Why compare car insurance Northern Ireland?

One of the most important reasons why you may wish to compare car insurance Northern Ireland is of course to save money on the premiums. Car insurance is probably never one of the cheapest things to take out but it is essential if you want to drive legally on UK roads.

When you compare car insurance Northern Ireland, you may wish to consider the following in a policy.

How much public liability insurance is included in the policy? What does the liability insurance cover and are there any exclusions?

Liability insurance for the public is a requirement by law. This part of the insurance provides you with cover in the event that you cause an accident, which damages a third party’s vehicle, property, causes bodily harm or even death. Typically, the insurance provider gives you up to so much public liability cover and this may differ between providers. Always check the terms of the insurance so that you know what is and is not included in this part of the policy.

Does the policy include any form of recovery or breakdown cover? If it is included, to what extent?

Your provider may or may not give you some breakdown cover in your insurance policy, or you may be able to add it on for a little extra cost. For instance, the insurance may cover towing and repairs of your vehicle if you have an accident that renders the vehicle useless. If you break down due to any other reason, your insurance policy may not cover the cost of recovery. Again, this depends on the provider.

Does the insurance policy cover your vehicle if you take it into Europe? If so how many days per year cover do you have?

If you wish to take your car on holiday into Europe then European insurance typically provides you with coverage whilst on holiday. This form of insurance allows you to travel so many days out of the year into Europe so you may wish to check when you compare car insurance Northern Ireland.

What affects your car insurance quotes in Northern Ireland?

Here we look at some of the factors that typically affect your motor insurance quotes in Northern Ireland:

• insurance premiums for residents living in Northern Ireland sometimes tend to be higher than some other places in the UK. Your postcode may be taken into account and will generally affect your insurance quotes in Northern Ireland. If you reside in an area that is known for theft and vandalism, then typically insurance premiums may be higher than for someone living in a quieter area;
• generally the more powerful the vehicle, the more you may have to pay for your insurance. Insurance may be lower for someone with a small family model than for someone owning a sports car;
• fully comprehensive insurance typically costs more than a third party fire and theft policy. However, it does generally give you more protection for your own vehicle;
• if you want European cover included in your policy or some form of breakdown insurance, you may pay more in insurance premiums;
• women drivers tend to get cheaper car insurance quotes than men, and younger drivers may have to pay a great deal more for their lack of experience;
• a car that has no or very little form of security may typically cost more to insure than one equipped with a car alarm, immobiliser or a tracking device;
• parking your vehicle away from the side of the road may help to keep your insurance premiums down by a little. If parked in a garage it is away from other vehicles and stands less chance of suffering accidental damage or of being stolen;
• how you use your car may affect your car insurance quotes in Northern Ireland. Taking out limited mileage insurance if you do not use the car to travel many miles each year may lead to savings.

Reducing car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland

When you first start researching car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland, it can be disheartening to think that you have to pay that much. But there are ways of influencing prices that insurers quote you (to a certain extent of course!).

Security

If you have any special security features installed on your car (like extra locks or alarms), be sure to tell the providers, as they may offer a discount. Likewise, if the vehicle is kept overnight in your garage rather than on the road, insurers may sometimes offer a discounted price.

If you have moved house, your new postcode could have an effect on your insurance premium. For instance, if your new area has less of a history of crime and car thefts, your premium may go down a tad.

Mileage

Do you only use the car for the school run or getting to and from work? Is the vehicle the family’s second car that spends most of its time on the driveway? If so, make sure that you have not given too high a mileage figure on the online form. Generally speaking, the more mileage you cover the more expensive the premium, though this can vary among the NI car insurance companies.

No claims bonus

Now is not the time to be modest about your careful driving. When you are comparing car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland, a significant no claims bonus could make all the difference in making your premium affordable. Once you have taken out the new policy don’t forget to send your proof of no claims bonus to your new provider. They need to see it for their records.

Who is a named driver?

Whilst your teenage son might be desperate to be included as a named driver on your policy, this may have an effect on the cost. Younger, less experienced drivers are typically viewed as more risky to insure that older drivers.

What is included?
Comparing car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland is only worthwhile if you are looking at them on a like for like basis.

Is the valuation correct?

If your car has lost value in the past year, be sure to update the insurer’s notion of what the vehicle is worth (though some may set ceiling limits anyway, but it is worth checking). This is because the insurer bases their prices on how much it would cost to replace if the car was written off or destroyed.

What about the excess?

Make sure that you find out what the excess is when you compare car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland. If an insurer offer a high excess, the price of the premium may be attractive but think carefully about whether you would be able to pay repair bills under that amount out of your own pocket. On the other hand, if this is not really a problem for you may wish to consider asking the insurer to raise the excess and potentially lower the premium a bit. Again though, this may vary among providers and offering to pay a lower excess may only shave a few pounds off the cost of your Northern Ireland car insurance cover.

The cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland – the facts

The history of insurance in Northern Ireland is, of course, one of difficulty in finding cover and of limited choice. Finding the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland was typically a question of using the same provider for many years mainly because looking around and changing was so difficult.

That was yesterday! In today’s new Northern Ireland the position is changing rapidly and real choice is becoming available in car and other forms of insurance.

Choice can offer lower prices.

A number of the larger insurance companies are now offering products that are applicable in Northern Ireland. This means that for the first time in a long time, car owners are being faced with the prospect of being able to easily shop around and compare prices so as to find the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland.

The internet is now making this easier and easier. In fact, the biggest inhibitor to finding cheaper insurance is now buyer inertia. Many of us don’t like change at the best of times and in the past, we were doubly inclined to ‘stay put’.

This though may be costing you money. The world is changing and it may be possible to save very significant amounts of money on your NI car insurance by just shopping around.

Shopping around – making it even easier

Sadly, playing the market to get the very best possible deal still isn’t quite as easy in Northern Ireland as it is on the mainland UK. Many insurance providers still regard Northern Ireland as a specialist market and their products are not yet available here.

This means that you still have to find those companies that are selling here and that can consume a little bit of time.

If you’d like to make it really easy for yourself, there are some specialist car insurance sites that can give you quick access to companies offering car insurance in Northern Ireland. They’ve already done at least some of the work for you!

Using them to help you find the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland might save you a lot of time.

The cheapest car insurance Northern Ireland has seen?

There are no guarantees that you’ll find the cheapest car insurance Northern Ireland has ever seen, but it’s probably true to say that it is certainly cheaper than it has been for quite some time. Having once deserted it in the face of the “troubles”, insurers are now flocking back to the Province and bringing with them the convenience of shopping online. Easy accessibility to an increasing number of providers is fuelling a competition resulting in the lower cost of car insurance.

Some things you can’t change …

Most motorists understand that car insurance is “weighted” according to a whole host of factors – some of which are beyond the individual’s control. Age and gender, for example, both have an effect on the level of premiums charged. So does where you live, however, and few people are likely to change their address simply in order to insure their car. Those with an address in Northern Ireland might no longer be denied the opportunity of applying for cover from the nation’s leading insurers.

… but some you can

It’s nevertheless entirely possible to exercise some control over the premiums you are likely to be charged and, if that is your goal, to strive towards obtaining the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland:

• you might consider reducing the level of cover simply to third party, fire and theft, for example, rather than fully comprehensive insurance (especially if yours is an older or less valuable machine);
• some comprehensive insurance policies come with all manner of optional bells and whistles – such as breakdown cover, roadside assistance, courtesy cars in the event of breakdown, cover for in-car entertainment, and so on. By declining such “extras”, it might be possible to reduce the cost of the overall premiums;
• most car insurance policies include a “compulsory” excess, which is the first part of any claim for which the policy holder needs to take responsibility. By opting to take an optional, additional “voluntary” excess, however, it is often possible to slightly reduce the cost of the premiums;
• assuming responsibility for the cost of your car insurance premiums is also about driving carefully and doing all that you can to avoid claiming on the insurance. a clean history helps to keep the premiums lower and, of course, helps to establish your maximum no claims discount.

The recent opening up of the insurance market in the Province, together with your own choices of cover and driving style might prove a boon for those searching for the cheapest car insurance Northern Ireland has to offer.

Compare insurance on Northern Ireland websites

Not so very long ago, Northern Ireland residents who looked for insurance on price-comparison websites were likely to be in for a fairly dispiriting time. They’d fill in the details of the insurance cover they needed, click on the “get a quote” button to complete the enquiry and only then discover that the policy in which they were interested was simply not available for residents of the Province. These days, however, it has become possible to compare insurance for Northern Ireland residents in just the same way as the rest of the UK.

The exclusion of residents in this part of the world from enjoying the benefits of online shopping for insurance came about because of insurers’ perceived risk of extending cover for those living in the “troubled” North of Ireland. Insurers took the view that bombings, street fires etc were no environment in which to cover risks.

Things have changed these days, of course, and the Province has returned to a welcome state of peace and stability – it is a place where insurers are once again keen to do business. Indeed, in their eagerness to make the most of this rediscovered market, most insurers are also using making full use of probably the single most important contemporary marketing tool, the internet.

Across the whole range of different insurance products, it is now possible not only to search online, but to get immediate quotes for whatever the cover in which you are interested, allowing you to compare insurance for Northern Ireland cover.

Nowadays, therefore, when you go online to compare insurance in Northern Ireland, you’re unlikely to find that cover is unavailable simply because of where in the UK you happen to live. Across the whole board of insurance – from motor insurance, to home insurance, health insurance and even pet insurance – there is almost certain to be a website to help you find just the product (or products) you need.

Are you struggling to find car insurance companies Northern Ireland?

Residents of Northern Ireland may struggle when it comes to finding car insurance companies willing to offer them insurance. While problems of the past stop some insurance providers from offering cover to residents there are now websites who specialise in bringing insurance companies willing to offer protection together. This can make choosing car insurance companies in Northern Ireland a great deal easier for residents.

When looking for car insurance there are two common types, which the car owner may choose to take out depending on the vehicle they own.

Third party, fire and theft
If your car is an older model, you may wish to look into taking out protection by way of third party fire and theft. This is one of the cheapest ways of insuring your vehicle; however, the downfall is that the policy typically only protects your vehicle against the possibility of damage or destruction by fire, and theft of the vehicle. However, it does provide third party insurance in the event that you were to be involved in an accident or you damaged a third party’s property with your car.

Fully comprehensive
If you have a newer model of car are you are buying a car over a certain amount then fully comprehensive may typically be needed. Fully comprehensive is dearer but it does provide the policy owner with greater coverage than third party, fire and theft cover. If you vehicle is damaged in an accident – even if it is your fault – then the policy will usually pay out. There are other benefits available too, which can vary from insurer to insurer.

Car insurance companies in Northern Ireland may typically offer competitive quotes and some may offer better value for money than its contemporaries. Therefore, with this in mind it may pay to compare quotes and the benefits and features given by providers. Providers also typically add in exclusions and limitations to the policy so it may pay to check over the summary of any insurance policy you are thinking of taking out to ensure you know what the cover entails.

Cheaper car insurance for Northern Ireland

Getting cheaper car insurance for Northern Ireland involves pretty much the same considerations as other parts of the United Kingdom, or indeed, most other parts of the world. What those considerations most often boil down to is the seemingly obvious issue of making yourself appear to be a better risk to the motor insurer. The following are some of the most common ways in which drivers might make their insurance application more appealing.

• Security – throughout the 1970s until the early 1990s, many insurers shied away from the potentially lucrative business in Northern Ireland because of the “troubles”. Although those times appear now to have been consigned to history, securing your vehicle by installing immobilisers and/or alarms often helps to reduce risks and, therefore lowers the cost of premiums;
• Excess – a key to slightly cheaper car insurance in Northern Ireland (as in most parts of the world) is to shoulder more of the risk yourself by accepting a higher voluntary excess;
• Usage – if you do not plan to use your vehicle so often and keep to a lower annual mileage, many insurers are likely to offer discounts;
• Parking – related to security issues, once again, a vehicle that is kept parked in a garage or on a driveway off the street, is likely to pose less of a risk to theft, vandalism or other damage and, so, might attract a lower premium rate;
• Ordinary – by avoiding more “exotic”, expensive-to-repair, cars and going for the more commonly “ordinary” makes and models, the insurer’s liability for repairing or replacing any damage or loss is thereby reduced and you are likely, therefore, to pay less for your premiums;
• Choice – there are an increasing number of providers eager to sell car insurance for Northern Ireland residents. A specialist broker may be able to help you trawl through all the possibilities available and might help identify some of the best deals on the market.

Finding cheap car insurance companies in Northern Ireland

Those living in Northern Ireland may have in the past been limited to obtaining insurance quotes for their car from the high street lenders. You may be paying over the top for your premiums as, until recently, there was not always the choice or availability of good deals for those living in NI. Thankfully, there are specialist brokers who search for cheap car insurance companies in Northern Ireland for you and who do not place restrictions on you because of where you live. When you look for insurance this way, there are also ways that you may be able to save on the cost of the insurance.

• The make and model of your car plays a big part in how much your quote for insurance may work out so you may want to consider this before buying your car. For example if you buy one of the larger engine size sporty models of car then you may have to pay a great deal more in premiums than if you were to buy a car with a smaller size engine.
• The younger you are generally the more your insurance costs. While you cannot do anything about your age, you may want to consider a smaller car and you may be able to keep down the premiums if you take advanced driving lessons.
• If you become a member of a recognised motoring club, you may be able to get a reduction in premiums. Some insurance providers offer this reduction as you are seen to be a more mature and conscientious car owner.
• Where you park your car overnight many also reflect on the cost of the insurance premiums. If it is by the side of the road, it may be at risk of accidental damage due to pedestrians or other vehicles. It may also be a bigger risk to thieves. If you park your car in a garage, it should be seen as being safer and may help you to keep down the cost of your monthly premiums.
• Of course boosting the security on your car may help to deter thieves. Car theft may be one of the biggest reasons why you may not be able to find cheap car insurance companies in Northern Ireland. If you install devices such as an alarm, immobiliser or a tracking device you may be able to save something on the cost of your insurance.

Car insurance N Ireland may be hard to find

If you live in Northern Ireland, you may have found problems when you have applied for your car insurance. Some insurance providers exclude those residing in NI from taking out a policy. It can be very frustrating to find upon reaching the last page of an insurance form that you are excluded simply due to where you live.

To save time on your part you may want to search for your car insurance N Ireland with a specialist car insurance website.

While this may be the easiest way to find motor insurance if you live in Northern Ireland there are also other ways that you may be able help yourself to cut down the car insurance premiums. Here are some tips and ideas you may want to consider.

Third party or fully comprehensive
If you have an older model of car or you are buying a second hand car you may want to consider taking out third party fire and theft insurance as opposed to fully comprehensive. Third party insurance generally works out a great deal cheaper than fully comprehensive but of course; the protection for your own car is limited to fire and theft and to the third party. Fully comprehensive on the other hand typically provides more protection for your vehicle.

Take limited mileage
If you just use the car to run a few errands and pick up the kids from school then you may want to consider limited mileage insurance. With limited mileage insurance, you state a maximum amount of mileage you do not travel over which may help you to save on the cost of the cover.

Pay more in excess
When applying for car insurance N Ireland you are asked to pay a minimum excess towards a claim if one is made. You pay this sum and the insurance company takes over the rest of the claim. You may want to offer to pay more in excess than what the insurance company asks for which may help to save on the cost of your insurance premiums.