First-time car buyer advice needed

Captain Kidd

I want to buy a second hand car, something between €1,000-€2,000, though have absolutely no experience with cars and especially car insurance.

My concern is relating to buying a car that turns out to be uninsurable, I seem to be hearing various issues about insurance companies no longer insuring cars older than 10 years, is this the case?

I may have to move abroad next year so don't want to spend too much on a car.

If anyone could recommend a reliable model, and especially year I should be looking for it would be an absolute huge help,

Much appreciated

punisher5112

For that money you are restricted but look at likes of a yaris or micra

Go onto donedeal search up a model you can afford get reg and engine size then do online insurance quote and see if they will insure.

Some are 10 years others 15 years but getting extremely difficult

Captain Kidd

Thanks punisher5112, what do you mean getting extremely difficult, its difficult to get insurance on a 15 year old car, though 10 shouldnt be a problem, or both can be a problem,

Thanks

bazz26

Some insurance companies are not taking on new customers with cars over 10 or 15 years old depending on the insurance company. Insurance companies tend to set their own standards and rules when it comes to providing cover and prices.

Like most first time drivers your biggest challenge will be insuring a car at a reasonable, so you need to take examples of specific cars you are looking at, and then get some insurance quotes on them as in most cases what car you buy will depend on what you can afford to insure.

Don't make the mistake of go buying a car first and then find out you cannot get insurance on it or that you cannot afford the prices insurance companies are coming back with.

Captain Kidd

Thanks,

Ive had the licence 6 years, and have been on other peoples insurance policies as a named driver if that makes any difference? That said I also have 3 penalty points from a speed cam last year.

Special Circumstances

Captain Kidd wrote: »

Thanks punisher5112, what do you mean getting extremely difficult, its difficult to get insurance on a 15 year old car, though 10 shouldnt be a problem, or both can be a problem,

Thanks

The cut off has been reduced to 8 years with FBD.

Captain Kidd

Thats great to know, thanks Special Circumstances

bazz26

If you are getting a discount from insurance companies for named driving experience on someone else's policy then they will look for proof in the form of a letter from the other person's insurance company to prove that you had claims free cover in that period.

Captain Kidd

Yeah, I guess that makes sense, thanks bazz26

bazz26

I'd say you are better off contacting some insurance brokers as not having a No Claims Bonus in your own name and having 3 points will make doing online quotes a waste of time.

You may need to be sitting down when you get prices too as insurance costs have gone through the roof in the last 12 months even for people with a clean license and years of claim free driving in their own name.

Captain Kidd

How come not having a claims free bonus in my own name and having 3 points will make doing online quotes a waste of time?

Do insurance companies even entertain a call without a car, just to get an idea, can they say this size engine, this year and give a rough estimate?

bazz26

Insurance quote engines are designed to quote straight forward cover to people with perfect profiles, deviate away from that profile and they will more than likely tell you they cannot quote you and to ring them instead. Have you tried getting an online quote?

Also as already suggested above, go onto the likes of donedeal and look up cars you are interested in to use as examples you want to get insurance on. Getting a car insurance company just to quote you a figure can be a bit more difficult than you may imagine so you need to do as much research and legwork as possible.

Captain Kidd

Thanks Bazz26, thats what i'll do, appreciate the help alot

bazz26

No problem. As I said ring around insurance brokers too as they have access to multiple insurance companies and often they can price insurance cheaper for a customer from insurance companies than a customer can get by directly going to the insurance company.

Captain Kidd

Great ill do that, thanks

punisher5112

Hi op set up a new email and use slightly different names and number forgot to mention when doing online quotes. Or they will use against you when or if you ring.

Captain Kidd

wow, thats nuts, thanks punisher5112, christ i really have left it too late to be introducing myself to these insurance crowds.

Captain Kidd

Has anyone experience with getting insurance from a provider elsewhere in Europe? This article is about a Kildare man sourcing insurance from Germany

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/man-residing-in-co-kildare-border-forced-to-source-car-insurance-in-germany-due-to-irelands-high-prices/97941