A story about "unlimited cover"...

bk86a

I'm a frequent traveller. I drive to UK and continent, especially Brussels, Belgium very often, sometimes staying there for weeks or even months. It is important for me to get the best and the most flexible car insurance on the market. I don't have a company car, so I do care a little bit more...

I'm insured with AXA. In two months I will have to either extend the insurance with my current company or find a new insurer. One of the most important options for me is comprehensive coverage outside of Ireland for the longest possible duration. There isn't many companies offering longer than 31 days of comprehensive cover outside of Ireland, some offer max. of 92 days.

I was positively surprised after I found an offer from FBD. They are advertising "Unlimited cover for driving in the EU" and compare it with AXA, QuinnDirect, Hibernian. See below.



There is a green tick for FBD and three red crosses against other companies. the little asterisks are remarks of the company limitations in offering the comprehensive cover in the EU (AXA - 31 days, QuinnDirect - 93 days, Hibernian - 31 days).

Here comes problem number 1. I concluded that word "unlimited" is referring to time rather than a range of available options, since FBD was using remarks of time limitations of other insurers.
Would you think unlimited time means longer than 93 days? Wrong. It is exactly 93 days. I rang FBD yesterday and they told me, the comprehensive coverage in EU is limited to first 93 days after leaving Ireland.

Here comes problem number 2. Look carefully at the image below.



What's wrong here? According to FBD, AXA, QuinnDirect and Hibernian don't offer third party coverage for longer than 93 days (same remarks apply). That's incorrect. All insurance companies in Europe are obliged to offer at least third-party coverage in the EU for the whole duration of insurance period. See EUR-Lex 31990L0232 and EU Commision website for more details.
I had this discussion with my current insurer about 3rd party insurance for customers travelling in Europe for longer than 31 days. For some period of time they argued I was only covered for the first 31 days, and I had no insurance whatsoever afterwards. I had to call EU law to have them change their mind and force to look deeper in their own regulations. The problem of comprehensive coverage remains, as there is no legal way of checking whether car left country for period longer than 31 days. It's a subject for another discussion.

As a conclusion, FBD providing wrong information on their website is misleading the customers. I will raise the issue with Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau and Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland. I hope they have force to stop the company from misleading the public.

Please be aware of that, while choosing a new insurance company or extending your existing insurance.

keithclancy

bk86a wrote: »

I'm a frequent traveller. I drive to UK and continent, especially Brussels, Belgium very often, sometimes staying there for weeks or even months. It is important for me to get the best and the most flexible car insurance on the market. I don't have a company car, so I do care a little bit more...

I'm insured with AXA. In two months I will have to either extend the insurance with my current company or find a new insurer. One of the most important options for me is comprehensive coverage outside of Ireland for the longest possible duration. There isn't many companies offering longer than 31 days of comprehensive cover outside of Ireland, some offer max. of 92 days.

I was positively surprised after I found an offer from FBD. They are advertising "Unlimited cover for driving in the EU" and compare it with AXA, QuinnDirect, Hibernian. See below.



There is a green tick for FBD and three red crosses against other companies. the little asterisks are remarks of the company limitations in offering the comprehensive cover in the EU (AXA - 31 days, QuinnDirect - 93 days, Hibernian - 31 days).

Here comes problem number 1. I concluded that word "unlimited" is referring to time rather than a range of available options, since FBD was using remarks of time limitations of other insurers.
Would you think unlimited time means longer than 93 days? Wrong. It is exactly 93 days. I rang FBD yesterday and they told me, the comprehensive coverage in EU is limited to first 93 days after leaving Ireland.

Here comes problem number 2. Look carefully at the image below.



What's wrong here? According to FBD, AXA, QuinnDirect and Hibernian don't offer third party coverage for longer than 93 days (same remarks apply). That's incorrect. All insurance companies in Europe are obliged to offer at least third-party coverage in the EU for the whole duration of insurance period. See EUR-Lex 31990L0232 and EU Commision website for more details.
I had this discussion with my current insurer about 3rd party insurance for customers travelling in Europe for longer than 31 days. For some period of time they argued I was only covered for the first 31 days, and I had no insurance whatsoever afterwards. I had to call EU law to have them change their mind and force to look deeper in their own regulations. The problem of comprehensive coverage remains, as there is no legal way of checking whether car left country for period longer than 31 days. It's a subject for another discussion.

As a conclusion, FBD providing wrong information on their website is misleading the customers. I will raise the issue with Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau and Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland. I hope they have force to stop the company from misleading the public.

Please be aware of that, while choosing a new insurance company or extending your existing insurance.

Yup, 3 Months is normal, you just have to bring your car home and back again.

You need to keep the proof i.e. Ferry/Eurotunnel boarding pass with your reg printed on it.

I've been asked for Proof Twice by the Koninklijk Marechaussee also be aware that during the winter months in Germany without winter tyres any accident is automatically your fault.

My now Dutch Car insurance gives me unlimited cover (Maximum non residence in the Netherlands 156 days) within the Schengen Countries and 3 months in the UK/Ireland.

Also that "Green Card" they give you is totally worthless and just confuses the cops, its about as useful as that "International Driving license"

Everyone from the UK where I work in Germany has to drive back every three months to obtain proof that they've left the country and came back again.