Should my insurance quote be this high?

DrFroggies

Hi Guys,

Just looking for insurance quotes for myself (32, on 1st learners permit since 2007, no claims/penalty points etc for a VW Polo 1.4 classic 1998 - parked overnight in Swords North County Dublin etc) and i'm only able to get two insurers to quote me (due to being on learners permit).

the first is €1760
the second €1480

can this be right? Has anyone else experienced this kind of heavy insurance costs at the moment?

i'm actually in a bit of shock as i wasn't expecting anything over the €1200 mark.

I'd really just like to know if this is usual or any tips or advice anyone could give me?

Thanks
DF

Tigger

technically shouldn't be driving on a learners permit

thats probably the issue as if you crash into me my people would say you were being illegal and i'd get loads of money

thats my theory a learners permit makes you a risk

Del2005

DrFroggies wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Just looking for insurance quotes for myself (32, on 1st learners permit since 2007, no claims/penalty points etc for a VW Polo 1.4 classic 1998 - parked overnight in Swords North County Dublin etc) and i'm only able to get two insurers to quote me (due to being on learners permit).

the first is €1760
the second €1480

can this be right? Has anyone else experienced this kind of heavy insurance costs at the moment?

If they are the only quotes you can get then yes.

i'm actually in a bit of shock as i wasn't expecting anything over the €1200 mark.

I'd really just like to know if this is usual or any tips or advice anyone could give me?

Thanks
DF

Get the golden pages, open up car insurance and ring every ad.

maidhc

Tigger wrote: »

technically shouldn't be driving on a learners permit

thats probably the issue as if you crash into me my people would say you were being illegal and i'd get loads of money

thats my theory a learners permit makes you a risk

1) He still needs insurance
2) You wouldn't get loads of money unless you were badly injured... the fact a person was driving unaccompanied is his business (and his insurers, and the gardai, but not yours)

robtri

maidhc wrote: »

1) He still needs insurance
2) You wouldn't get loads of money unless you were badly injured... the fact a person was driving unaccompanied is his business (and his insurers, and the gardai, but not yours)

he does still need isnurance and I reckon its right, he's only driving 24 months...very high risk category, so the price seems fair.

and I would say its everybodies business, not just his insurers and the gardai

Anan1

The OP hasn't said that they would be driving unaccompanied, let's assume they won't be breaking the law until they tell us otherwise.:)

R.O.R

Less than €1,500 sounds quite good to me for first insurance on anything. Go back a few years you would have been looking at €2,500 - €3,000.

GreeBo

robtri wrote: »

he does still need isnurance and I reckon its right, he's only driving 24 months...very high risk category, so the price seems fair.

and I would say its everybodies business, not just his insurers and the gardai

Its not the driving experience its the lack of full licence (or being a names driver)

My first insurance was 800 and I was younger than the OP, driving a 1.8 Avensis.

Its much cheaper to get named on someone elses and get you test and then get your own. Why do you need your own insurance on your own car if you cant drive on your own?

leeroybrown

It's very simple. Sit and pass your driving test asap. The insurance risk will drop hugely once you pass and you'll immediately get a decent premium refund from the insurance premium you've paid. Someone with a car to practice in regularly has no real excuse for not doing so.

dudara

3+ years ago when I bought my first car after leaving college (1999 1.2 Punto) I got insured for €750 as the main driver with my mother as a named driver. This was on a provisional. At the time I was 27.

Your quote does seem high - even given the fact that insurance has increased across the board lately.

As other posters have said - start ringing absolutely everyone. Also I'd suggest insure.ie - they were good at the time for insuring learner drivers.

oldyouth

Leaving out the driving unaccompanied agrument, Insurers would be concerned that a 32 yr old still doesn't hold a full licence. I appreciate the OP may have started driving late, but older drivers, with a learners permit is a common indicator of someone reinventing their driving history

vectra

robtri wrote: »

he does still need isnurance and I reckon its right, he's only driving 24 months...very high risk category, so the price seems fair.

and I would say its everybodies business, not just his insurers and the gardai

I know a lad that got his Full licence ( went to the UK and did the test )
Do you automatically assume the 17 yr old is a better driver simply because he is not on a Learners permit?

@ OP
Have you tried >> Bestquote.ie

R.O.R

vectra wrote: »

I know a lad that got his Full licence ( went to the UK and did the test )
Do you automatically assume the 17 yr old is a better driver simply because he is not on a Learners permit?

Yes - he's passed a test of competance to prove he has the necessary skills.

Murphy09

just out of curiosity i checked nononsense car insurance and they would quote you 1300 fully comp and 1000 3rd party fire and theft, i also find that quinn direct have cheap car insurance similar to this. i used to have high car insurance but its my age, when i was 18 it was 2700 3rd party fire and theft, but now after 3 years no claims and gettin a full licence its now 960 fully comp. shop around i reckon 1300 is a good quote for zero years no claims and learners permit.

vectra

R.O.R wrote: »

Yes - he's passed a test of competance to prove he has the necessary skills.

My point was, Why assume the op is a crap driver just because he is on a LP. He has 2 years more experience than the 17yr just out of the passenger seat of his mothers space wagon.

We all know experience has no price.;)

eamo007

i tried chill.ie you put in all details of car and yourself and they come up with the cheapest quote from all companies in ireland. it worked for me....

Anan1

vectra wrote: »

My point was, Why assume the op is a crap driver just because he is on a LP. He has 2 years more experience than the 17yr just out of the passenger seat of his mothers space wagon.

We all know experience has no price.;)

True, but at least the driver who has passed the test has demonstrated a basic level of competence behind the wheel.

kc66

Gathering as much as I could from your provided details I got a quote of €1113 fully comp on www.quoteme.ie. The location alone added €100 over what it would cost in Meath.

Voodoomelon

My first quote with Quinn (the cheapest) 18 months ago was eur1800.00.

That was for a 24 year old with no experience on a provisional in a 1.0l Polo. They're decent quotes you got.

leeroybrown

I'll add that a 32 year old learner shouldn't be just looking for online quotes. While the online quote systems are very handy for someone with a full license, a two year NCB, no points and no accidents driving a low risk car, they're useless for anyone outside that narrow range. Ring the companies and brokers to get quotes from them. That way you're far more likely to find someone able to decide that you represent a lower risk and offer you a quote without the normal restrictions.

adamshred

vectra wrote: »

My point was, Why assume the op is a crap driver just because he is on a LP. He has 2 years more experience than the 17yr just out of the passenger seat of his mothers space wagon.

We all know experience has no price.;)

No one is assuming that he is a crap driver. Although if I was an insurer I would just be weary that a person of that age still hasn't completed a RELATIVELY easy test. No one knows the circumstances behind this story though.

the_syco

DrFroggies wrote: »

the first is €1760
the second €1480

On my 2nd provisional, at 27, my quote (for my first car, a 1.4 Honda Civic Saloon) was through insure.ie with a company called Asgard. It was for about €1250, give or take €20. In saying that, the online quote was €1400. Ringing them made a difference of about €150.

I'll be 28 getting insurance this year, with 1 years NCB. Checked out 123.ie and got me a quote of about €900, which ain't too shabby. Bestquote.ie gave me a quote of a €1000.

Max Power1

As a 1st time driver with a VW Golf 1998 1.4, I got quoted €1750 with Hibernian, and €1800-€1900 with 2 other online companies. Bestquote gave me €2300!!:eek: Do your own research before booking with them!

Zube

vectra wrote: »

My point was, Why assume the op is a crap driver just because he is on a LP.

Well, he's on a LP since 2007, so he'll have failed at least one test by now, right?

DrFroggies

Wow...bit of can of worms i've just opened there methinks ;-)

Firstly thanks to all of you who gave pointers and suggestions on where to check for other quotes and for what to expect.

In the end i found third party fire and theft cover for €1,111 looking on insure.ie. which judging by what i've read here is pretty good.

And just to clarify for those who were curious...I'm not reinventing my driving history nor have i failed any tests yet. I didn't realise being 32 and learning to drive would cause such curiosity! My freakish LP status at this ancient age is just the result of a busy life where having a full license has never been a priority.

It is now! And the reason i need to be fully insured and have my own car is because i need to take a member of my family (who is fully licensed and will obviously be with me in the car) to and from the hospital to visit another member of my family, to ensure that this facility is available to both of them after release from the hospital especially for the winter months and to leave the car with him to drive when i can't be around (or while the car he usually drives is unavailable which it will be for the next few months).

As regards having my LP for 2 years...I spent most of last year travelling which is why i haven't taken my test yet but plan on taking my test before this Christmas.

And there it is Ladies and Gentlemen the mystery of the 32 year old 2007 LP holder in need of insurance for his 98 VW 1.4ltr Polo....Solved!

I believe Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are making a movie about it now:P

TwoShedsJackson

The learner's permit is the thing, I first got insured on a car three years ago when I was 34, €1350 with Quinn for an Astra 1.4. Passed the test a year later, next quote €700 (with a different company), then down to €590 and €520 this year.

So yes, passing your test would be the best thing to do to reduce your insurance