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Named driver (with UK licence) on Irish car insurance

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  • 04-10-2018 11:13pm
    #1
    PanicStations
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭


    Hello,
    I live in the UK. I am learning to drive, and will hopefully pass my test in the New Year, and get a full UK licence. I am back in Ireland frequently visiting my family, I would like to be included as a named driver on my father's car insurance in Ireland. Is that possible? Or would I need a UK licence?


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    #2
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,350 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    PanicStations wrote: »
    Hello,
    I live in the UK. I am learning to drive, and will hopefully pass my test in the New Year, and get a full UK licence. I am back in Ireland frequently visiting my family, I would like to be included as a named driver on my father's car insurance in Ireland. Is that possible? Or would I need a UK licence?

    Until you pass the UK test you gave no legal right to drive in Ireland, provisional/learner status applies only to the country of issue.


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    #3
    hognef
    Registered Users Posts: 828 ✭✭✭hognef


    PanicStations wrote: »
    Hello,
    I live in the UK. I am learning to drive, and will hopefully pass my test in the New Year, and get a full UK licence. I am back in Ireland frequently visiting my family, I would like to be included as a named driver on my father's car insurance in Ireland. Is that possible? Or would I need a UK licence?

    A UK provisional licence is not valid abroad, so whether you can be named on the insurance is not relevant. You'd effectively be driving without a licence.


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    #4
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,455 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Leaving aside the legality of driving without a licence, a UK Learner driver without a full licence would probably cost an arm and a leg to add as a named driver. And OP's father's insurance company will probably decline cover anyway so it's an academic discussion.


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    #5
    PanicStations
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭PanicStations


    Thanks for the replies. I'm sorry but my original post was unclear. What I meant to ask was come the New Year when I (hopefully) pass my UK test and get a UK driving licence, will I then be able to be included as a named driver on my father's car insurance (in Ireland)?


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    #6
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,455 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    PanicStations wrote: »
    ....come the New Year when I (hopefully) pass my UK test and get a UK driving licence, will I then be able to be included as a named driver on my father's car insurance (in Ireland)?

    There are two unanswerable questions here.......

    1. Will your father's insurance be prepared to accept you as a named driver?

    2. Will your father be prepared to pay the premium to add you to the policy?


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    #7
    PanicStations
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭PanicStations


    2. is easy, I will give my father the money to pay the premium, I think it should be cheaper than my hiring a car on every visit.

    1. is what I am looking for an answer to. Do car insurers operating in Ireland require that a named driver have an Irish licence? Or would they accept someone with a UK licence as a named driver? Does anyone have any experience of this?


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    #8
    Cows Go µ
    Registered Users Posts: 902 ✭✭✭Cows Go µ


    PanicStations wrote: »
    1. is what I am looking for an answer to. Do car insurers operating in Ireland require that a named driver have an Irish licence? Or would they accept someone with a UK licence as a named driver? Does anyone have any experience of this?

    No one can tell you other than your father's insurer. Generally they don't add someone unless they are resident in Ireland but if you are over and back often they may consider it.


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    #9
    HugoRune
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭HugoRune


    PanicStations wrote: »
    1. is what I am looking for an answer to. Do car insurers operating in Ireland require that a named driver have an Irish licence? Or would they accept someone with a UK licence as a named driver? Does anyone have any experience of this?


    I'm surprised by the responses you have received. I was in a similar situation: learned in the UK, got a full UK licence, and wanted to be a named driver on my father's insurance when in Ireland. They added me without a problem. Perhaps people are talking about being added permanently. I would request to be added just when I was in Ireland.

    Was about 20 years ago mind! Rules could have changed. Still, just takes a quick call to the insurer.


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    #10
    square ball
    Registered Users Posts: 396 ✭✭square ball


    PanicStations wrote: »
    2. is easy, I will give my father the money to pay the premium, I think it should be cheaper than my hiring a car on every visit.

    1. is what I am looking for an answer to. Do car insurers operating in Ireland require that a named driver have an Irish licence? Or would they accept someone with a UK licence as a named driver? Does anyone have any experience of this?

    Technically you are supposed to be a permanent resident in this country to be named on an insurance policy.

    ie: live in Ireland more than 6 months of the year but some insurers can be lax on this.

    The best option would be to get your father to add on open driving to his policy and you would be covered when you are home once you have a full UK licence and fit the age category (usually 25 -70 years old).


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    #11
    Eggs For Dinner
    Registered Users Posts: 2,982 ✭✭✭Eggs For Dinner


    They will add you no problem with a full UK licence, subject to standard underwriting criteria (age, occupation, claims, points etc)


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    #12
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,350 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Cows Go µ wrote: »
    No one can tell you other than your father's insurer. Generally they don't add someone unless they are resident in Ireland but if you are over and back often they may consider it.

    I have never heard of an obligation for a named driver to be an Irish resident. I have frequently added non-resident non-Irish driving licence holders to my insurance without problem.


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    #13
    square ball
    Registered Users Posts: 396 ✭✭square ball


    Marcusm wrote: »
    I have never heard of an obligation for a named driver to be an Irish resident. I have frequently added non-resident non-Irish driving licence holders to my insurance without problem.

    To add a driver permanently most insurers required the named driver to be a permanent Irish resident when I tried it anyway.


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    #14
    Eggs For Dinner
    Registered Users Posts: 2,982 ✭✭✭Eggs For Dinner


    square ball wrote: »
    To add a driver permanently most insurers required the named driver to be a permanent Irish resident when I tried it anyway.

    That's not the case. In your circumstances, it may have been origin of licence, or age occupation etc


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    #15
    square ball
    Registered Users Posts: 396 ✭✭square ball


    Eggs For Dinner wrote: »
    That's not the case. In your circumstances, it may have been origin of licence, or age occupation etc

    I worked for a broker so requested to do hundreds of them. About 2 years ago some companies would take them some wouldn't. Then they all decided that all drivers had to be permanent residents of Ireland to be named on a private motor policy.


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    #16
    Eggs For Dinner
    Registered Users Posts: 2,982 ✭✭✭Eggs For Dinner


    square ball wrote:
    I worked for a broker so requested to do hundreds of them. About 2 years ago some companies would take them some wouldn't. Then they all decided that all drivers had to be permanent residents of Ireland to be named on a private motor policy.


    Fair enough. I work in the technical and legal side of the business and there is nothing to stop an insurer from adding a non-resident to a policy. I wasn't aware it is now an underwriting consideration


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    #17
    PanicStations
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭PanicStations


    Hello OP here, I was renewing my Dad's insurance over the phone today (with AA), and I asked if a UK resident (with a full UK licence) could be added as a named driver to his policy.
    The reply was 'No', as a named driver must be resident in Ireland.
    However I was advised that I could add myself on temporarily to the insurance whenever I'm home on holidays.
    Thanks for all your inputs.


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