Car Insurance renewal

I upgraded my car earlier this year and paid a small increase in premium to the end of 2024.

I received my renewal quote last week and was surprised at the cost €640. I've been with the same broker for the last 15 years and religiously check the market annually and have got reduced quotes in each of the first 10 years. (I know I should have probably changed brokers or gone direct during this time but didn't need the hassle). In the last 4 years their quotes were either on or better than the market so I went with their quotes.

I've recently retired so have a bit more time available so did some research today and sought to match all of the bells and whistles on an apples to apples basis. I obtained an online quote which looked to be doing this directly with the insurer that the broker had quoted for, which resulted in a saving of circa €180 (which included brokers admin fee of €80!!!). When I rang the broker I was advised that the direct quote wasn't comparable to theirs as the open drive cover element (primarily to enable me to drive my wife's care if needed) was fully comp in their quote but was only Third Party F&T in the direct online one.

I then rang the insurer directly to confirm if this was the case and when it was confirmed to be so I ask what the additional premium would be if I wanted to upgrade to fully comp on the open drive directly with them. I was informed that this option wasn't available directly with them and could only be availed of via the broker. Has anyone come across this before? Is it unlawful not to provide this option directly to the customer?

LL???? said:

Is it unlawful not to provide this option directly to the customer?

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No.

Broker doing their job here and doing it really well.

Direct branch of same insurance company leaving important stuff out in the hope of a sale but you still want to deal with them.

LL???? said:

I was advised that the direct quote wasn't comparable to theirs as the open drive cover element (primarily to enable me to drive my wife's care if needed) was fully comp in their quote but was only Third Party F&T in the direct online one.

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If the open drive cover is primarily for driving your wife's car, why not get yourself named on your wife's policy
This is normally done at no extra cost to your wife and can in most cases reduce your wife's premium and your fully covered to drive her car should she let you
And vice versa, her on yours then the next question is do you really need open drive now that you're retired??

Open drive doesn't allow you to drive other cars.A drive other cars extension allows you to do that.

vandriver said:

Open drive doesn't allow you to drive other cars.A drive other cars extension allows you to do that.

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Correct. Open drive cover allows others to drive your car and be covered by your policy.