Insuring a second car

Niall Keane

Do any insurers in Ireland allow one to insure a second car without doing so and losing the NCB on the second car? (I've built up my NCB through various cars and various insurers, my insurance even lets ME drive other peoples cars (borrow) fully comp, so I'm perplexed when I can't do the same for a second car that belongs to me?)

e.g.
I'm quoted 475 for fully comp on a 2007 1.6 petrol nissan primera. (up 35 since last year, though better then the 560 first quoted to me by them) Anyway, my partner is Danish, living here for the past 5 years and has a full EU license.

The license issue meant just getting her on as a named driver reduced the number of possible insurers dramatically. Cheap Insurance (or should I say what once were cheap insurers) just wouldn't insure her at all. Anyway I went through an association and got me as main driver and her as named for 440 fully comp with my maximum NCB.

So.... you know how it can be handy to have two cars when you have kids and both self-employed with the "steady" hours that means....

So I asked to quote for a second car and herself as named driver and I'm looking at (just for the second car) €1800!!!!! and if she took one out in her name with the year she was named driver on mine would end up actually cheaper €1400, (and there I thought the male - female thing was regulated against?)


So... would anyone know, if like say the UK or even Denmark, where the person is insured and can have a fleet of cars, there are any insurers over here in Ireland who insure a second car without extortionate fees?

Please PM if you can offer a name, otherwise, I'd also really like to discuss this issue.

BTW... not talking about fronting, the idea is to have two cars, one for long distance and family trips and the other a more economical one for short hops, shopping and city driving. you know that old idea of the donkey and the horse....

Atlantic Dawn

If she has a Danish driving licence getting it change to an Irish one would be the best thing to do.

coylemj

Regardless of your bona fides, they will treat a second car with a named driver as a fronting exercise.

I had an old car with very little secondhand value but I had owned it from new and it was in perect order. I wanted to keep it as a city runabout after I bought a new motor and attempted to get a policy for the old car with a full NCB. I said I'd drop open driving, keep it parked in the drive (i.e. offroad) every night and there was to be no named driver meaning that on the proposed new policy I would be the only driver covered and for third party only but the quote was still off the wall because of no NCB reduction so I had to get rid of it.

savagethegoat

Is it possible they would do this if both policies were "named driver only"?

my3cents

Say you had built up two full no claims bonuses for two policies for on two cars and had an accident do you keep the no claims on the car you didn't have an accident with?

colm_c

my3cents wrote: »

Say you had built up two full no claims bonuses for two policies for on two cars and had an accident do you keep the no claims on the car you didn't have an accident with?

No, once you claim you must disclose to any future insurers.

Also you can't add the two NCBs together. E.g. 1 year on one and 3 years on another is not 4 years NCB.

Op, just get your partner to convert her license to an Irish one and get her to take out a new policy, mention the named driver experience it can reduce the premium.

Also make sure you are on each other's policies, it generally reduces the overall risk and premium.

Alternatively look at a classic car which can be insured as a second car a bit easier, but it may not suit your circumstances for use, e.g. Kids, child seats , safety etc

Blazer

Axa do it..I just insured my 2 cars with them and they mirrored my NCB.
Previously I had done it through a broker with Kennco but they stopped doing it this year so I switched to Axa.
Very handy I must admit..everything can be done online including printing off insurance discs etc.

VincePP

Your best option is to have the second car as a commercial vehicle.

It is not unusual to have a commercial vehicle in addition to a car.

Simply say that you do outdoor pursuits and need it to carry equipment such as canoe / mountaineering gear.

Obviously you don't carry goods or neither will you be a courier, so it will be fairly basic insurance.

Axa currently have decent rates or try your own insurers.

Obviously it will be a 2 seater (commercial jeep?) and it will mean that vehicle can't have more than 2 people, but it could be a solution.

You won't be able to use current no claims bonus, but some insurers will give a couple of years bonus ncb if you have car insurance in your name.

Liam McPoyle

colm_c wrote: »

No, once you claim you must disclose to any future insurers.

Also you can't add the two NCBs together. E.g. 1 year on one and 3 years on another is not 4 years NCB.

Op, just get your partner to convert her license to an Irish one and get her to take out a new policy, mention the named driver experience it can reduce the premium.

Also make sure you are on each other's policies, it generally reduces the overall risk and premium.

Alternatively look at a classic car which can be insured as a second car a bit easier, but it may not suit your circumstances for use, e.g. Kids, child seats , safety etc

You don't lose the bonus on the second car.

Yes, you have to declare the claim to other insurers and that may stop them quoting however the full bonus still exists on the non claimed car.

Special Circumstances

Business Cat wrote: »

You don't lose the bonus on the second car.

Yes, you have to declare the claim to other insurers and that may stop them quoting however the full bonus still exists on the non claimed car.

The best way to explain it is to compare it to when Gandalf disappeared after the Balrog.

Niall Keane

colm_c wrote: »

No, once you claim you must disclose to any future insurers.

Also you can't add the two NCBs together. E.g. 1 year on one and 3 years on another is not 4 years NCB.

Op, just get your partner to convert her license to an Irish one and get her to take out a new policy, mention the named driver experience it can reduce the premium.

Also make sure you are on each other's policies, it generally reduces the overall risk and premium.

Alternatively look at a classic car which can be insured as a second car a bit easier, but it may not suit your circumstances for use, e.g. Kids, child seats , safety etc

:-)
Considered the classic option allright.
Thing about convertibg the liscense is then you only have a liscense for a year..... and they get you there too.