# Car insurance: Renewing elsewhere while claim outstanding?



## sadie

If we have a claim (personal injury against us) still outstanding, is it going to be possible to get car insurance from anyone except our current insurer? Online quotes don't ask you for existing claims, except for one which when I said it wasn't settled, came back and said to call them about it. The online quotes seem way cheaper than the renewal quote from our current insurer...


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## Bar101

In theory you can get a quote from another company whilst you are awaiting the settlement of a claim. The reality is a lot different.

Most companies will quote you on the basis that the claim has settled - i.e. you have lost your no claims bonus and have a big personal injury claim against you.

Many of the on-line companies are cheaper, however all have a set of conditions you have to meet before quoting you or else you have to ring them. One of these would be no pending claims / no settled claims in the last x years.

Given the longevity of PI claims your best bet is to attempt to negotiate with your existing company to ensure they will remove/refund any loading they stick on now if the claim settles in your favour.

Finally even if you have a NCD letter from your existing company (showing no claims) you are obliged to report any new claims (not on your letter) to your new company.

Finally give one of the Brokers a call (not the on-line ones) who can direct you to the best insurer.
Jardines or Kidd or just look up a local Broker in your area.


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## BaileyMc

I definately agree with trying your local broker.

I had an accident last year, nobody else involved but the claim was big enough.

I was getting crazy renewal quotes for my insurance or else no quote at all!!  Went to a local broker who was recommended and ended up with insurance cheaper than the prior year.


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## Speedwell

When I had an open claim (even though the crash was clearly not my fault) I ended up being stuck with my then insurance company for 3 years as no other insurance co. would look at me as the claim was still open. 

That was a few years ago now, so hopefully things have changed.


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## sadie

We had to accept liability as even though an oil spill was the cause, our car ended up on the wrong side of the road hitting someone else (who's claiming injury with PIAB, whiplash type of thing). As the source of the oil spill could not be verifed, we are liable. Thanks will try a local broker.


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## BaileyMc

I know of a case where there was a claim outstanding at the renewal date and like you there was a PIAB claim and the car was a complete write off (brand new 08 at the time).  Guy though he was going to be crucified on the renewal quote and it was a commercial open garage policy.  

Broker got the policy at the same price as the prior year, even with loosing 5 years NCB.  Insurance prices are one of those things that will never make sense at there really doesn't seem to be any rules.

The thing that I have definately learned is that a good broker can be invaluable when it comes to scenarios like this.


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## briancbyrne

if you have an open claim outstanding, your NCB will be tied up until settled  and no other company will look at you


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## RentDayBlues

Sorry to reopen this thread and to hijack but I am in a similar situation, sort of. I have an outstanding PI claim against me. The accident happened in May and I have since had to sell my car. I now don't have a car but am still paying my insurance monthly since renewal in July. Reason being - I'm afraid if I cancel it I will not be able to get insurance again with an outstanding claim! 

So, do I keep paying monthly premiums or do I cancel the insurance until I buy a new car, which wont be until at least May of next year, so I will have paid over €800 by then


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## Jimbobp

You could suspend your policy until renewal date (by doing this you will get a credit for the time the policy is suspended whilst keeping the policy 'live'), not all companies will agree to suspend however. You may end up moving from the existing company any way, as it often pays to shop around after an accident.


www.powerinsurances.ie


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## RentDayBlues

Thanks - I have suspended my policy but I still have the monthly payments, just wondering if this is the best option or should I be putting that money in savings account


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## mathepac

Do I understand that you haven't informed your insurers that you no longer own or drive the car they are insuring for you - i.e. you have no insurable interest in the vehicle now owned and being driven by someone else?


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## ailbhe

If your policy is suspended and you are paying by direct debit, the monthly payments will continue going out of your account until you reinstate the policy or until renewal date at which point you should get a rebate for the period that the policy was suspended.


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## RentDayBlues

mathpac: I have informed my insurance company of the situation when I suspended the policy. I sold the car and they are aware of this, the insurance is continuing in the interim suspended until I purchase a new car. 

Ailbhe: thats my understanding too, but I'm wondering if I continue with this and dont buy a car before the renewal date next July, should I just cut my losses and put this money into savings account instead? But if I do this, will I then be able to get re-insured next year?


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## Evan79

This all seems like mafia-way of doing business!! 
... Pay up or u won't drive! Wth?!
I was about to renew my insurance for €350 when i reversed to other car breaking her front right light and bending bonnet a bit (€300 would fix it on 02 car)  and barely doing any damage to my car,  but she later (two weeks) claimed PI against me. Insurance swiftly sent me new renewal for €1900 - 600% more!!!  Despite fact i had fully comp!    
Someone commented above as not to contact online brokers. Why??
Found only one well established, who specialise in "after accident" drivers!
Will call them in the morning! Hopefully If it goes well will update here!


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## peteb

fully comp doesnt protect you from anything.  It just means you can claim for accidental damage to your own vehicle.  Perhaps a little less shock.


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## Evan79

So situation is as follows :
You need three letters from three insurance companies confirming that they cannot quote you for reason of opened case.
With these refused quotations letters you can go to declined cases committee where they should be able to insure you. 
Other option is also to find out the ammount (in my case it was reserve on my account) the other side is looking for and with it you can go to certain brokers who they'll quote you on that basis-which in my case was more dear than 600% from initial proposal, it was nearly 3k! But it is possible...


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## Ravima

OP is not a declined case. OP has insurance. Declined committee will not deal with him.


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## miyoung

I am in a similar situation with an open claim that the PIAB has until the end of Feb 2016 to review. My insurance company accepted liability on my behalf despite the fact that the claim arising from a very minor incident with my wife as name driver and a cyclist (cycling in the wrong direction!) seemed somewhat dubious. The logic was that it would be cheaper (for them!) to concede rather than fight the case and potentially lose. As a result I'm off the road since last Sept with the only quote available  a renewal from the same company at ~€2,000, up from €600. Does anybody know where I might look to find a broker that will quote with an open claim?


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## Evan79

From my experience go for your insurance expensive offer as it'll most probably is the cheapest u can get to keep u on the road! 
It seems like legitimate scam isn't it?!


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## Ravima

Speedwell said:


> When I had an open claim (even though the crash was clearly not my fault) I ended up being stuck with my then insurance company for 3 years as no other insurance co. would look at me as the claim was still open.
> 
> That was a few years ago now, so hopefully things have changed.



If liability was clearly the other persons fault, then you should not have 'been stuck' with your then insurance company. The insurers of the cuilpable party would have admitted liability IF it was clearcut.


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