Motor Class 1 Motor Insurance - QuinnDirect

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mathepac

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I got a call earlier today from a pal who was having trouble getting what he regarded as a competitive quote from QuinnDirect - they were €70 more expensive than the next best.

On checking his renewal notice, he saw the "Class of Use" heading said "Class 1", not "Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes" as he would have expected. He contacted QuinnDirect and was informed that QuinnDirect do not do "Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes only" but include limited business use in the minimum level of cover they sell. He reported to me he then had long and heated discussions with various QuinnDirect telepersons.

I was intrigued by this and, dismissing his story as fantasy, went and checked my current QuinnDirect policy to discover that the "Class of Use" heading said "Class 1"! Ooops! I phoned QuinnDirect and I had long and heated discussions with various QuinnDirect telepersons, but got nowhere.

I rang around a few brokers and other "direct" insurers and have discovered that any I spoke to will provide "Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes only" cover if that is the cover the client requests and most (not all) will charge more for Class 1 cover.

Class 1 cover as defined by QuinnDirect is as follows - "Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes. Use in connection with the policyholder's and policyholder's spouse's business and use for towing (other than for hire or reward) of any one disabled mechanically propelled vehicle or trailer".

My pal and myself are nonplussed as we've had Class 1 insurance before (when claiming mileage for personal cars on business travel) and we believed we got rid of it in order to save money as its no longer needed. Telesales in QuinnDirect have a script which goes along the lines of "think how useful it would be to have this if you were a HSE Social Worker or 'whatever', blah, blah, blah..." Now it seems to have resurfaced by stealth almost, and we feel we're paying for a level of cover we don't want and don't need.

What's the consensus from the insurance intelligensia on here - will I stay or will I go (I have lower quotes as does my pal)? Is this a means of QuinnDirect squeezing an extra few quid out of the punters? Why can't we have (and pay for) the level of use that suits our lifestyles rather than being loaded with extensions and addenda we don't want and won't use?
 
class 1 is the same as Social, Domestic & Pleasure with most companies. Class 2 gives business use and class 3 is usually for commercial travellers.
 
Basic answer is that it varies from company to company. Some companies give SD&P cover but not cover for business use. Some give class 1 as standard. I don't think its a case that Quinn are charging for the difference between the use types, its just their particular wording. We deal with a company that gives class 2 as standard and they are one of the cheapest on the market.

www.powerinsurances.ie
 
Class 1 includes limited business use, usually up to a certain mileage.
Generally speaking, in my experience, there is no charge for class 1 as opposed to sd&p use.
When incepting a policy I will usually put class 1 cover as standard just to avoid having to change it at a later date as there is no difference in premium for the cover.
 
I have checked my motor policy , and it is Class 1 as well .

I dont need the business use part of this , only need SD & P.......

However , if there is no difference in premium , then it will not be an issue for me .

So mathepac , can you please confirm what ailbhe is saying , ie. there is no difference in premium .
 
I did say "generally speaking, in my experience".

The only way to find out if you are being charged for it is to remove it. If the company you are with offers it as their basic level of cover then it isn't an option to remove it. Your only alternative is to shop around and see if you can get sd&p use with another company for less.

It is worth bearing in mind that there are 3 classes of class one cover. Class 1A ad class 1B and class 1c.

1a is sd&p.
1B includes some business use (limited mileage but not the carrying of goods or samples)
1c is farming.

Class 2 would involve carrying goods and samples and higher business milage and Class 3 is door to door sales, commercial travelling etc.


At the end of the day, if Quinn are not the cheapest then go to the company that is.
The OP got the best quote at the time of his renewal with quinn and went with it. If it has additional benefits then all the better. If they are more expensive at renewal then go to the most competitive at sd&p if class 1B isn't required.

Most companies include additional benefits (like windscreen or breakdown cover) as standard. That is the product they sell and what they offer for the premium they charge.
If the consumer doesn't require it then they can go to another provider who gives more standard cover at (hopefully) a lesser premium.
 
ailbhe said:
... It is worth bearing in mind that there are 3 classes of class one cover. Class 1A ad class 1B and class 1c.

1a is sd&p.
1B includes some business use (limited mileage but not the carrying of goods or samples)
1c is farming.

Class 2 would involve carrying goods and samples and higher business milage and Class 3 is door to door sales, commercial travelling etc. ...
Click to expand...
Major Fail - That is not how QuinnDirect and other insurers define the classes (1, 1F, 2 & 3 for some) and insurers other than QuinnDirect (see my post above) are very specific that "Social Domestic and Pleasure purposes" is a class in its own right and excludes any business use. For these insurers, the lowest business use class is Class 1.
 
Traditionally those are the classes of insurance for private motor insurance.
Different companies class them differently. Class 1F is the same thing as class 1C. Quinn refer to it as class 1F (F for farming). Traditionally known as class 1C.
See page 4 of this document





At the end of the day there is sd&p use.
Then there is limited business use.
There is limited farming use.
Then there is carraige of goods or samples.
Then there is commercial trading.

The last few lines still apply regardless of what exact way you want to class/phrase it. Quinn direct offer a minimum of business use. They do not offer sd&p use only.
Your friend should go with the alternative for €70 less. At renewal you should shop around and go with the most competitive premium for you. There is no need for long heated discussions with telesales staff. That is the product offered.
You wouldn't call another company and argue that you don't want breakdown assistance or windscreen cover which is built into a fully comp product.
I don't use my car for work. I do have class 1 cover though. I very occasionaly get paid mileage for travelling to seminars, training sessions, exams etc/ Maybe a couple of times a year. There was no difference in my renewal premium for sd&p or class 1 so I save myself the hassle.
You don't want class 1 cover, don't renew with Quinn. Vote with your feet.
 
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