What can I drive?

Peixesapo

Hi all

I am a 27 (28 in 4 months) foreign driver living in Ireland for 6 months now. Full EU licence since I was 18 but no proof of NCB. Never hold insurance or was named as I didn't have to be named on my country.

I am refused quotes constantly and if someone quotes me it goes over the 3k. The cheapest option I found was a 1.2 polo with AXA, which would come around 1400-1600, assuming I exchange my licence for an Irish one. The problem is that one of the assumptions of AXA is that I should have been living in Ireland for 3 years and I have not.

At this point I don't care, is there any way I can drive a car/van/whatever in ireland without having to pay 3k for Insurance? I really need something bigger than a polo, as the ones I found are either too expensive, in a bad shape, or have huge mileage on the clock.

Any advice?

sdanseo

Unfortunately the Irish insurance system is a joke and this allows the insurance companies to value your lack of claims over your actual risk of having an accident. You'll be treated as a 17 year old boy-racer in terms of "risk" assesment.

Our of curosity have you been driving since you were 18? Even if your home country doesn't require you to be named, would the car you were driving have been insured?

368100

Have you looked into discounts from some insurers by doing advanced driving courses? Also i think at least one does a discount for having a speed tracker fitted.

Peixesapo

sdanseo wrote: »

Unfortunately the Irish insurance system is a joke and this allows the insurance companies to value your lack of claims over your actual risk of having an accident. You'll be treated as a 17 year old boy-racer in terms of "risk" assesment.

Our of curosity have you been driving since you were 18? Even if your home country doesn't require you to be named, would the car you were driving have been insured?

I was driving a car with an open policy, anyone over 23 could drive it. Before that I was named but its been a while and they wouldn't accept that.

galwaytt

Peixesapo wrote: »

At this point I don't care, is there any way I can drive a car/van/whatever in ireland without having to pay 3k for Insurance? I really need something bigger than a polo, as the ones I found are either too expensive, in a bad shape, or have huge mileage on the clock.

Any advice?

Unfortunately not: that's Irish insurance for ya: nothing to do with real life: just blatant opportunism, laziness and cartels.

Skatedude

3 grand or so for first time driver in Ireland is actually a bargain. If you want cheaper insurance, then you need to earn a few years no claims bonus.

Peixesapo

Skatedude wrote: »

3 grand or so for first time driver in Ireland is actually a bargain. If you want cheaper insurance, then you need to earn a few years no claims bonus.

The funny thing is that I drive everyday a company van on my foreign licence and they didn't have any problem with that. I keep looking for a cheaper solution.

Del2005

Peixesapo wrote: »

The funny thing is that I drive everyday a company van on my foreign licence and they didn't have any problem with that. I keep looking for a cheaper solution.

Get a letter off the company insurance company. Some companies offer discounts if you have proof of no claims while driving on a fleet policy

Fanny Wank

galwaytt wrote: »

Unfortunately not: that's Irish insurance for ya: nothing to do with real life: just blatant opportunism, laziness and cartels.

Yawn

colm_mcm

Peixesapo wrote: »

The funny thing is that I drive everyday a company van on my foreign licence and they didn't have any problem with that. I keep looking for a cheaper solution.

Are you named on the company policy?

Peixesapo

colm_mcm wrote: »

Are you named on the company policy?

I am not. Is an open policy, so they won't take that. Apart from this, the van is leased so technically it does not belong to the company either.

I asked AXA about their assumptions. I quoted a 1.2 polo and TPFT was around 1400-1500 for me, 27 with 9 years licence and the girlfriend, 30 and 10 years licence. The problem is that the quote is based on the assumption that I have been living in Ireland for 3 years or more and that is not the case.

I guess it won't get any cheaper than 1500.

sdanseo

Peixesapo wrote: »

I am not. Is an open policy, so they won't take that. Apart from this, the van is leased so technically it does not belong to the company either.

I asked AXA about their assumptions. I quoted a 1.2 polo and TPFT was around 1400-1500 for me, 27 with 9 years licence and the girlfriend, 30 and 10 years licence. The problem is that the quote is based on the assumption that I have been living in Ireland for 3 years or more and that is not the case.

I guess it won't get any cheaper than 1500.

1500 would be genuinely very good value if they will insure you for that amount with the residency assumption corrected in your case. Even for TPFT.

I'm driving 12 years, 10 years NCB in my own name, 1.5l Diesel 1 year old car and shopping around for renewals at the moment, quotes coming in anywhere between €825 and €1100, fully comp. Last year was €679. 3 or 4 years ago on a then 10 year old 1.6l Petrol it got down as low as €380. The market has gone mad.