# License for 30 years and quote for €5000???



## Robert209 (29 May 2017)

Hi everyone,
My wife and I are looking for car insurance (1.4 or 1.6 engine, nothing powerful - ford focus type of car) and having lived in Dublin we never owned a car before (used public transport, taxi, etc.). My wife has a Full Irish License (over 20 years), but I am (patiently) waiting to take my driving test for my own license (my original license is from USA - 30 years driving, hired many times here in Ireland) and I have a "Provisional" license at the moment.  The lowest, and only quote, we were given by a well known insurance company is €5,300.00 [sic].  No other insurance company will insure us because we never had insurance before and thus we do not have a "No Claims Bonus"...?  Can anyone please tell me there is another solution to our situation...?  I cannot believe that our only option is to pay the amount quoted above, nor can I accept that other insurance companies are allowed to openly discriminate against us just because we never had insurance before...?
Would love some advice.
Many thanks
R


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## delfio (29 May 2017)

Hire a car for when you need one, the insurance is included and you can buy a one off excess policy for around fifty euro for the year.  You live in Dublin, do you really need to have a car every day?


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## VoiceofReason (29 May 2017)

Have you considered the AVIVA driving School, might be a good option if your wife got insurance on her own and you could get 6 months cover and 12 lessons(I'm not suggesting you need the lessons for your test but you doon need the RSA 12 lesson pack I think to do your test.

I have an 18 year old who got the 6 month pack from AVIVA and then an additional 3 months. Worked out well for 18 lessons and 9 months insurance for a cost of 700 Euro which I thought was fair. It also made a difference when he passed his test as he had some driving experience.


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## Jimbobp (29 May 2017)

I would phone around as there are insurers and companies that deal with brokers only that should quote a lot less than that. Also, try and keep your car to a low CC and within 10 years of age (some insurers will load up to 50% if your vehicle is older than 10 years). Also if either of you ever had insurance, make sure to tell that to the insurer as they also tend to load for having no previous insurance.


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## qwerty5 (29 May 2017)

delfio said:


> Hire a car for when you need one, the insurance is included and you can buy a one off excess policy for around fifty euro for the year.  You live in Dublin, do you really need to have a car every day?



As well as that if you rent longer term (4 weeks at a time) you can get a car for something like €15 a day.
So that's car, tax, insurance & maintenance included.
e.g. http://booking-car-hire.lastminute....=6&filterName=CarCategorisationSupplierFilter

The downside is you have to return the car once a month. I don't think they'll accept a provisional driver so you'd have to have passed your test too.

Another downside is if you did this for a year or two the insurance companies wouldn't care. They'd still take you as a new customer and price gigantically.

I did this a year ago when I needed a car for a couple of months and it was fairly handy.


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## Robert209 (29 May 2017)

Thank you for that info.  I'm renting at the moment as we are no longer living in Dublin (we're now in the countryside with no public transport) and I thought we would have been able to buy a car and get a more reasonable quote for insurance hence we made the move without realising the insurance nightmare!  I have already taken my 12 driving lessons (quite funny, as I've been driving for 30 years....) and paid for them before I knew about the Aviva deal mentioned in another posting.  It's the RIDICULOUS WAIT for the driving test that is astounding to me!!  What other country has a 22 week waiting period (in the city - and 18 weeks in the countryside)...?


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## VoiceofReason (29 May 2017)

If you have flexibility it is worthwhile ringing and requesting a cancellation for the driving test and you should be able to get it much sooner. The downside is that you have to accept the date you are given but that may suit you. 

Best of luck with it.


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## Robert209 (29 May 2017)

Thanks for the last advice.  I'm currently on a "Cancellation List" and hopeful I'll get something sooner, rather than later...?  Just out of curiosity, can anyone give me advice on Insurance Companies discriminating against new drivers, or never before insured drivers?  My wife has her license for more than 20 years and now we're being told (by numerous major insurance companies) that even she cannot be given insurance because she doesn't have at least one year "no claims"...?  How can she ever get "one year no claims" (or even 6 months) if nobody is willing to insure her to drive in the first place?  Never mind me, and my provisional, I'll wait until I have the full license (whenever they have time to give me the test), but am I going to face the same discrimination when I do finally get my full license that my wife is now facing with all the major companies telling her "Sorry, you have to have at least one year no claims before we'll insure you." ???  This cannot be legal?  Is there an Insurance Ombudsman, or Government office/official we can contact.  To whom does one report this type of discrimination?  Am I allowed to write the names of these companies - "Name & Shame!" ??

I would be so grateful is someone can help us.  This has been an ongoing battle for weeks now....

Thank you.


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## POC (29 May 2017)

Have a look at Motor Insurance on citizensinformation.ie
There is information and links about 'declined cases', Insurance Ireland and the Financial Services Ombudsman.


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## AlbacoreA (29 May 2017)

Might be quicker to get a UK one and convert it. 

Well not really. But maybe at the start.


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## Seagull (30 May 2017)

Depending on how long you've been living here, it might not be legal for you to be using your US driving license.


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## Jimbobp (30 May 2017)

[QUOTE=" I would be so grateful is someone can help us.  This has been an ongoing battle for weeks now....

Thank you.[/QUOTE]

If you want to DM me I Can get someone in our motor dept. to have a look at your case for you.


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## Robert209 (1 Jun 2017)

I'm sorry for my lack of reply, but I'm dealing with some problems in work....  Thank you for your offer "Jimbobp".  I will try to DM you tomorrow.  I just wanted to let you know I appreciate your offer and I'm not ignoring you.
R


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## Jimbobp (1 Jun 2017)

No problem Robert. The offer stands whenever you want.


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