Motor insurance is set to rise following a recent ruling by the High Court that the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) has to cover nearly 1,800 outstanding claims with an estimated liability of up to €90 million due to the liquidation of insurance company Setanta We have some ways to reduce the cost of insurance writes Geraldine Herbert
1) When it comes to getting the best deal don’t focus solely on price, the cheapest cover is not always the best. Always check what exactly is covered, if one policy is significantly cheaper than another it may be simply because one has more exclusions than the other. Cutting corners may leave you vulnerable to high costs in the event of an accident.
2) Another consideration is how much your car is actually worth. Insurance companies will only ever compensate you for what you have lost. Hence if you over-value a car and end up paying a higher premium based on this valuation you still will not receive any more than the value of your car in compensation. If your car is written off or stolen, car insurers will usually pay you the ‘market’ value for the car and what they offer won’t take into account, whether your car was in particularly good condition. Unfortunately it doesn’t work both ways and if you under-insure your car you will only be covered up to the value you have specified.
3) If you are driving on a provisional license then passing your driving test could reduce your car insurance premium by as much as €300. On average people can save up to 30 per cent on their motor insurance premiums by obtaining their full licence.
4) Look out for bundling premium discounts, whereby you purchase your home, motor and travel insurance with one provider for maximum discounts, e.g. You can save 25% on motor insurance with Aviva when you insure a second car
5) Spending a little extra to protect your no-claims bonus as it is the single best way of cutting car insurance costs.
6) Securing your car and reducing the risk of it being stolen will also be rewarded with discounts, most insurance companies will offer about 5% off for fitting an approved alarm, immobiliser or tracking device. Also if you have a garage use it as this can dramatically cut your premium.
7) If you are a member of a credit union then check out the new www.CoverU.ie. Credit Unions across the country are now selling car insurance and have an introductory offer of 12 months cover for the price of 11 months for members. Policies are underwritten by the AIG.
8) Think twice about who is named on your policy, this should only be regular drivers are named on the policy. You can always add someone for a few days when they really need to drive the car.
9) Mileage is also key to calculating your premium so the more miles you drive the more of a risk you are to insurance companies so by reducing your annual mileage you may see a reduction in your premium but you must be honest about your annual mileage, as inaccuracy will jeopardise any claim.
10) Finally shop around for the best deals, you can save hundreds of euros by getting as many quotes as possible. Below we have compared 5 scenarios to highlight just how much prices can vary.
But remember when shopping around for car insurance, it’s important to make sure that you are comparing like-for-like cover. Some policies may seem cheaper, but you may find you don’t have the same level of cover when you have to make a claim so read the small print.
Geraldine Herbert
5th September, 2015
