Your Guide To Comprehensive Car Insurance In Ireland

There are three types of car insurance covers to choose from:

1. Third party
2. Third party fire and theft
3. Comprehensive Car Insurance

Third-party car insurance is the most basic cover while comprehensive is the most extensive. To meet legal requirements in Ireland, you must be insured with at least third-party car insurance coverage. However, a comprehensive insurance policy provides more than the legal minimum and can actually cost less than third-party, fire and theft.

This guide covers everything you need to know about comprehensive car insurance, so read on to find out if this type of car insurance suits your needs!

Comprehensive Car Insurance in Ireland

Comprehensive car insurance provides protection for you and your vehicle in the event of an accident, fire, or theft. It's a flexible product that can include various benefits and a range of optional add-ons at a cost.

What does comprehensive car insurance include?

Comprehensive car insurance also referred to as fully comprehensive covers more eventualities than the other two cover levels. While it provides the same coverage as third-party fire and theft, it also allows you to claim for accidental damage to your own vehicle, no matter who is to blame in the case of a collision.

How are third-party and comprehensive car insurance policies different?

Benefits of getting comprehensive car insurance

Wondering if getting comprehensive car insurance is worth it? Here are some things that can help you decide:

What is covered in comprehensive car insurance?

While all policies are different, generally, all comprehensive car insurance policies will include:

• Accidental damage to your own or another person's vehicle.
• Accidental damage to other people's property as a result of an accident in your car.
• Personal injury, to you or other people in an accident that was your fault.

Some policies also include:

• Windscreen cover
• Theft of or damage to the contents of your car
• Legal protection
• No-claims discount protection
• Misfuelling
• Courtesy car
• Breakdown cover

What is not covered in comprehensive car insurance?

Despite what the name suggests, comprehensive car insurance doesn't include absolutely everything. In a lot of cases, you may have to pay extra for some of the benefits listed above.

This type of coverage doesn't include:

• Negligence
• Wear and tear
• Invalid drivers licence
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs

Other than the Coverage, there are a few more things to consider when buying Car Insurance.

How much does comprehensive car insurance cost?

Motor insurance can be expensive but not as costly as being caught without insurance. While the cost of car insurance can vary considerably depending on a number of factors, Comprehensive car insurance in Ireland usually costs €600 on average.

Factors that affect the cost of car insurance in Ireland:

• Age
• Experience
• Area of residence
• Annual Mileage
• Make and model of car

You might assume that comprehensive car insurance is the most expensive cover option because it offers the most coverage out of the three. But, it's often cheaper than third party and third party fire and theft.

Also, check out these 6 Tips to get cheaper Car Insurance.

Why is comprehensive car insurance cheaper than others?

You can get a comprehensive cover for the same cost as, or less than, a third-party policy. The reasons for this include:

• Third party insurance options tend to attract drivers who are at a higher risk of accidents (more likely to make a claim).
• Drivers who choose comprehensive cover are considered to be more responsible.

It's a good idea to check comprehensive car insurance quotes against other options when buying a policy.

Can I drive any car with comprehensive car insurance?

In the past, policyholders with comprehensive car insurance were allowed to drive another person's car in Ireland.

But now, your policy is only valid for the car listed in your policy.

Some policies do have a ‘driving other cars' clause that allows the policyholder to drive another person's car in case of emergencies.

If you're involved in an accident that damages the car, it won't be covered (only be covered on a third party basis). But it will cover damage to a third party's car or property.

As a named driver, you'll be insured to drive the vehicle with the same level of cover as the policyholder. Insurers usually don't offer policies that include 'driving other cars' cover to drivers under 25.

If you want to drive someone's car occasionally, you can be added as a named driver to their insurance policy.

How can I get cheap comprehensive car insurance quotes in Ireland?

With Paddy Compare you can compare car insurance quotes in Ireland, in a matter of minutes! Simply follow these steps: