First car insurance issue!

SpitfireIV

I'm not totally sure if this is the right place, but, maybe someone can shed some light.


Ok, so, I'm 28 and I got my first car!


After ringing about, being online getting quotes etc the cheapest I came up with was through a broker at €1379

My details:

Provisional held since January 2012
Named experience since Feb 2012 on dads policy
Bog standard 98 Starlet 1.3
Third part F&T
No claims, points, penalties etc.

For the 'named experience' the only option was '1 year', or, none, so, I selected '1 year' as there was no other option, ie no '1 year or less'. So, I went ahead with the online part and got a call from a rep whom went through the details and as far as I'm aware I explained only being a named driver since feb but had selected 1 year as it was the only availible option and I didnt 'not' have named experience.......if that makes sense?! If I remember right the lady replied 'ok, 1 year or less' and we carried on, all was grand and I went ahead.

So, next day I get the paperwork requirments; copy of licence, copy of nct cert, proof of named driving experience etc. Got all these done, but, I didnt do the 'proof of named experience' part correct, I put together a letter, stating I had being a named driver since feb of 2012 under my dads policy and he had supervised me in this time and signed by him, together with a copy of my dads policy with me down as a named driver having been added on Feb 22nd 2012.

Send these off and I get a call...

I needed a letter from the RSA stating that I had been a named driver on my dads policy :rolleyes:

So, I organise this and get it sent off.

Get a call today then to say 'Erm, hold on, you're only a named driver since February, that isnt 1 year, thus we'll be requiring €300 extra on top of what you've already paid for!'



Emm.....I dont know, at what point were they gonna make it clear that my few months experience was invalid?! I said I had named experience, which I have and declared because god knows they'd try catch you out on anything if something were to happen! Just seems they left it very late to hit me with this one and have got the noose around my neck now! I'm a bit p'ed off, so much so that I wasnt thinking straight on the phone so have lots of question that I need to ask in the morning!!

chris85

Ok 1 year named experience is after one year of experience. You havent got that, simple as. Consider your named driving as a no claims bonus as that is what the insurer are viewing it, a bonus for experience gained without claims. You only get a years no claims when you have gone a full year. This is the same in your case.

From the options you had, 0 or 1 year, you should have went for 0 as you have not had one FULL year experience. If unsure you always should ring and not just assume its ok. Its ok to get an online quote and then ring up and clarify any points to be sure.

You have no noose around your head, you are just wiser to the insurance game. Go looking at quotes again based on 0 years experience.

SpitfireIV

chris85 wrote: »

Ok 1 year named experience is after one year of experience. You havent got that, simple as. Consider your named driving as a no claims bonus as that is what the insurer are viewing it, a bonus for experience gained without claims. You only get a years no claims when you have gone a full year. This is the same in your case.

From the options you had, 0 or 1 year, you should have went for 0 as you have not had one FULL year experience. If unsure you always should ring and not just assume its ok. Its ok to get an online quote and then ring up and clarify any points to be sure.

You have no noose around your head, you are just wiser to the insurance game. Go looking at quotes again based on 0 years experience.

Thanks for the reply!

What I was getting at was:

1. I stated to the woman on the phone after I had done the online form that I only had a provisional since Jan 2012 and was only a named driver since Feb and she quoted me at €1379.

2. I sent a letter stating I was a named driver since Feb 2012.

3. I sent a copy of my dads policy showing that I was a named driver since Feb 2012

They then charged me the amount quoted; €1379.

Then, after sending the letter from the RSA saying I was a nemd driver since Feb 2012 they say 'actually, hold on!! youre only a named driver since Feb 2012!!', I mean, I wasnt hiding anything, I stated clearly and still they quoted/charged me so, I took it at that. I know a few months experience is nothing, but, they could have told me that before now! But, I guess you're right, first one is always a killer!

mathepac

Lesson 1 about insurance companies - whatever they say to you on the phone is generally nonsense / non-binding / never happened / deniable, etc. but there are exception. At least one exception is posted here where they played the tapes and stuck to their deal as discussed on the phone; this is an exception IME.

The named driver thing sounds straightforward to me; if it's less than a year, disregard; from 1 to 2 years allow a year, etc.

As an example I have accumulated 14 years claim and accident free driving but my insurers only recognise 9 of those years.

Ah yes, the joys of motor insurance; the rules are whatever we decide today.

SpitfireIV

mathepac wrote: »

Lesson 1 about insurance companies - whatever they say to you on the phone is generally nonsense / non-binding / never happened / deniable, etc. but there are exception. At least one exception is posted here where they played the tapes and stuck to their deal as discussed on the phone; this is an exception IME.

The named driver thing sounds straightforward to me; if it's less than a year, disregard; from 1 to 2 years allow a year, etc.

As an example I have accumulated 14 years claim and accident free driving but my insurers only recognise 9 of those years.

Ah yes, the joys of motor insurance; the rules are whatever we decide today.

Cheers

Think I've calmed down a bit now , still a tad annoyed that they didnt cop this sooner and alert me to it! Have the car over 3 weeks now and havent got to drive the thing, its so frustrating, thought I was on the home straight, but now my tax money is gonna have to go to pay the extra on the insurance and I'll gonna have to pull tax money out of somewhere else! :rolleyes:

I rang another broker and got a quote of €1630, with Asgard, (and yeah I didnt bother mentioning the 'named driver' stuff!). The broker I'm dealing with want €1700, also Asgard, might try and get them down in price a little.


One more question, if say, I sit my test in September or so, would I get some money back from the insurer as I'd then be the holder of a full licence?

Pythia

CroppyBoy1798 wrote: »

One more question, if say, I sit my test in September or so, would I get some money back from the insurer as I'd then be the holder of a full licence?

Most likely yes. I did when I passed mine.

peteb2

completely depends on the insurance company! Would not take it as a given, especially with Asgard.

SpitfireIV

Thanks for the help guys. In the wind up I ended up just cancelling the policy, I couldnt get any good of them, I'll be taking a €25 cancellation fee. Found another insurer that's a little cheaper, even with losing the 25 I'll still be saving €30, so, I guess thats 30 thats better off in my pocket, or the petrol tank! :rolleyes: