Vehicle Insurance

Are you getting the best price for your Car Insurance? It is wise to keep comparing policies, to get the best for you and your vehicle. Whether you drive a van, car, motorcycle or caravan you will need a certain level of mandatory cover in order to drive legally on public roads. Aside from basic cover you can get many more additional layers of protection. This might be additional cover on your vehicle or the belongings inside it, or specialised cover for an historical or ‘old timer’ vehicle. Use the chart below to compare the main features of each offer. What are the costs? Which vehicles can you insure? Can you pay your premiums on a monthly basis? It is wise to consider vehicle insurance carefully to ensure you get the best deal for your money.

If you want to drive your car or any other vehicle it is essential that you have insurance

It is against the law to be without vehicle insurance

It is a legal requirement in Ireland to have motor insurance if you want to drive your car in a public place and you must produce a current Certificate of Insurance to pay motor tax. Failure to have motor insurance when driving in Ireland is a very serious offence and drivers will incur fines, penalty points and may be disqualified from driving. Motor insurance is about protecting other road users as opposed to the driver of the insured vehicle and it is not an optional extra. Insurance companies provide motor insurance and unlike road tax, there is no such thing as a "standard" rate.

Young drivers are more at risk and cost more to insure

Young drivers represent a high risk for insurers and the cost of motor insurance in this age group is considerably higher than for others both in Ireland and throughout the European Union (EU). Ireland currently ranks extremely high of the 25 EU member states on road accident frequency. There are some things you can do to try and decrease the price of a young person’s insurance. You should try and join a parent's insurance as a named driver as early as possible. This will enable you to establish a safety record, which is crucial when you want to apply for insurance in your own name. Some companies offer discounts to young people seeking insurance in their own name if they have been a named driver. Try and get a full licence as soon as possible. Having a full licence will reduce the cost of your insurance premium considerably. Choose a car with a relatively small engine, as less powerful cars are cheaper to insure. Drive carefully as the best way to reduce the cost of your motor insurance is to build up your no claims bonus.

What are the main types of insurance cover available in Ireland?

Comprehensive - This is the most expensive type of insurance on the market and covers you for almost every eventuality: any damage done to the vehicle regardless of how it was incurred; life/accident insurance; loss of personal belongings from the car; the cost of a hired car if the insured car is off the road as a result of an accident; windscreen breakage, etc. With more brand new cars on the road than ever before, there has been a notable rise in people taking out comprehensive vehicle insurance. A brand new car should be comprehensively insured.

Third party, fire and theft - This is the most popular form of motor insurance in Ireland. It covers you for loss of the vehicle through fire or theft and for any loss as a result of attempted fire or theft. Damage to property is also covered. There are also optional extras available such as windscreen breakage.

Third party - This is the minimum cover required by law, but it does have restrictions and limits, leaving you open to substantial loss in the event of an accident. If you are at fault, then only your passengers and the driver and passengers of the other vehicle will be compensated. This type of insurance provides no cover for damage sustained in an accident to your car or if your car is stolen or goes on fire.

An insurance company considers many things when calculating an insurance premium. Most premiums are based on basic third party cover with the cost of extras added on. The main thing that will determine the cost of your insurance is what you actually want to be covered for. They will also take into account the type of license you have, the size and age of the car, the age of the driver, the value of the car, where the car is kept and a no claims bonus.