Is the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland good value for money?

Many people think twice when offered the “cheapest” of products on the market. With good reason, too, since cheap might sometimes mean second-rate or simply cut-price. With the recent growth in the number of providers and the fierce competition between them, however, some of the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland might be found without cutting any corners or sacrificing any quality. For the first time in many a year, the “cheapest” car insurance might actually represent simple good value for money.

Competition

Competition amongst suppliers is a great thing as far as the consumer is concerned – the more suppliers, the greater the pressure on them all to keep prices as low as possible. What’s prevented this simple law of economics from working very well in Northern Ireland in the past is that there have been too few car insurance companies prepared to do business in the Province – they had been put off taking the risks by pictures during the “troubles” of burning vehicles and the high incidence of stolen cars taken for “joy-riding”.

But as the peace has slowly been won in Northern Ireland, so too has competition returned to the market place for motor insurance – and none more so than in the present fashion for internet sales. With lower operating costs when marketing online, insurance companies are now offering surprisingly some of the cheapest car insurance Northern Ireland has seen in many years.

Help yourself

Of course, there are still ways in which you might help yourself by keeping the costs of motor insurance lower still:

• your driving history – insurers love a careful driver and one who has made few insurance claims in the past (since they’re likely to maintain that clean record in the future). Avoiding claims is the sure way to build up your no claims discount and save on the cost of premiums in the years ahead;
• excess – share more of the risks with your insurer by agreeing to a higher voluntary excess. This helps to show your faith in your own careful driving and the insurer typically grants a lower premium as the reward;
• immobilisers – fitting immobilising devices and/or alarms to the vehicle demonstrates your awareness of the need to secure car whenever it is left unattended. Once again, many insurers reward the owner’s responsibility with a discounted premium;
• Level of insurance – if your car is old or of relatively little value, you might consider whether fully comprehensive insurance is really necessary and, instead, opt for third party, fire and theft cover only.

In summary, therefore, increased competition in the market place, the advantages of shopping on the internet, and a careful appreciation of the type and level of cover you might need, all add up to some of the cheapest car insurance Northern Ireland has enjoyed for quite some time.

Where can I compare insurance for Northern Ireland?

When shopping is a question of finding the best value for money, one of the key things you’ll want to do is to compare the prices of as many comparable products as possible. It’s as true of insurance as it is of any other product, of course, but just where might you compare insurance for Northern Ireland?

After several decades of “troubles”, many insurers showed their reluctance to offer their products to residents of a sometimes violent and unsettled community by simply keeping out of the market. Now that a sense of settled “normality” is being enjoyed within the Province, it also has seen the return of even the bigger name insurance companies. The renewed competition that a greater number of players brings to the market place is also accompanied by that master-stroke of modern-day marketing, the internet.

Comparable products

Just as with any comparison of consumer products, when using the internet to compare insurance for Northern Ireland residents it is important to make sure that you are comparing like with like. For example, if you are looking to compare:

• home insurance you’ll probably consider whether each one offers all risks, accidental cover or not, or whether the settlement of any claim is on a “wear and tear” or full replacement basis, depending on what the cover that best suits your needs; or
• motor insurance, then you’ll be comparing quotes for third party; third party, fire and theft; or comprehensive insurance, again based on the cover you need.

Compare prices

Once you have established the appropriate level of cover, NII online providers tend to often offer a fast, easy and very convenient way of comparing prices in terms of the premiums you need to pay. Moreover, since you’ve been able to specify the kind of insurance and the level of cover in your search terms, you are likely to be more confident that the lowest prices offered represent genuine value for money and not simply a cut-price, lower quality product.

Online insurance quotes, from a wide range of competitively priced insurers, therefore, are now available to allow consumers realistically to compare insurance in Northern Ireland.