babbage

If you are resident in Ireland then presumably you need to get an Irish licence at this stage and do not have option of continuing to drive on your Bahamas licence in any case. Or do you have an Irish licence and want recognition of previous driving experience?

murphaph

I am almost certain you are not legally driving then.

Ireland has agreements with certain other countries/states that designates them as recognised states for the purposes of driving licence exchange. These are:

Australia1
Gibraltar
Guernsey
Isle of Man
Japan
Jersey
South Africa
South Korea
Switzerland
New Zealand
Taiwan2
Ontario Province of Canada*
Manitoba Province of Canada**
Newfoundland & Labrador Province of Canada***

If you are not from any of the above countries, (for example The United States), and you hold a national driving licence or an international driving permit from your own country, you may drive in Ireland for the duration of your temporary visit (up to 12 months).

If your stay in Ireland will be more than 12 months you can apply for an Irish driving licence but you will need to go through the full driver licensing procedure. You must first pass a driver theory test , apply for a learner permit, complete a course of Essential Driver Training(EDT) and pass your driving test in Ireland. If you pass your driving test, you can then apply for a full Irish driving licence.

https://www.ndls.ie/holders-of-foreign-licences.html#holders-of-licences-issued-by-recognised-states

SARCHER

I've been back home since, I think there a loophole for leaving the country and returning which buys me an additional 12 months. Funny though that my insurance company has not mentioned this and continues to offer insurance.

Thanks for the feedback - seems I should simply bite the bullet and apply for the Irish DL which looks like it will save me a lot of hassle and money.

murphaph

I don't think there is any such loophole if you have a normal salaried job and are obviously resident in the state. I would not play with that fire. Apply for the driving test and get a pretest lesson or two to iron out any bad habits. An experienced driver should sail through the actual test. Then you have an EU licence and no uncertainties. I honestly would not like to be in your shoes if you did happen to be involved in an accident, even if not your fault.