Four Month Break leads to Tripling of Insurance Quotes

dootv

I went abroad for 4 months and uninsured my car as it seemed meaningless to pay when out of use. For me 68 year old, 9+ years ncb, 0 points and 1392 Almera Third Party Only the rates have gone from about 380pa to 1208pa - in roughly 6 months. This seems an extraordinary rise and wonder if anyone has come over this before and what they eventually did. Thanks

cplwhisper

What no claim bonus did you have before cancelling ?
Have you have full Irish licence?

If there was a major renewal discount then unfortunately it won't apply in new business case.

dootv

I have the 9+ years ncb and a full irish for 9+ years. I also get the following from a couple of on-line quotes:"You do not meet our New Business Underwriting criteria for this channel." Very informative. Do companies that provide a public service really have the right to respond like this? That kind of reply could hide a multitude, like, "your name suggests you may not have been born in Ireland and we don't accept non-ethnic Irish or such the like".

Liam McPoyle

dootv wrote: »

I have the 9+ years ncb and a full irish for 9+ years. I also get the following from a couple of on-line quotes:"You do not meet our New Business Underwriting criteria for this channel." Very informative. Do companies that provide a public service really have the right to respond like this? That kind of reply could hide a multitude, like, "your name suggests you may not have been born in Ireland and we don't accept non-ethnic Irish or such the like".

What age is your car?

The algorithms used while quoting online are not so sophisticated to flag foreign sounding names.

It's likely the age of the vehicle or because there is a gap in cover that's hampering you.

Best bet is to ring companies directly rather than doing quotes online.

beauf

I don't think it's to do with you stopping your insurance. It's just gone though the roof in the last few months for everyone. I've heard these kind of quotes for everyone.

It's been all over the media for quite a while. There was a programme on the TV about it last night.

hawkwind23

Greed basically and pressure from board members to increase profits throughout the industry.
easiest way to do this is to increase premiums.
What they really want is to increase older peoples premiums and then all consumers pay around €1000 per year.
Some of the premiums for the kids in their late teens/early twenties is borderline criminal although at least you could "invest" in the insurance with the understanding that after several years you could enjoy premiums of around €400 and drive a mid sized car for life.

I was thinking yesterday about costs that we have that are needs , rent , cars , insurance etc.
These have all increased , i looked at a rental for my daughter , when i was her age (20 odd years ago) the rent has more than doubled since then , i work as a tradesman , my wages have actually got worse or stagnated in the last 20 years yet all the essentials have rocketed.
In reality i look at the jobs available for younger ones and they all pay around €10 a hour , how can anyone rent or pay €2000 for insurance on that?
I worry for the kids , it seems the struggles will last a lifetime now unless your wealthy.
Something very wrong with our system

laoisfan

Saul T Nutzz wrote: »

What age is your car?

The algorithms used while quoting online are not so sophisticated to flag foreign sounding names.

It's likely the age of the vehicle or because there is a gap in cover that's hampering you.

Best bet is to ring companies directly rather than doing quotes online.

You are allowed a gap of 2-years before you lose your NCB. I only recently started back driving last March after a year and half with no car. My NCB was recognised etc.

It could be the car or it could be just the market and the way prices are just crazy in the insurance market at the moment.

Liam McPoyle

laoisfan wrote: »

You are allowed a gap of 2-years before you lose your NCB. I only recently started back driving last March after a year and half with no car. My NCB was recognised etc.

It could be the car or it could be just the market and the way prices are just crazy in the insurance market at the moment.

What I was referring to was a break in insurance.

If someone is insured for a prolonged period of time, then isnt, then wants to get cover again, it raises eyebrows.

laoisfan

Saul T Nutzz wrote: »

What I was referring to was a break in insurance.

If someone is insured for a prolonged period of time, then isnt, then wants to get cover again, it raises eyebrows.

I know and I was in that exact situation too. They asked me why I broke cover I simply told them I took a car off the road as it was to expensive to repair etc (which was actually the truth).

hawkwind23

Saul T Nutzz wrote: »

What I was referring to was a break in insurance.

If someone is insured for a prolonged period of time, then isnt, then wants to get cover again, it raises eyebrows.

Why should that "raise eyebrows"? are we all robots?

You could have been in hospital
Broke a leg
On an extended holiday
Travelling
Took a temp new job nearby and didnt need car


The list is endless
Why the hell would it "raise eyebrows"? What would go through someones head like?
Do they punch the air and say think of a number and treble it , thats the spirit, penny commission.

Until we as a society and nation stand up to it they will continue to suck the soul out of ye

beauf

Saul T Nutzz wrote: »

...If someone is insured for a prolonged period of time, then isnt, then wants to get cover again, it raises eyebrows.

The problem with that "theory" is that the quotes have gone up massively even for people who have not changed anything in years, decades even.

There is little and often no logic to the insurance quotes people are getting.

Liam McPoyle

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Why should that "raise eyebrows"? are we all robots?

You could have been in hospital
Broke a leg
On an extended holiday
Travelling
Took a temp new job nearby and didnt need car


The list is endless
Why the hell would it "raise eyebrows"? What would go through someones head like?
Do they punch the air and say think of a number and treble it , thats the spirit, penny commission.

Until we as a society and nation stand up to it they will continue to suck the soul out of ye

Of course there are perfectly valid reasons for it.

However there are also reasons that may be less desirable.

Eg

The person took a policy with someone else but had their policy cancelled.

They were off the road for drink driving.

They had a medical episode that may impair their driving.

If something is breaking from the norm then it will raise eyebrows.

beauf

Unless you have proof of these reasons, its statistically unlikely based on the facts.

68 year old, 9+ years ncb, 0 points.

Liam McPoyle

beauf wrote: »

Unless you have proof of these reasons, its statistically unlikely based on the facts.

68 year old, 9+ years ncb, 0 points.

Are 68 year olds excluded from drink driving laws?

Do they not get medical conditions?

Can they not have policies cancelled?

You asked a question, I answered it giving reasons why eyebrows may be raised.

I'm not insinuating for one second that any of the above apply to the op by the way.

It is in my opinion a silly rule however I do not make the rules so can not do anything about it.

beauf

I was more referring to 9+ years ncb, 0 points.

Liam McPoyle

beauf wrote: »

I was more referring to 9+ years ncb, 0 points.

Many people with the any of the above can have a bonus though.

A full bonus does not automatically mean the person is a genuine case.

Its moot anyway as none of the things I mentioned apply to the op.

beauf

None of the reasons, stack up. Because they are loading premiums for people that don't have extra risk factors.

If it was based on statistical values, the insurance premiums would be predictable. They are not.

So the only other reason is a business decision to load some or all premiums based on the return on the risk. Risk that the business will go elsewhere, or that they won't make a profit.

Perhaps the thinking is, more people driving uninsured, is a cost shared. Who knows.

Liam McPoyle

beauf wrote: »

None of the reasons, stack up. Because they are loading premiums for people that don't have extra risk factors.

If it was based on statistical values, the insurance premiums would be predictable. They are not.

So the only other reason is a business decision to load some or all premiums based on the return on the risk. Risk that the business will go elsewhere, or that they won't make a profit.

Perhaps the thinking is, more people driving uninsured, is a cost shared. Who knows.

Just to clarify, I wasn't talking about the prices he received.

I was talking about there being a gap in cover and the reasons cited above were potential reasons for there being a gap in cover and as a result, why a gap in cover may raise eyebrows.

I thought that was clear, apologies if not.

beauf

I'm sure they would suggest that no claims and years of experience may raise eyebrows too.

The question, is what wouldn't raise eyebrows. Since everything seems to raise eyebrows. Car too old, Car too new, Car not new or old etc.

dootv

Saul T Nutzz wrote: »

beauf wrote: »

Unless you have proof of these reasons, its statistically unlikely based on the facts.

68 year old, 9+ years ncb, 0 points.

Are 68 year olds excluded from drink driving laws?

Do they not get medical conditions?

Can they not have policies cancelled?

You asked a question, I answered it giving reasons why eyebrows may be raised.

I'm not insinuating for one second that any of the above apply to the op by the way.

It is in my opinion a silly rule however I do not make the rules so can not do anything about it.

Actually, never DUI, great health (apart from this insurance doing my head in) and never ever had a policy cancelled.

dootv

dootv wrote: »

I have the 9+ years ncb and a full irish for 9+ years. I also get the following from a couple of on-line quotes:"You do not meet our New Business Underwriting criteria for this channel." Very informative. Do companies that provide a public service really have the right to respond like this? That kind of reply could hide a multitude, like, "your name suggests you may not have been born in Ireland and we don't accept non-ethnic Irish or such the like".

Emailed customer services of one of these mobs (fcb) requesting further information about this vague whitewash of a reply, that was two days ago and of course no reply forthcoming. Obviously, as other folks have pointed out, there is no rational reason behind this denial, otherwise they would have the guts and decency to reply to what I think is a reasonable request for further information. In the absence if RICO laws in Ireland I guess the next step is the Financial Services Ombudsman.

gussieg

I went looking for insurance in March, and back then was being quoted anything from 320 up to 1200. I've been out of policy since December 2014 and according to most places, my 5+ years NCB is still valid. But having taken out a policy I'm now having to cancel because they say they want a newer cert.
The car is an 06, 1.2 , and it comes in at 540. Oh and I'm nearly 50.

Del2005

Have you tried getting fully comp quotes? I renewed recently and a lot of TPO quotes were higher than the filly comp ones.

Liam McPoyle

dootv wrote: »

Emailed customer services of one of these mobs (fcb) requesting further information about this vague whitewash of a reply, that was two days ago and of course no reply forthcoming. Obviously, as other folks have pointed out, there is no rational reason behind this denial, otherwise they would have the guts and decency to reply to what I think is a reasonable request for further information. In the absence if RICO laws in Ireland I guess the next step is the Financial Services Ombudsman.

Just an FYI, the ombudsman does not get involved in issues with pricing/quotes given.

dootv

Saul T Nutzz wrote: »

dootv wrote: »

Emailed customer services of one of these mobs (fcb) requesting further information about this vague whitewash of a reply, that was two days ago and of course no reply forthcoming. Obviously, as other folks have pointed out, there is no rational reason behind this denial, otherwise they would have the guts and decency to reply to what I think is a reasonable request for further information. In the absence if RICO laws in Ireland I guess the next step is the Financial Services Ombudsman.

Just an FYI, the ombudsman does not get involved in issues with pricing/quotes given.

Cheers for that info. But I never even got a price or quote, just a denial.

CalamariFritti

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Greed basically and pressure from board members to increase profits throughout the industry.
easiest way to do this is to increase premiums.
What they really want is to increase older peoples premiums and then all consumers pay around €1000 per year.
Some of the premiums for the kids in their late teens/early twenties is borderline criminal although at least you could "invest" in the insurance with the understanding that after several years you could enjoy premiums of around €400 and drive a mid sized car for life.

I was thinking yesterday about costs that we have that are needs , rent , cars , insurance etc.
These have all increased , i looked at a rental for my daughter , when i was her age (20 odd years ago) the rent has more than doubled since then , i work as a tradesman , my wages have actually got worse or stagnated in the last 20 years yet all the essentials have rocketed.
In reality i look at the jobs available for younger ones and they all pay around €10 a hour , how can anyone rent or pay €2000 for insurance on that?
I worry for the kids , it seems the struggles will last a lifetime now unless your wealthy.
Something very wrong with our system

Welcome to the wonderful world of the neoconservatives and neoliberals. This shouldn't be news, its going this way for the last 20 - 25 years. The main thing is the 'economy' and all the money is flowing towards the top. But sure why would anyone vote for the 'loony left' as they call them here on boards now. It must be that way will tell you people that are are on average and even minimum wage. Whayyyyy.

colm_mcm

As the OPs Almera is 1.4 and not 1.5, it's at least 16 years old. This could be a factor.

Whereisgerry?

Hi there,

I had a very similar experience last year. I had a gap in cover of 14 weeks albeit on a provisional licence. A gap in cover of over 3 months is your issue - they allow a gap of 90 days and after that most refuse to insure you and you have to use your current insurer.

I got insured with AXA in the end but only because some newbie on customer services gave out the wrong info and they had to honour it.

Off the top of my head liberty, itsforwomen, axa, chill and 123 had an issue with the gap in cover.

I'm almost sure Britton insurance were ok with the gap in cover. Also, Sheridan insurance were ok with it too.

dootv

Whereisgerry? wrote: »

Hi there,

I had a very similar experience last year. I had a gap in cover of 14 weeks albeit on a provisional licence. A gap in cover of over 3 months is your issue - they allow a gap of 90 days and after that most refuse to insure you and you have to use your current insurer.

I got insured with AXA in the end but only because some newbie on customer services gave out the wrong info and they had to honour it.

Off the top of my head liberty, itsforwomen, axa, chill and 123 had an issue with the gap in cover.

I'm almost sure Britton insurance were ok with the gap in cover. Also, Sheridan insurance were ok with it too.

Britton and Sheridan, I had not tried these, thanks for the info.