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Insurance for Car or Driver

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  • 24-09-2013 7:12pm
    #1
    AOWAO.de
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭


    Hi,

    I'm about to register a german car for the irish roads and need an Insurance. As I'm going to register the car under my name but my wife will use it most of the time, what is the best insurance type for that secenario? Or is it better to register the car under her name?

    Is an insurance policy for the Driver or for the car?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    pajor
    Registered Users Posts: 3,573 ✭✭✭pajor


    It's just for the driver. But most insurance companies (if not all) will insure your wife as well for no extra charge.


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    #3
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    AOWAO.de wrote: »
    Hi,

    I'm about to register a german car for the irish roads and need an Insurance. As I'm going to register the car under my name but my wife will use it most of the time, what is the best insurance type for that secenario? Or is it better to register the car under her name?

    Is an insurance policy for the Driver or for the car?

    In Ireland insurance applies to both driver and car.
    So in most basic example, if you own a car, and buy insurance, this insure will cover you to drive your car only (so no one else can drive your car, and you can't drive any other car).


    But that's just basic option, and most policies offer extras.

    First thing is you can add named drivers who will be coverd by your insurance policy to drive your car. So f.e. you can add your wife.
    Some policies cover you (the policyholder) to drive other cars which don't belong to you.
    Also it's possibly to buy open-drive policy on your car, so anyone with valid driving licence will be covered to drive your car.


    In relation to your case, it shouldn't matter too much if you register car on your name or your wife's name.

    Many insurance companies allow a person to buy insurance policy on car which is registered in spouse name. So f.e. your wife will be able to buy insurance policy on car which is registered in your name.

    Anyway - possibly the best option is to register car f.e. in your name. You then buy insurance policy in your name, and add your wife as named driver. This will be the cheapest option, as most insurance companies give you lower premium if you add your spouse to your policy as named driver.
    (I know it sounds strange, but if I wanted to insure only myself (so only I could drive), my premium would be about 150 euros more expensive comparing to scenario where I'm insured and my wife is added as named driver, so we can both drive)


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    #4
    Cleveland Hot Pocket
    Registered Users Posts: 5,193 ✭✭✭Cleveland Hot Pocket


    Irish insurers are for the most part, robbing ba$tards. They only insure you to drive one car. (So to answer your question, insurance is for driving of one car only, so not 100% driver or car)


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    #5
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    that's not true. My insurance, and most people's , covers me to drive any car as well as mine provided I don't own it and haven't hired it. It also covers anyone over 25 to drive my car.

    OP include your wife, far from being dearer, it actually will prove cheaper in most cases thn just covering you


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    #6
    Cleveland Hot Pocket
    Registered Users Posts: 5,193 ✭✭✭Cleveland Hot Pocket


    corktina wrote: »
    that's not true. My insurance, and most people's , covers me to drive any car as well as mine provided I don't own it and haven't hired it. It also covers anyone over 25 to drive my car.

    OP include your wife, far from being dearer, it actually will prove cheaper in most cases thn just covering you

    Yes it is true
    I have the driving other cars extension too, but if I buy a 2nd car, I need a new policy.:mad:


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    #7
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    well of course you do....that's the same everywhere,(2 cars, twice the risk of theft or fire whatever), unless you negotiate a fleet policy which will cost you more as well.


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    #8
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    corktina wrote: »
    well of course you do....that's the same everywhere,(2 cars, twice the risk of theft or fire whatever), unless you negotiate a fleet policy which will cost you more as well.

    Yes but premium against fire and theft is nearly negligible.
    For me at least difference between thrid party+fire+theft and thrid party only was less then 15 euro.


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    #9
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    corktina wrote: »
    that's not true. My insurance, and most people's , covers me to drive any car as well as mine provided I don't own it and haven't hired it.
    Yes, but in most cases that's third party cover only.
    So if you damage the car you are driving, then it's not covered. So it's not any good really.
    It also covers anyone over 25 to drive my car.
    That's opendrive and AFAIK with most insurers cost a good bit extra.


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    #10
    S28382
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭S28382


    Iv fully comp open to drive any car and my gf is on my policy and if she drives my car she is fully comp even tho on her own policy with a different company she is tpft. There was no extra cost in having her on my insurance and that's even after she had a claim against her a few yes ago I didn't think they would put her on my policy.

    OP shop around as some one will give you a good deal.


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    #11
    Cleveland Hot Pocket
    Registered Users Posts: 5,193 ✭✭✭Cleveland Hot Pocket


    corktina wrote: »
    well of course you do....that's the same everywhere,(2 cars, twice the risk of theft or fire whatever), unless you negotiate a fleet policy which will cost you more as well.
    2 cars but I can only drive one at a time!
    As mentioned, it usually gives you fully comp on one car and 3rd Party only on the others (so no fire/theft cover)


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    #12
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    e60 535d wrote: »
    2 cars but I can only drive one at a time!
    As mentioned, it usually gives you fully comp on one car and 3rd Party only on the others (so no fire/theft cover)

    Theres nothing stopping you taking out two fully comp policies on two different cars?

    The only problem that I have with our current system is that a lot of insurers wont accept your NCB on a second policy (which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever).


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    #13
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    CiniO wrote: »
    Yes, but in most cases that's third party cover only.
    So if you damage the car you are driving, then it's not covered. So it's not any good really.


    That's opendrive and AFAIK with most insurers cost a good bit extra.

    Legally puts you on the road...

    free on my policy with axa


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    #14
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭mathepac


    AOWAO.de wrote: »
    ... I'm about to register a german car for the irish roads and need an Insurance. As I'm going to register the car under my name but my wife will use it most of the time, what is the best insurance type for that secenario? Or is it better to register the car under her name? ...
    The usual procedure is to register the car and have the insurance in the name of the principal driver. Occasional drivers are then "named" on the policy.


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    #15
    Cleveland Hot Pocket
    Registered Users Posts: 5,193 ✭✭✭Cleveland Hot Pocket


    djimi wrote: »
    Theres nothing stopping you taking out two fully comp policies on two different cars?

    The only problem that I have with our current system is that a lot of insurers wont accept your NCB on a second policy (which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever).

    Tried that, no company would accept my NCB, and as such the cheapest policy I could get was above 1k on cars not worth more than that.

    That was, of those that would quote. A lot wouldnt quote as I am too old to have no NCB apparantly. (26)


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    #16
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    corktina wrote: »
    Legally puts you on the road...

    free on my policy with axa

    Yes - you are legally on the road.

    But f.e. last time my friend was offering me to lend his car as I needed one for a day.
    Even though my policy covered me third party only to drive that car, I wouldn't take it, as it's 20k worth vehicle, and if I crashed it, I wouldn't be able to pay my friend back.

    I definitely prefer system that is used in most places on the Continent, where it's the car which is insured, and everyone can drive it having full cover which owner purchased.


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    #17
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    djimi wrote: »
    Theres nothing stopping you taking out two fully comp policies on two different cars?

    The only problem that I have with our current system is that a lot of insurers wont accept your NCB on a second policy (which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever).

    Exactly.
    When I discovered that NCT applies only to one policy, and if you buy another policy then you build NCB from scratch, I couldn't believe it.

    Once a driver proves that he can drive without claims for many years and collects NCB, it shouldn't matter how many policies he has. NCB should apply to all of them, as his risk should be about the same in every car he has.

    And also the other way - if he crashes, he should loose his NCB on all policies.

    And again like above - that's how it works in most places in Europe.


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    #18
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    CiniO wrote: »
    I definitely prefer system that is used in most places on the Continent, where it's the car which is insured, and everyone can drive it having full cover which owner purchased.

    I suspect cost would prohibit such a system in this country. You would basically be purchasing an open drive policy for each car; if you tried that at the moment a lot of people would not be able to afford the premium!


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    #19
    AOWAO.de
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭AOWAO.de


    Thank you all for comments and advice. Its much apprechiated.


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    #20
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    djimi wrote: »
    I suspect cost would prohibit such a system in this country. You would basically be purchasing an open drive policy for each car; if you tried that at the moment a lot of people would not be able to afford the premium!

    The cost of insurance in Ireland (relative to average salary) is probably already one of the highest in the world.

    Look at that logically.
    If suddenly all insurers were forced to scrap named driver thing, and offer open driving policy as standard, would there be more accidents on the road?
    I doubt for any reason why there should be more accidents.
    And if there were no more accidents, then cost of claims wouldn't rise, so why should the cost of premiums rise?


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    #21
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    AOWAO.de wrote: »
    Hi,

    I'm about to register a german car for the irish roads and need an Insurance. As I'm going to register the car under my name but my wife will use it most of the time, what is the best insurance type for that secenario? Or is it better to register the car under her name?

    Is an insurance policy for the Driver or for the car?

    Am I wrong in thinking that insurers require the main driver to be the policy holder? If so, then surely that screws up the idea of insuring the car in the OP's name with his wife as a named driver?


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    #22
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,067 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    slimjimmc wrote: »
    Am I wrong in thinking that insurers require the main driver to be the policy holder? If so, then surely that screws up the idea of insuring the car in the OP's name with his wife as a named driver?

    I don't think they do require main driver to be policy holder.
    All they want is that it's declared who is the main driver, even if that's not policy holder, but one of named drivers.

    Besides, it might be very tricky to say who is the main driver.
    F.e. in my case, I'm not able to tell who is the main driver of my car, and I'm not able to tell who is the main driver of my wife's car. We both drive both, depending on circumstances.


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    #23
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    CiniO wrote: »
    I don't think they do require main driver to be policy holder.
    All they want is that it's declared who is the main driver, even if that's not policy holder, but one of named drivers.

    Besides, it might be very tricky to say who is the main driver.
    F.e. in my case, I'm not able to tell who is the main driver of my car, and I'm not able to tell who is the main driver of my wife's car. We both drive both, depending on circumstances.

    It doesnt matter in the case of spouses. If you had a son/daughter insured on the car however then they would take an interest in who the main driver is. It is expected that the policy holder will be the primary driver, and named drivers are only occasional drivers.


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    #24
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    CiniO wrote: »
    The cost of insurance in Ireland (relative to average salary) is probably already one of the highest in the world.

    Look at that logically.
    If suddenly all insurers were forced to scrap named driver thing, and offer open driving policy as standard, would there be more accidents on the road?
    I doubt for any reason why there should be more accidents.
    And if there were no more accidents, then cost of claims wouldn't rise, so why should the cost of premiums rise?

    Well if open driving became standard then you would see a lot more young/inexperienced drivers being able to drive higher powered cars that they cannot currently drive, so yes I could see the accident rate increase, or at the very least the overall average costs of accidents.


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