Car brands and insurance?

doctorgeek

Hello All!!

I am seeking to purchase a car but I've been finding out that car insurance is a total gimmick in Dublin. Don't get me wrong, people need to make a living, but this is just inhumane and unjustified. Why are companies charging over 2,000 euros for a car thats not even worth that much!?!?!? Yes, I'm talking about 3rd party coverage btw, NOT comprehensive. I am not made out of gold lol

Anyway, I am not here to complain but rather ask a simple question that may have a simple answer, I could be wrong though. IS there any brand of car or model that tends to have a cheaper insurance policy than most other cars? This is important to me because I'm a student doctor and independently studying here in Dublin. I need the car because for my upcoming classes, I need to be able to commute to multiple locations and cannot purely rely on public transport. I live currently in a decent place and for the price I'm paying monthly, it would be very unrealistic and stupid for me to move. I have my own parking spot which I don't pay anything extra for and I really do enjoy living where I do now. I called up other places that I could potentially move into BUT unfortunately, with convenience things come at a cost.

biko

According to this page
http://www.moneyguideireland.com/the-cheapest-cars-for-insurance.html

Opel Corsa 1.2
VW Fox 1.2
Fiat Panda 1.2 Active
Citroen C1 1
Seat Ibiza 1.0

coylemj

doctorgeek wrote: »

Why are companies charging over 2,000 euros for a car thats not even worth that much!?!?!? Yes, I'm talking about 3rd party coverage btw, NOT comprehensive. I am not made out of gold lol

I can understand your frustration but you have to realise that third party claims are based on what damage and injury the car causes and in the case of personal injury, it has nothing to do with the value of the car.

An Opel Corsa can run down and kill a high earner in his 30s with a wife and four kids and the widow and kids will get well over a million euros, same as if he was run down by a Jag or a Merc.

doctorgeek

coylemj wrote: »

I can understand your frustration but you have to realise that third party claims are based on what damage and injury the car causes and in the case of personal injury, it has nothing to do with the value of the car.

An Opel Corsa can run down and kill a high earner in his 30s with a wife and four kids and the widow and kids will get well over a million euros, same as if he was run down by a Jag or a Merc.

I completely understand what you are saying, and I have to admit it makes sense to an extent. BUT I will also like to mention a few things just so we're on the same page.

1) That is exactly why we have to purchase insurance in the first place and that its required by law. This forms a check/balance system of ensuring people's safety. Right? A lot of people are perfectly capable of fixing their own cars without insurance or even paying off the poor fellow(s) involved, they have the money. BUT they still need to purchase a policy for legal and liability reasons.

2) Insurance companies are to provide coverage that works with the customer AND the people not just the people, right? Otherwise there's no point of having insurance if its only meant to help an earning individual. My money isn't going towards their paycheck or their expenses or anything its going towards my policy to protect me from anything and compensate for any damages to a value until I have to pay out of my pocket. What if some guy runs in front of my car cause he's drunk, a lunatic or even suicidal? What if the person who hit me in an accident was faking it just to get compensation?? No one has money laying around in a bank account as back-up for "in case I got into an accident" that's the whole point of insurance.

3) I am sure there are A LOT of ways that someone who gets involved in an accident can get compensated beyond the car insurance policy of an individual. ESPECIALLY since, Ireland is a public healthcare system and that there are NUMEROUS of Irish drivers who get a better policy simply cause their parents have been driving around. I am an experienced driver from outside of Ireland, the US specifically, and am NOT considered an experienced driver cause I haven't owned a car in Ireland....LAST TIME I CHECKED, if the entire world worked that way, then NO ONE is experienced at anything cause it happened in that respective country/nation. I'm allowed to exchange my license here for an Irish license, and if I do that then automatically I'm considered experienced. Yet, if I go and get a new license, I'm considered a new driver?????? That doesn't make sense. I am still the same person with the same experience, not any different. I don't want to exchange my license cause when I go back then I have to do ALL of this unnecessary paperwork to prove something I don't have to.

4) If I rent a car, for example, then there's no problem I'm legally allowed to drive. AND I can renew my lease over and over again. I already rented a car in the past in Dublin and it included insurance, and there was no problem or worry that I would be dangerous. If I were, then they wouldn't lease the car to me. Clearly its not about the rules or safety of other people, its just a business. They know they can rip people off because people need cars to get to work and back and they're taking advantage of it very well here its very unfortunate.

Yes, fine consider me a new driver, but most places around the world even in the UK don't charge nearly 2000 euros for a policy thats bare minimal for a car thats only worth so much. If anything its still expensive, but its not unrealistically expensive. I hope you don't get the wrong idea, I'm not trying to bash or insult or anything as such. I just am expressing an opinion/idea. Feel free to disagree!! :)

coylemj

doctorgeek wrote: »

1) .... A lot of people are perfectly capable of fixing their own cars without insurance or even paying off the poor fellow(s) involved, they have the money. BUT they still need to purchase a policy for legal and liability reasons.

'A lot of people' have the money to pay off a multimillion claim? Don't think so. But for those that do, you can pony up a large sum of cash (not sure how much these days) and deposit it with the relevant minister at which pointed you will be designated an 'exempted person' and you will not be required to take out an insurance policy. It's how very large companies can save money, they basically cover themselves. I suspect the likes of the ESB and maybe Guinness do it. So tell all those millionaire friends of yours that you do not need to take out insurance if you have very deep pockets.

Why do young people get quoted such huge premiums? After that crash in Donegal the other day, someone from the Road Safety Authority pointed out that young people constitute 7% of the population but account for 20% of fatalities in road accidents.

Five lads went out in a car at 3:30 a.m., four were not wearing seatbelts, they crashed through a wall and hit a tree. Two were killed, one has spinal injuries, the other two will probably recover. Still wondering why young people get screwed for insurance?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/donegal-crash-four-of-five-victims-not-wearing-seatbelts-1.3067198

Del2005

Insurance in the UK is getting expensive, especially for new drivers.

Consider buying a bike. Insurance is much cheaper and since you are living in Dublin it'll allow much easier commuting, you'll know to the 5 minutes how long a journey will take in a car you can't. You can pick up nearly all the gear 2nd hand. Don't buy a helmet 2nd hand, get measured to ensure a proper fit.

doctorgeek

coylemj wrote: »

'A lot of people' have the money to pay off a multimillion claim? Don't think so. But for those that do, you can pony up a large sum of cash (not sure how much these days) and deposit it with the relevant minister at which pointed you will be designated an 'exempted person' and you will not be required to take out an insurance policy. It's how very large companies can save money, they basically cover themselves. I suspect the likes of the ESB and maybe Guinness do it. So tell all those millionaire friends of yours that you do not need to take out insurance if you have very deep pockets.

Why do young people get quoted such huge premiums? After that crash in Donegal the other day, someone from the Road Safety Authority pointed out that young people constitute 7% of the population but account for 20% of fatalities in road accidents.

Five lads went out in a car at 3:30 a.m., four were not wearing seatbelts, they crashed through a wall and hit a tree. Two were killed, one has spinal injuries, the other two will probably recover. Still wondering why young people get screwed for insurance?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/donegal-crash-four-of-five-victims-not-wearing-seatbelts-1.3067198

Sorry my mistake, I didn't mean it as my friends who are multimillionaires, I was just making a general example to make a point. Also I'm 26 year old lol not a teenager and had a license for about 10 years now. So I don't necessarily think that I should be judged or compared to a teenager driver But I totally understand where you are coming from!!

doctorgeek

Del2005 wrote: »

Insurance in the UK is getting expensive, especially for new drivers.

Consider buying a bike. Insurance is much cheaper and since you are living in Dublin it'll allow much easier commuting, you'll know to the 5 minutes how long a journey will take in a car you can't. You can pick up nearly all the gear 2nd hand. Don't buy a helmet 2nd hand, get measured to ensure a proper fit.

Thats a good idea!! But the problem is I commute very far away from where I live and biking would take me 40 min non-stop minimum to get there barely on time. Plus my bosses would not be keen if I show up late and sweaty on the job.:(

Del2005

doctorgeek wrote: »

Thats a good idea!! But the problem is I commute very far away from where I live and biking would take me 40 min non-stop minimum to get there barely on time. Plus my bosses would not be keen if I show up late and sweaty on the job.:(

Sorry I meant motorbike not bicycle. Won't be sweaty and take a lot less than 40 minutes

grogi

coylemj wrote: »

I can understand your frustration but you have to realise that third party claims are based on what damage and injury the car causes and in the case of personal injury, it has nothing to do with the value of the car.

Yes, but the probability of a claim (not because of the car itself, but the profile of typical driver) might be different.

Marcusm

doctorgeek wrote: »

Sorry my mistake, I didn't mean it as my friends who are multimillionaires, I was just making a general example to make a point. Also I'm 26 year old lol not a teenager and had a license for about 10 years now. So I don't necessarily think that I should be judged or compared to a teenager driver But I totally understand where you are coming from!!

Have you spoken to any insurer about having your 10 years no claims experience being taken into account? Liberty, as an example, take account of claims/accident free driving in the US provided you can provide evidence.

doctorgeek

Marcusm wrote: »

Have you spoken to any insurer about having your 10 years no claims experience being taken into account? Liberty, as an example, take account of claims/accident free driving in the US provided you can provide evidence.

THIS was a very good solution!! I called them and they offered me so far the cheapest rate because like you said, they factored in my driving history.

Now are there OTHER companies that will do the same and can I use the quote given to me to bargain with other companies???