Frequently Asked Questions

First, ensure yourself and any passengers within the vehicle are OK before moving.

Assess the nature and damage caused before exiting the vehicle and make sure it is safe to do so. If a third party is involved check on them also if safe to do so.

It is good practice to call the Gardaí, no matter how minor the collision as some insurers will request a pulse number or Garda report form in the event of a claim.

When assessing the incident take pictures/videos of where vehicles have landed and collect the insurance and contact details of the third party if one is involved.

Once the above has been done assess whether it is safe to move vehicle(s), generally for minor tips or scrapes this should be no issue but if a vehicle has sustained major damage or you are unsure then leave in situ until authorities arrive.

Then contact your broker or insurer to report the incident and give short concise breakdown of the nature of the incident and they will advise on how to proceed further.

Some new drivers fear it will be impossible to get cover with no prior experience. However, this is not the case. Initially premiums for younger or more inexperienced drivers may be high but this is dependent on a number of factors such as; age of insured, type of license, age and type of vehicle and main area of use. Discuss these with your broker to get an idea of what to look out for to get the best possible premium to suit your budget.

Most insurance policies will allow a period of driving abroad within the policy conditions. The length of this can differ from company to company so it is always best practice to contact your Broker or insurer to confirm their terms.

This can often cause confusion as sometimes people think they are one in the same type of cover.

• Driving of other cars is an extension of your policy that allows you to drive another person’s private car that is loaned to you and that is road legal i.e. Taxed, NCT and insured. (Some limits to it may apply). This is a general inclusion on most standard policies where the policyholder was 25 years old or more at the inception of the policy and holds a full driving license.
• Open drive is an extension that allows anyone within a specified age group (Usually 25-70) who holds a full clean driver’s license to drive your vehicle with your permission. This is quite a common addition for Commercial Vehicle policies. However, it can be quite expensive to include this on a private motor policy due to the increased risk the insurer bears with a potential unlimited amount of drivers.

This aspect is the single most important part of your home insurance cover. It is hugely important to find the correct rebuild figure for your home as the covered amount can affect all aspects of building related claims you may have. The rebuild figure should be considered as ‘Worst case scenario’ where an existing structure would need to be demolished, land cleared and built up again in accordance with up to date building regulations. Do not base insured amount on Market value of home if put up for sale.

This can be taken out in tandem with a building cover policy or on its own if you are renting.

These are generally items of high value that can be added to a policy which covers them away from the home also. Items such as bicycles, jewellery and electronic goods can be covered under this however, depending on valuation, the insurer may require there to be an updated valuation/receipt to be kept on your file.

As cars get older, they are statistically more prone to failure and this is reflected as such when calculating the insurance premium. Ideally, if you can keep the vehicle under 10 years old you stand a better chance at securing a more affordable premium.

Cars with lower engine sizes and power output tend to fall into lower insurance groups. It is important to bear this in mind when choosing your first vehicle. The typical lower grouped model types would be Toyota Yaris, VW Polo, Nissan Micra and the Hyundai i10 and i20 type models.

If you have any previous experience as a named driver on another vehicle, do mention this. When you have a minimum of 12 months completed as an additional driver on an existing policy this can be used to minimise the initial loading on a first time policy in your own name.

In some cases, you can reduce your premium if you add an experienced named driver to your policy. This works best when the additional driver would have a Full Irish license with a clean driving history.

It is good practice when purchasing a car to check the vehicle history for anything that is not obvious when viewing. Things to consider are; is the vehicle imported from a foreign country? Has it been involved in any prior accident or been declared a write off and, how many past owners has it had? These are all rating factors that insurers would use to calculate a premium so it is wise to get ahead of any possible issue before it becomes obvious after purchase.

Always secure a quote first. When shopping for your first car it is wise to ALWAYS get a quotation on a potential vehicle before you buy it. This will avoid and potential shocks you may get if you buy a car then cannot insure it or have to pay an unexpectedly high premium.

As outlined on the RSA website, a learner permit allows you to drive on all public roads except motorways as long as a fully licensed driver who has held their License for over 2 years accompanies you.

Failure to adhere to the above may affect any settlement in the event of a claim.

Learner drivers must display a visible ‘L’ plate on the front and rear of their vehicle at all times. Failure to do so can result in Penalty points and a fine, which will generally affect their insurance premium also.

Persons who have just passed their drivers test must display ‘N’ plates on their vehicle for two full years as they are classed as Novice drivers and are subject to some additional rules.

• They cannot act as an accompanying driver for a learner driver
• A lower blood alcohol concentration will apply (20mg)
• A lower threshold of seven accumulated penalty points will apply before having to serve a disqualification from driving.