I’m a first time young driver…
Yes, we can. But it’s worth considering the main factors that will influence the cost of car insurance for a young and first time driver.
The main factor that will determine the cost of your car insurance is your type of licence. Whether you have a full licence or a learner’s permit is the primary marker that influences the cost of your car insurance. At the time of writing (November 2020) those who have just passed their driving test and have a full licence were charged significantly less than those who had learner's permit.
The next big influencer on the cost of your car insurance is your age. The price difference between a 17-year-old and a 20 year old -for each and every incremental year between those two points - can be huge.
So, what are the options for young and first time drivers?
You can become a named driver on (usually) a parent’s or grandparent’s policy. The cost of this, and indeed whether it is even possible, will depend on which insurance company insures the car.
Becoming a named driver is a great option for people who have a learner’s permit. Holders of Learner’s Permits are not allowed to drive in Ireland unless they are accompanied by a fully licensed person and this person has held their licence for a minimum of 2 years. This rule is enforced and the Gardaí have the power to seize and impound the vehicle - if you are caught in breach. The owner of the vehicle is also subject to prosecution. So the reality is that there is really no point in a holder of a Learner’s Permit owning and insuring their own car.
But the named driving experience that you gain can be very valuable when the time comes for you to buy your own car (or van). Some insurance companies will allow introductory no claims bonus discounts for proven named driving experience. Obviously the longer you are named, the larger the discount and ideally you should aim to be named for at least one year. In any event, any or all named driving experience that you can get will help drive down the cost.
Click on the button below to get an online quote or better still, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
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I’ve got Penalty Points…
Yes, we can quote you if you have penalty points – in fact we have a selection of car insurance policies that are specifically designed for people who have two or more sets of penalty points.
It’s very important to let us know if you have been awarded penalty points. We will need to know the type of motoring offence committed, the number of points that have been added and from what date. Penalty points remain on your driving record with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for a period of three years. Car Insurers have access to this database – it’s called the National Vehicle and Driver File. Technically, you should tell us as soon as you receive your penalty points. Failing that however, most people bring it to our attention at their renewal date. The important thing is that you have options.
Click on the button below to get an online quote or better still, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
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I’ve just returned to Ireland…
Not a problem – we can quote you if you have recently arrived back in Ireland. In fact, if you are bringing your car with you, even if it is a left hand drive, we can get you a competitive quotation with an A-rated insurer.
Rather than go to the bother of filling out our online quotation form, which is primarily designed for longer term resident Irish drivers - we recommend that you give us a call so that we can chat through your details. We will then be back to you very quickly (an hour or so) with at least one quotation and likely multiple quotes.
For a quote, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
I’ve a medical condition…
You are allowed to drive in Ireland once you have the appropriate driving licence and insurance.
Whatever your particular medical conditions, your doctor will tell you if you are unfit to drive. If this is the case, you must surrender your driving licence until you are once again deemed fit to drive. One of the most common examples of this is following a diagnosis of epilepsy. Once you are seizure free for 12 months or more, you can normally apply to have your licence reinstated. Once you send off a medical report confirming this to the NDLS (National Driving licence Service), your licence will be returned. For more details see Car Insurance and Epilepsy.
It is important that you always disclose any medical conditions to both the Driving licence Authority and to your insurance company.
For a quote, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
I’ve a conviction…
Yes, we can help you get a competitive quotation for your car insurance even if you have a non-motoring or a criminal conviction, a drink driving or drug driving disqualification of up to 60 months.
If you have received a six-month disqualification for reaching the penalty point limit, please call us and be able to give us full details of all of the offences. Typically these will be dates, fines, number of penalty points, length of ban and period of imprisonment. We are here to help you. There is no need to be embarrassed; we deal with people in similar situations every day
In most instances we will be able to give you a quote on the spot. If not, you will not be waiting for more than an hour or two.
For a quote, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
I’ve a foreign Driving licence…
Not a problem – we can get you a selection of quotes for your car insurance – all from A-rated insurance companies.
If your driving licence is from other EU countries, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Japan, then some insurance companies will quote you as if your licence was a full Irish licence. If your licence is from a country other than those listed above, then some companies will not quote and others will class your licence as if you have an Irish Learner’s permit. The best thing to do is give us a call and we can chat to you about the various options open to you as well as giving you advice on what car insurance policy will suit you best.
For holders of UK driver licences, click here for more detailed information
For a quote, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
I’ve an Endorsed licence…
If your driving licence is endorsed, it means that you have been caught breaking a rule, or rules, of the road. Depending on the severity of the offence you may or may not have appeared in court. In certain cases, if you were to appear in court, the court may order an endorsement with or without a disqualification to drive. What is certain though, is that you will have received a fine and penalty points. These penalty points remain attached to your licence for 3 years. These are endorsed onto your licence and stamped on your driver record held with the National Vehicle and Driver File.
If you are the holder of an endorsed driving licence, call us and talk through your details. To speed things up, it is useful to have the following information to hand: Your driving licence number, the date of your offence, the number of penalty points and the amount of your fine. We’ll be back to you in about an hour with a quote or a range of quotes, all from A-rated insurers.
For a quote, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
I’ve a non-standard Car…
Non-standard cars come in many guises. Perhaps it is a left hand drive (steering wheel on the left hand side), maybe it is modified – has new bumpers added, bull bars added to farmers’ jeeps or spoilers added. Perhaps you added an immobiliser. Maybe your car is pre 1987 - which makes it a Classic Car.
At QuoteMe.ie we assist owners of non-standard cars obtain competitive and suitable car insurance.
The online Quotation system is primarily designed for more standard cars. So rather than go through the quotation system and spending time in putting all of the required information and (likely) getting no quotes, it would be better to give us a call and speak to one of our qualified car insurance professionals. Not least as they will be able to access insurers who do not make their quotes available online. A conversation is more likely to get you what you need fastest – i.e. – a competitive car insurance quote for your non-standard car.
For a quote, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
I’ve a Zero No Claims Bonus...
The bottom line is – Yes. We have one Insurance Company who specialises in insuring people who have a zero no claims bonus (NCB). The great thing about this company is that when you are insured with them, you can in fact build up a no claims bonus that is recognised by other insurance providers. So, if you are with them for 2 years and at renewal, we find you a better deal with another insurer - they will issue you with a 2 year no claims bonus cert. So there is nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Click on the button below to get an online quote or better still, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
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I’ve a high-value Car...
Yes, we can quote high value cars – no problem. If your car is valued €80,000 or less, you can get a quote from our online quotation system. However, if your car is valued more than €80,000, you should call one of our professional and qualified car insurance team. They will be able to ask you the right questions and will be back to you very quickly, in a matter of hours, with a selection of options for insuring your car.
Click on the button below to get an online quote or better still, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
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I’m over 70…
There is absolutely no doubt that insurance companies charge older drivers more than their younger counterparts. We come across it every day. Having an older car is not much help either. By way of example, we had a 76 year-old client with a 2006 car – in 2019 his premium was €467. In 2020, the lowest price we could get him was €747. There were no changes in his profile and he has a full no claims bonus.
Our experience shows us that car insurance premiums can rise substantially once the policyholder reaches 75 – in some case to the order of 50% – 80% of a difference. And further increases can be on the cards once the age of 80 is reached. And, these increases are for policyholders who have not made a claim.
At QuoteMe.ie we keep a sharp eye out for our older customers – new and existing. As an Irish community based broker, we will always contact our older customers by phone prior to their renewal date. We will use this conversation to secure any additional discounts or to see if there are any ways that we can get their car insurance premium reduced – consistent with having the appropriate cover. We know all the angles such as adding on an additional driver or looking for discounts based on reduced mileage use. We all have parents or grandparents who face this issue. So we try to go the extra mile for them.
If you are an older driver, or indeed a relative or friend assisting a parent or grandparent in trying to get a competitive car insurance deal, you won’t find us wanting in terms of batting on your behalf with the Insurance Companies. It is something we’re passionate about – from our Managing Director down to our Trainees.
Click on the button below to get an online quote or better still, call us now on 0818 22 44 33 and we’ll do the hard work.
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