Tips for Car Insurance If Recently Arrived in Ireland
Caeva O'Callaghan | February 7th, 2024
Can I Get Car Insurance If I’ve Only Recently Moved to Ireland?
No matter how long you’ve been abroad, where you’re coming from or if you’re returning after a long stay overseas Ireland is a great place to set up home, but will you be able to get car insurance?
Yes, of course you can. No matter where you’re from, insuring your car will be straightforward. If you’re coming from a country that isn’t in the UK or EU you will have fewer options. Even so, we can help you find a quote.
Any evidence you have of your driving experience will be helpful. Showing it to prospective car insurance providers will demonstrate your level of risk, and shorten the quote process.
In this article, we’ll answer questions such as:
- I’ve just arrived in Ireland, can I insure my car?
- Do I need different car insurance if I come from the UK?
- If I’m from the EU, do I need different car insurance in Ireland?
If you have any questions this article does not answer, just give us a call. We’ll be delighted to walk you through the process so you can get on the road as quickly as possible.
Are you coming home?
During the last recession, Irish emigration soared. In 2015 alone, over 35,000 Irish citizens emigrated from Ireland. The UK, Canada and Australia were the top three destinations attracting Irish job-seekers.
In 2018, for the first time since 2009, Ireland saw more Irish people returning home than emigrating. This is down to the improved economy and increased job prospects. According to the CSO, April 2017 to April 2018 saw 90,300 people move to Ireland. Returning Irish expats accounted for 28,500 of these.
But, readjusting to life in Ireland can be time-consuming and expensive. This is especially the case when you need to sort out accommodation, employment and car insurance. So any reduction in the price of your car insurance will be welcome.
In most cases, if you’ve been away for more than two years, your no-claims bonus may have expired. Some insurance companies may even refuse to quote you. But we have access to many providers who will take foreign driving experience into account. This will help make the transition as easy as possible.
Coming from the EU or UK
If you have been living in the EU or UK prior to your arrival in Ireland, this will make no difference to the car insurance quote you receive (and this will remain the case after Brexit).
You will need to present any evidence you have of your driving experience overseas. For example, whether you have been named on a foreign policy or had a car insurance policy in your own name. All this evidence, including any no-claims bonuses you may have built up, will work in your favour when attempting to get an accurate quote.
Please bear in mind that all documentation you gather abroad must be verifiable and should contain as much detailed relevant information as possible, e.g., in respect of dates, type of insurance, certification of claims-free driving, etc.
So, keeping this in mind, we would recommend making sure at the outset that your old insurance provider will be in a position to provide such documentation at the end of your period of living abroad.
Non-EU countries
If you have come from a non-EU country – such as Canada or Australia, two popular countries for Irish emigrants – then you will have fewer insurance companies making quotes available to you.
Even so, there will be no problem getting you set up with car insurance. Here at QuoteMe.ie, we have lots of markets to try.
If you’re worried about how much time it will take getting car insurance upon your arrival in Ireland, there are a couple of things you can try. First, change your driving licence to an Irish one as soon as you can. this will give you more options when it comes to car insurance as it is virtually impossible to get car insurance in Ireland on an international licence.
Secondly, get yourself some Irish named driver experience if you can. Being on someone else’s policy will help demonstrate your driving experience in Ireland, and supplement any driver experience you’ve been able to get whilst from abroad.
And third, don’t worry! If all this seems too much to handle, give us a call today and we can help walk you through the process. We are available Mon-Fri between 8.30am and 5.30pm on 0818 224433 or 042 9359051. Our car insurance experts know the Irish market like the back of their hand and will help you find the right insurance for your needs. You can also get an instant car insurance quote using our car insurance calculator. We look forward to helping you today!