Car insurance - alternating main driver

MacDanger

Hi

My wife and I changed from two cars to one car this year. I presume it's best to alternate between us as the main driver so that we both maintain an NCD?

Secondly, I was rear-ended earlier this year and claimed from the other party's insurance - should I include this in the renewal questions? Or does that question refer to claims on my own insurance?

TIA

homer911

I'm pretty sure that as long as you are listed on the policy, you will get credit for NCD in the future. Also the main driver should be the main driver and owner of the car, you should not be switching back and forth

You should absolutely mention being rear-ended. I had an accident in an irish hire car once (rear-ended) and my insurance company was aware of it, so dont try and hide anything

Sarn

Being a named driver will not maintain your NCD. It is common practice for a married couple to alternate insurance on their single car each year in order to maintain their NCD. They both have an insurable interest in the car. The insurance companies are fully aware of this.

Just remember that when you’re the named driver you don’t normally get all of the benefits of the policy e.g. being covered to drive other cars. Check your policy!

coylemj

Secondly, I was rear-ended earlier this year and claimed from the other party's insurance - should I include this in the renewal questions? Or does that question refer to claims on my own insurance?

It's going to depend on the exact text of the question but when an insurance company asks you about 'claims', it's in reference to claims made against your motor policy.

In case someone comes up with the old 'material fact' chestnut, those days are gone. You answer the questions they ask you and you're not obliged to supply any other information.

AndrewJRenko

The main driver is the main driver, the person who is mainly driving the car. It's not an arbitrary question. It has nothing to do with ownership of the vehicle either. If you're spoofing your insurer about the main driver, you're on dodgy ground

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120781371#Comment_120781371

I don't see it as black and white in this day and age as the nuclear family model where daddy drives to the office and mammy stays at home has long vaporised. Define "main driver" in a married couple situation where the vehicle is used intermittently by both parties, neither for much more than the weekly trips and no office commute?

MacDanger

Lads, I'd appreciate if everyone doesn't allow one poster to drag the thread way off topic.

FWIW, in our situation, there is no "main" driver as such - we have one car and the driving is shared pretty much equally.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120781485#Comment_120781485

Agreed. Archaic rules need to be rewritten - if you don't have a "main driver" then why would you lie to insurance about it? Rotate it as you need to maintain the benefit of both individual's NCD's.

Flinty997

I'm my opinion there technically there is a main driver. Just changes every year. I would declare the accident. Anything you leave out of might be used against you. Know lots of couples doing this now.

Agree it's an archaic system.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120781644#Comment_120781644

Agreed, the main driver alternates from year-to-year! I think we have it in the bag.

coylemj

Anything you leave out of might be used against you. Know lots of couples doing this now.

Your obligations have changed since September 2021 when S.8 of the Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019 was enabled by ministerial order. It's now down to the insurance company to ask you the right questions. As long as you provide truthful answers to their questions, you have discharged your obligations. You, as a consumer, do not have to worry about 'anything that you leave out'.

(2) The pre-contractual duty of disclosure of a consumer is confined to providing responses to questions asked by the insurer, and the consumer shall not be under any duty to volunteer any information over and above that required by such questions.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2019/act/53/section/8/enacted/en/html#sec8

Henry Ford III

Insurance forum?

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120781175#Comment_120781175

 but when an insurance company asks you about 'claims', it's in reference to claims made against your motor policy.

They also ask about accidents and they don't specify who caused them. So you don't have to tell about a claim that you made against another policy, but you do have to say that you where in a crash.

This is from the Chill site

Have you any accidents, losses or settled claims in last 5 years or outstanding/pending motor insurance claims?

Have you been involved in any accidents or claims, regardless of blame, on any motor vehicle within the last 5 years, regardless of any NCB protection you may have had?

This is from Aviva

Have you or any driver who will drive the car been involved in an accident or suffered any losses in the past 3 years or have any outstanding or pending claims?

We will be unable to provide a quote online if you or any driver who will drive your car:

Have made a claim on any of your previous motor insurance policies in the last 3 years.

Have any outstanding or pending claims.

Been involved in a motor accident or suffered any losses in the past 3 years.

If the claim you (or any driver who will drive your car) had in the last 3 years is settled and relates to fire or theft damage please call us in Galway on 1800 253255.

coylemj

Yes, as I said in the post you quoted: 'It's going to depend on the exact text of the question'.