Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Insurance bullsiht, where's the incentive to use public transport

Options
  • 10-04-2018 8:41pm
    #1
    Ahhhh for forks sake!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 143 ✭✭


    An acquaintance of mine said that she stopped driving for two years and didn't get insurance in the mean time. She used public transport as it was more convenient for her circumstances and she couldn't afford to drive anyway.

    She is now in better circumstances and she wants to start driving again. However, she has been slapped with a ridiculous premium of almost €2,000 for driving a modest 1 litre automatic hatchback, year 2015 due to losing her no claims bonus.

    If the government want to incentivise people to bike it into work or use public transport more and hang up the keys for a while to reduce emissions then this absolute bull**** needs to stop.

    A coworker of mine is going to Singapore for a year or two. I gave her some advice. Stay insured on her mam or dad's car as a named driver on a third party policy only. It'll only cost a couple of hundred per year and save money in the long run.

    If people who hang up the keys for a year or two in favour of public transport are going to be met with extortionate insurance upon driving again, then people will simply continue to drive indefinitely.


«13

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,349 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Maurice Riordan wrote: »
    If the government want to incentivise people to bike it into work or use public transport more and hang up the keys for a while to reduce emissions then this absolute bull**** needs to stop.
    at the risk of sounding facetious - the government should act to make car ownership cheaper in order to incentivise people to cycle or use public transport?


  • Options
    #3
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    at the risk of sounding facetious - the government should act to make car ownership cheaper in order to incentivise people to cycle or use public transport?

    I think the point is that if someone like me who only uses their car to drive to Rugby training for example would be forced to maintain insurance if I ever gave up playing (and the car as I'd no longer need it).

    It would be cheaper to pay the 500 p/a to maintain a no claims than give it up for 5 years only to be hit with 2,000 p/a when my circumstances change.


  • Options
    #4
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,470 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    LeinsterDub wrote: »
    I think the point is that if someone like me who only uses their car to drive to Rugby training for example would be forced to maintain insurance if I ever gave up playing as it would be cheaper to pay the 500 p/a to maintain a no claims than give it up for 5 years only to be hit with 2,000 p/a when my circumstances change.

    I've read this four times......still trying to work it out.

    You play rugby .....ok I got that bit......

    the rest of it.....


  • Options
    #5
    thierry14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,480 ✭✭✭thierry14


    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    I've read this four times......still trying to work it out.

    You play rugby .....ok I got that bit......

    the rest of it.....

    No claims shouldnt disappear after 2 years if you stop driving a car to cycle to work , use public transport, leave the country, walk, whatever

    Should be like 5 years on hold or so for no claims

    Its a disgusting tactic by insurance companies

    Get it now?


  • Options
    #6
    Allinall
    Registered Users Posts: 6,540 ✭✭✭Allinall


    Until there is a worldwide insurance database that companies can access, it’s going to be the way it is.

    You can’t prove that you haven’t been driving around some other country incurring millions of Euro third party claims.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    I've read this four times......still trying to work it out.

    You play rugby .....ok I got that bit......

    the rest of it.....

    I cycle or bus to work. I only have a car as I need it for Rugby training, if i gave up Rugby I'd get rid of the car.


  • Options
    #8
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    Allinall wrote: »
    Until there is a worldwide insurance database that companies can access, it’s going to be the way it is.

    You can’t prove that you haven’t been driving around some other country incurring millions of Euro third party claims.

    What is it to them? They wouldn't be responsible for those claims , no more than if I crash my car today and change my insurance provider tomorrow.


  • Options
    #9
    Allinall
    Registered Users Posts: 6,540 ✭✭✭Allinall


    LeinsterDub wrote: »
    What is it to them? They wouldn't be responsible for those claims , no more than if I crash my car today and change my insurance provider tomorrow.

    They want to know if you’re high risk .


  • Options
    #10
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,349 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    LeinsterDub wrote: »
    What is it to them? They wouldn't be responsible for those claims , no more than if I crash my car today and change my insurance provider tomorrow.
    but if you crash your car today and change tomorrow, that could well affect your NCD. and you'd have to declare on the application to the new insurance company that you've made a claim.


  • Options
    #11
    trellheim
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭trellheim


    Its the insurers call as to what they accept for the purposes of discounting a policy there's no law covering it AFAIK so anything you'd get would be goodwill ; did you go back to the original insurer ?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    cgcsb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,275 ✭✭✭cgcsb


    Insurance in this country, health home and car is a scam. However that has little to do with public transport. If the government is going to clip the wings of the insurance extortionists then all well and good but incentivizing public transport is hardly a motivating factor.


  • Options
    #13
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,470 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    cgcsb wrote: »
    Insurance in this country, health home and car is a scam. However that has little to do with public transport. If the government is going to clip the wings of the insurance extortionists then all well and good but incentivizing public transport is hardly a motivating factor.

    the scam is the claims culture that pushes up premiums.

    If Insurance is such a scam, then you wouldnt have insurance companies shutting up shop because they cant make money.


  • Options
    #14
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,470 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    thierry14 wrote: »
    No claims shouldnt disappear after 2 years if you stop driving a car to cycle to work , use public transport, leave the country, walk, whatever

    Should be like 5 years on hold or so for no claims

    Its a disgusting tactic by insurance companies

    Get it now?

    It 'shouldnt' ? Says who.....

    A no claims bonus relates to policies. It runs usually for up to 5 consecutive years. The past five consecutive years. Not five consecutive years 8 years ago or 12 years ago. If you dont insure then you lose the consecutive years.


  • Options
    #15
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    but if you crash your car today and change tomorrow, that could well affect your NCD. and you'd have to declare on the application to the new insurance company that you've made a claim.

    So ask people have you been off the road or on the road in a other country.


  • Options
    #16
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 12,971 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    LeinsterDub wrote: »
    I cycle or bus to work. I only have a car as I need it for Rugby training, if i gave up Rugby I'd get rid of the car.

    I'm a member of a rugby club. Last time I checked we weren't obliged to have cars and we are welcome to get the bus, cycle or even walk to training.


  • Options
    #17
    Isambard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,796 ✭✭✭Isambard


    more to the point, I think NCBs should be scrapped altogther. All they serve to do is limit the number of claims the Ins Companies get by making people reluctant to claim for fear of losing theirs. Premiums should be individually calculated to a known and transparent formula


  • Options
    #18
    Ahhhh for forks sake!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 143 ✭✭Ahhhh for forks sake!


    Losty Dublin wrote: »
    I'm a member of a rugby club. Last time I checked we weren't obliged to have cars and we are welcome to get the bus, cycle or even walk to training.

    Maybe the rugby club is located in an area not well served by public transport and too far from him to cycle. You don't know the circumstances.


  • Options
    #19
    Ahhhh for forks sake!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 143 ✭✭Ahhhh for forks sake!


    Isambard wrote: »
    more to the point, I think NCBs should be scrapped altogther. All they serve to do is limit the number of claims the Ins Companies get by making people reluctant to claim for fear of losing theirs. Premiums should be individually calculated to a known and transparent formula

    I suppose we could all get together and make an excel chart and spam a certain company with quotation requests, we can then tabulate the quotation with the criteria listed and hopefully see some sort of correlation. I trust someone here would be smart enough to extrapolate some sort of formula from all those data.


  • Options
    #20
    Middle Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Middle Man


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    at the risk of sounding facetious - the government should act to make car ownership cheaper in order to incentivise people to cycle or use public transport?
    No, you don't sound facetious - you come across (going on what's quoted above) like a monetary dictator who likes to control people. You should incentivise things by making them attractive - like building Metro Link to increase rail usage. We the ordinary people have had enough stick - it's now time for the carrot! Given the ridiculous cost of living in this country, what are you trying to do mate - cause a revolution??? The cost of living in this country has got to come down - for a start, let's have a proper free market economy rather than economic extortion!


  • Options
    #21
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,349 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    I'd respond to that if there was any actual point to respond to.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,164 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Ahhhh for forks sake! wrote: »
    I suppose we could all get together and make an excel chart and spam a certain company with quotation requests, we can then tabulate the quotation with the criteria listed and hopefully see some sort of correlation. I trust someone here would be smart enough to extrapolate some sort of formula from all those data.

    Except you'd need to do it on the same day. The actuarial profiles are always changing.



    Fix the claim culture, then insurance costs can come down. Turn 19k for whiplash into €600 paid directly to the physio. SORTED. All gone. Bye bye.


  • Options
    #23
    Middle Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Middle Man


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    I'd respond to that if there was any actual point to respond to.
    Perhaps, brush up on comprehension!

    The point is that if you want people to use alternative modes such as public transport, then you need to invest so as to increase the quality and capacity thereof which in turn increase the attractiveness of the said alternatives. No more car bashing - motoring is so expensive as it stands and any further anti-car measures in the absence of credible alternatives are sure to merely increase anger amongst the general population.

    Ripping off people more and more for the privilege of living is no solution!


  • Options
    #24
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,881 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    What most people do in her situation is before the two years are up is to take out a policy. Cancel the policy after a month & you are good for another 23 months. It's the only way to keep the no claims bonus.


  • Options
    #25
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,349 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Middle Man wrote: »
    Perhaps, brush up on comprehension!

    The point is that if you want people to use alternative modes such as public transport, then you need to invest so as to increase the quality and capacity thereof which in turn increase the attractiveness of the said alternatives. No more car bashing - motoring is so expensive as it stands and any further anti-car measures in the absence of credible alternatives are sure to merely increase anger amongst the general population.

    Ripping off people more and more for the privilege of living is no solution!
    you are arguing against a point i did not make.


  • Options
    #26
    Middle Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Middle Man


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    you are arguing against a point i did not make.
    Well, what I understand in what you were initially arguing is that making cars cheaper (and hence, making motoring less costly) is bad because it acts as a disincentive to use alternative modes. What I'm saying is that alternatives such as public transport should be made attractive instead of making motoring even less attractive.

    Forget about motor tax and instead have road tax (we already pay motor tax on our fuel) that includes all road users except pedestrians - some of that tax can be used to invest in public transport infrastructure - Dublin's MetroLink is so badly needed before Dublin chokes. We also need better footpaths and decent regional roads where optimal.


  • Options
    #27
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,349 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Middle Man wrote: »
    Well, what I understand in what you were initially arguing is that making cars cheaper (and hence, making motoring less costly) is bad because it acts as a disincentive to use alternative modes.
    no, i was suggesting that making car ownership cheaper does not incentivise people to use public transport. that was it. any further inference is yours, not mine.

    how that makes me a 'monetary dictator' is something i'm still chuckling about.


  • Options
    #28
    Summer In the City
    Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Summer In the City


    Allinall wrote: »
    Until there is a worldwide insurance database that companies can access, it’s going to be the way it is.

    You can’t prove that you haven’t been driving around some other country incurring millions of Euro third party claims.

    I'm driving around a different country possibly incurring claims but like the op says my dad was good enough to put me on his insurance to maintain my no claims bonus. Anyone leaving the country or having a break from driving should be doing this if possible.


  • Options
    #29
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,349 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Middle Man wrote: »
    What I'm saying is that alternatives such as public transport should be made attractive instead of making motoring even less attractive.
    do you include cycling as an alternative?


  • Options
    #30
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    the scam is the claims culture that pushes up premiums.

    If Insurance is such a scam, then you wouldnt have insurance companies shutting up shop because they cant make money.

    They might be closing because they made bad investments. Nothing to do with claims.

    Before we had claim culture we had high premiums. We had theses high premiums in the 80s and 90s.

    I'm not saying claims aren't an issue. But if I've had a clean license for 20yrs, no claims, I shouldn't go back to zero no claims after a break of two years.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    Middle Man
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭Middle Man


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    do you include cycling as an alternative?
    It's not a real alternative in Ireland - weather and narrow streets (it's a sport in reality). Unlike much of Europe, Dublin was not bombed out of it during WW2 and as a result, retained its original narrow street pattern, so no room for cycling. In the city centre, there's not even enough space for all the pedestrians let alone bikes - even without a single car, space would remain very tight for all the buses, trams and pedestrians - just look at College Green. The only real solution to Dublin's traffic problem is an underground rail system and higher density development. We also need better footpaths!


Advertisement