Young Drivers and Insurance: Series Finale
We’ve been asking young drivers what they wanted to know about car insurance. When we first decided to invite questions from young drivers about car insurance, we didn’t envisage it would become a four-part series. But the questions kept coming, so here’s the final set of questions in the series.
Q & A on Car Insurance
Q. I’ve seen other insurance companies using driving apps and driving tests in order to prove you’re a safe driver. Is Liberty Insurance going to introduce this?
A: We’re always looking at options to improve the insurance experience for our customers and to help customers show that they're safe drivers. This is not something we currently have, but we hope to have in the future.
Q. Is there any way that insurers can make this whole process of getting on the road easier? For example, can I get quotes which also quote my tax level for that car if I request it?
A: We're aiming to make the process easier through our online channel. With our quick and easy online car quote system, a typical car insurance quote takes only two minutes. We don’t provide information on the car tax level for your preferred car.
Q. Is there a way that I could get insurance for specific periods that are less than the year? As a learner, I can’t afford to be insured for periods which I might not be using the car, e.g., over the summer. Most drivers are afraid of hefty fees for leaving contracts prematurely.
A: Great question. The good news is that most insurers allow you to suspend your policy if you don’t have a car, e.g., you’ve sold your car and haven’t replaced it yet. You may also be able to partially suspend your policy , which is known as ‘laid up’ cover. This would provide some cover on your car, e.g., for damage while parked on the driveway, but will not cover you to drive the car. It’s important to remember that if you do this, the car is not insured to drive on the road so the car cannot be parked in a public place, e.g., on the roadside. The insurer will normally give you a partial refund for the period the policy was suspended or ‘laid up’, but check with your insurer as this may vary. It’s important to note that your direct debit instalments will continue when the policy is suspended and may then be refunded at the end of the laid-up period.
Q. Is there any way I could get insured for just weekends/major break periods (such as the six weeks at Christmas or three-and-a-half months for summer)? Many younger drivers are in college/university and may not have access to their cars during the week.
A: I’m not aware of any insurers offering short-term car insurance or weekend only cover. However, you can check if your parents could add you to their policy temporarily, but you would need to check with their insurer regarding cost and length of time allowed.
Q. How does open insurance work?
A: This is a question we get asked quite a lot. Open drive insurance allows additional drivers to be insured on your policy without the need to name each driver. There will normally be restrictions on the ages of the driver and the type of licence they hold. You will also need to declare any drivers with claims or convictions. This option can be quite expensive, so it’s not usually taken on private car insurance. Instead, it’s mainly used on commercial vehicle policies, letting multiple employees drive their company's vehicles.
Q. What happens if I’m hit by an uninsured driver?
A: This is an issue that most people are a bit unsure of. It depends on the insurance you've taken out and also whether the car that hit you was identified. Let’s look at it on a case by case basis:
If the car was not identified: If you were hit by another car and were not at fault, then the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) Compensation Scheme should cover you for personal injury. Unfortunately, you will not be able to claim for the damage to your car unless you have comprehensive insurance.
If the car was identified: If you were hit by another car and were not at fault, your claim for injury and/or your vehicle or property should be covered by the MIBI compensation scheme. There may be an excess applied to your claim for vehicle/property damage. Where your car is insured comprehensively, then your car insurer will pay for the damage to your vehicle but under the NCD Protocol, they will not affect your No Claims Bonus. You can get more information on the MIBI Compensation scheme here.
Q. I noticed you’re selling gadget insurance now. Are there any exclusions on the value of my gadgets? Is it just phones, tablets and laptops or do you cover the full range others are covering?
A: Our new Car ‘N Stuff campaign launched recently. This means that Liberty Insurance now provides affordable car insurance, renters cover and access to travel and gadget insurance.
Young Drivers Car Insurance with Liberty
We here at Liberty Insurance know that getting on the road is a milestone for every young driver. That's why we offer competitive car insurance quotes, including taking your named driver experience into consideration.