Asking for a car insurance quote for Northern Ireland

Anyone much above their mid-20s can probably remember the time when asking for a car insurance quote for Northern Ireland often received one of two responses:

• a sad sigh of resignation;
• mild amusement!

In the end, it was often typically a case of looking at a very specialist niche of providers and often having to pay comparatively high prices.

Today

OK, today great value car insurance isn’t exactly being handed out free on the street corners but the position has still changed out of all recognition – and it continues to do so.

Finding a suitable car insurance quote for Northern Ireland

The first challenge is, of course, to find a company that will offer insurance in Northern Ireland.

That used to be a moderately tedious process of making lots of phone calls or internet searches but today there are sites that specifically list insurance providers and products available here.

That may be a great aid and time saver.

The second challenge is to start thinking commercially about car insurance.

Insurance companies may typically charge extra if they perceive the risks to be higher.

It’s still the case that typically Northern Ireland premiums are a little higher than those for other parts of the UK but you can take steps to think about how you can get the cost of your quotation down.

You may wish to try:

• third-party, fire and theft is the legal minimum and it may be worth thinking about if you’re driving an older and very low-value vehicle;
• parking your vehicle off-road when it’s not in use;
• fitting additional anti-theft security devices;
• not insuring youngsters on your policy as drivers.

All these things may help you find a suitable and cost-effective car insurance quote for Northern Ireland.

What’s special about taxi insurance in Northern Ireland?

The short answer is – nothing! Well, at least there’s nothing philosophically different about taxi insurance in Northern Ireland as opposed to anywhere else.

The big differences relate to the nature of the insurance required for a taxi as opposed to a private vehicle.

The law is clear

All over the world, the law and insurance practice both state that a vehicle used for taxi purposes (sometimes referred to as hire or reward) carries different risks to those associated with a private vehicle.

The reasons for that are hopefully self-evident.

Typically as a taxi, you’re likely to be on the road for longer and engaged in more individual journeys than a private motorist. Very possibly your mileage will be higher and more of it will be involved in town or city-centre driving that ordinary drivers.

You also will have fare of fee-paying passengers; something that there is no equivalent of in private motoring.

All these things add risk – and risk that is either not present or much reduced for private drivers.

If you’re working as a taxi business, your activities may come under one of several general types:

• a self-employed taxi driver predominantly working for others;
• as above but having your own office base and business;
• running a small business where you drive but also have others working for you – possibly as drivers or office staff etc.

Depending upon the specifics of the situation, your needs for taxi insurance in Northern Ireland may vary and this will include any legal obligations relating to the minimum type and amount of insurance required, too.

Cover varies

In the final analysis, the legal minimum cover you need for taxi insurance in Northern Ireland may be one thing. Whether that alone is enough to help you sleep easily at night is another – so thinking about some of the additional forms of cover above might be sensible.