Looking for insurance quotes in Northern Ireland – a fool’s errand?
In a word – no! Today insurance quotes in Northern Ireland are beginning to become available in ever-larger numbers and the whole insurance business area is becoming increasingly mainstream.
It hopefully goes without saying that we, as consumers in Northern Ireland, should benefit as a result because more competition typically leads to:
- more choice;
- lower prices;
- better cover offers.
Unfortunately, it’s not all entirely plain sailing.
Much improved as things are, you may find that getting insurance quotes in Northern Ireland it’s still not quite just as easy as contacting a few companies at random.
Quite a few major companies are still a little shy of offering their policies here and that may mean that you could spend quite a bit of time trying to find those that do.
There is an answer though – the directories of insurance providers.
These are lists available on the internet that contain information relating to the companies that do operate these days in Northern Ireland. Consulting them may save you a lot of time and possibly a fair bit of frustration in trying to find screens or phone systems that will respond positively to your Northern Ireland postcode.
Motor insurance in NI
If you are looking for motor insurance then whatever policy you’re considering, it’s worth keeping in mind that many policies typically offer opportunities for reducing your costs through various forms of discount.
So, perhaps when thinking about your quote it might be worthwhile looking out for discounts available for:
- taking a higher excess on the policy;
- parking your vehicle in secure locations overnight (e.g. a garage);
- reducing, or avoiding entirely, young drivers on the policy;
- the use of additional security measures such as immobilisers.
In summary, the position for people needing insurance quotes in Northern Ireland is now more favourable than it has been for a long time. You may want to take advantage of that!
What’s happening with insurance companies in Northern Ireland?
The insurance market place has changed dramatically in recent years - particularly with the growth of internet-based insurance providers. Until very recently though, for some of the online insurance companies, Northern Ireland was just not on the radar at all.
This situation left residents in the position of having the same technology as the UK, the same insurance needs as many in the UK but unfortunately with a postcode that just wasn’t acceptable to many conventional insurers. Insurance companies in Northern Ireland were, for some, an abstract future hope.
Being able to browse the insurance internet sites and see the deals available to others but be unable to purchase this insurance was understandably an extremely frustrating position to be in.
Things are now slowly changing for the better.
Some of the bigger insurance providers are now waking up to the fact that improvements in the political situation in Northern Ireland have had a massive impact on the social climate.
These changes are allowing some companies to re-think their marketing strategies so as to offer some of their products to Northern Ireland residents.
It’s still early days though and there is a general perception that while increasing numbers of insurance providers are opening their doors to Northern Ireland residents, the premiums charged may still tend to be higher than those for equivalent cover on the mainland.
However, it may be safe to assume that as the market opens up still further, increased competition will start to drive premium prices even further down.
Northern Ireland residents have traditionally been on the receiving end of some relatively limited choices as far as insurance was concerned. Things seem to be changing for the better though with insurance companies in Northern Ireland starting to offer their internet clients some attractive deals.
Make sure you compare car insurance Northern Ireland polices
As a car owner living in Northern Ireland, you may have struggled to find an insurance provider willing to offer you insurance for your vehicle. As such if you have a policy that you thought was relatively cheap when you took it out, you may just stick with this policy year after year.
However while it may have been the most suitable for your needs several years ago, you may now be able to get a more suitable deal if you compare car insurance Northern Ireland policies.
So why may it pay to compare car insurance Northern Ireland policies?
- you current insurance policy premiums may have typically slowly risen over the years which means you might be paying more than you need to – so shop around;
- you may be able to get additional small benefits with a new policy that you currently do not have on your existing policy;
- if you look for all your insurance needs with a new provider you may be able to save money by combining all your policies with the same provider.
Keeping the costs down
Along with comparing insurance, you may also wish to give some thought to the following:
- taking out a low mileage policy if you are insuring a second vehicle that is not used for travelling many miles, for instance if it is only used for short distance commuting;
- adding security such as an immobiliser, an alarm system or even a steering lock;
- parking your vehicle securely in a garage where it is not at risk of thieves, vandals or damage from passing vehicles.
Any of the above may help you to get more attractively-priced premiums when you compare car insurance Northern Ireland policies.
Insurance quotes in Northern Ireland - what level of car insurance?
How can you ensure that you get the most suitable insurance quotes in Northern Ireland for your car insurance needs? The first thing is to understand is the different levels of car insurance offered. The three types of insurance you may wish to consider are:
- third party only;
- third party fire and theft;
- fully comprehensive.
So let us look at the different levels of cover.
Third party only insurance
This insurance policy is the most basic form of insurance you are able to take out to drive legally on the roads. It is also typically the cheapest form of protection. You are typically protected against:
- damage caused to a third party through your actions;
- this typically includes damage to vehicles, property and bodily injury.
Third party fire and theft
Third party fire and theft falls into the middle when it comes to cost. The policy typically provides protection against:
- the same as third party only;
- your car being damaged or destroyed in a fire;
- your car being stolen.
Fully comprehensive
As the name may suggest this is the most comprehensive form of protection you are able to get quotes for and it is often the most expensive form. You may typically be protected against:
- the benefits of third party fire and theft including being able to claim if your vehicle is stolen, damaged or destroyed in fire;
- damage to the vehicle due to vandalism or caused by yourself;
- you may also have some form of breakdown insurance;
- many other benefits.
Once you know what type of NI car cover you need, always compare insurance quotes in Northern Ireland to make sure you have adequate protection at a price that suits your budget.
Car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland: the basics
Quite a few years ago car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland would often have been slightly more expensive than mainland UK prices. However, recently prices are getting a bit more realistic and now that British household names are getting in on the act, drivers in Northern Ireland have a wider range of policies to choose from. The question is: how should you make that selection?
Compare prices
There’s no excuse for not shopping around. If you are looking for car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland online, the process only takes a couple of minutes if you use a car NI car insurance website, so it may be worth investing that amount of time to look for a good deal.
Most providers want to know your personal details, along with some information about the car itself and where it is kept. It’s important to give this information accurately, as even an innocent mistake can lead to the policy being voided on the grounds of false information.
When insurers give their quotes the prices speak for themselves, but don’t forget to look for details of what is included in the cover so that you can be sure that you are comparing like for like. Added extras like breakdown cover, personal belongings insurance and free hire cars can raise the cost of the premium, so decide whether these are essential to you, or whether you would prefer slightly cheaper, more basic cover.
Are there any discounts available?
Car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland can sometimes be reduced by the following factors:
- no claims discount. If you are a careful driver, make sure that you let insurers know about your no claims bonus. This can reduce the cost of your insurance and potentially make the premium more attractive;
- keeping your car in the garage. If you have a garage full of junk, empty it and park your car inside! Insurers perceive cars that are kept in garages as less likely to be stolen or damaged, so you could save yourself some money.
- fitting an immobiliser. Many newer cars have these fitted anyway, but if you have an older car it might be worth fitting one to make the vehicle more difficult to steal.
- calculating your mileage. If you only use the car for local journeys, take a moment to calculate how far you travel each year. It might not be as far as you think. A lower mileage limit could result in a lower premium;
- having a higher excess. At first glance it does seem odd to volunteer to have a higher excess. But this may make a difference when you are looking for car insurance quotes for Northern Ireland. Typically a higher excess means a slightly discounted premium.
Compare car insurance Northern Ireland: what insurers want to know
If you want to compare car insurance in Northern Ireland insurance you may find when shopping around that providers will ask you a series of questions. It may feel like the Spanish inquisition, but each question helps them to determine how risky you and your vehicle would be to insure.
Car insurance in Northern Ireland has historically been more expensive than the cover available on mainland UK for a variety or reasons. Now, however, insurers are becoming more and more competitive in their approach, as they actively seek your business. So what will they typically want to know when you compare car insurance Northern Ireland cover?
Who are you?
If you are a student or a young person, you may find that the premiums you are offered are much higher than the cover that is available for older people. There is little that can be done about this, although you may find that specialist insurers who deal mostly with students or new drivers might be a little more understanding about your inexperience.
On the other hand, if you are a more mature driver, now is the time to benefit from your experience and get an attractively priced premium!
What is your car like?
One of the benefits of having a more modest car is that cheaper and widely available models are typically less expensive to insure than pricier, rarer makes. And if you drive a classic car, you may find that insurers who specialise in cover for older cars and / or classic cars may offer a discount or a more competitive rate.
How much do you drive?
If you cover a lot of mileage each year, this needs to be declared to the insurance companies. Otherwise you may find that an insurer does not pay out if there is an accident, as they could void the policy because of the wrong information that you provided (even if you did not deliberately give false information).
Where do you keep the car?
When you compare car insurance Northern Ireland providers will typically want to know where your car is kept so they can assess the potential risk of theft. Accordingly, if you keep the vehicle in a locked, secure garage, an insurer will deem this to be less risky than keeping your car on the road or in a public car park.
Of course, there are online car insurance Northern Ireland brokers who allow you to access a range of quotes from one form, so this may be a quicker and easier way of comparing NI car insurance cover.
Some tips about motor insurance in Northern Ireland
Perhaps because our choice was relatively limited compared to the mainland UK, over some years we may have become a little complacent in terms of getting the best deals on insurance. So here are a few tips relating to motor insurance in Northern Ireland.
Shop around!
We all know that times are changing. As a result, there’s never been more choice and shopping around could save you a lot of money.
Sadly, there are still quite a lot of companies that don’t offer their policies in Northern Ireland but more and more are. There are internet sites that offer links to those companies that do.
Think about drivers!
Whether we think it’s fair or not doesn’t matter, the fact is that typically insurance companies don’t like very young drivers. They see them as high risk.
They also may get edgy about a policy that has to cover any driver – that means that just about anyone could drive your vehicle with your permission and that again adds risk.
Try keeping the numbers of drivers down and the ages up – it may result in big savings on your premium.
Watch the road!
Your car is typically at higher risk if it’s parked overnight on the public highway than if it’s in your driveway or garaged. If you can achieve that then do so – your insurance company will like it and may reduce their price of motor insurance in Northern Ireland a little in response.
Engage in excess!
The excess is an amount of money that you agree to pay as the first part of any future claim.
Typically, the higher the excess you take, the more the insurer will respond in reducing your premium.
Join a motoring organisation!
All insurance companies welcome signs of maturity and responsibility. One way to demonstrate this is by joining a recognised motoring association and some insurers will reward this accordingly.
Think flexibly:
A few basic steps such as those listed above could help get your quotes for motor insurance in Northern Ireland going in the right direction! Most insurers will make clear right up-front just what you can do to get your costs down and spending a few minutes reading that sort of detail may help you identify even more options.
Insurance quotes for Northern Ireland – past and present
For some years, getting insurance quotes for Northern Ireland could seem to be a bit like begging for favours – but things are happening!
Past times
Anyone much over the age of 40 or 50 may remember the days when getting an insurance quotation was a fairly big deal.
It involved putting on some decent clothes, going down to the high street to an insurer or broker and then asking very, very nicely, if they would do you the great honour of taking your money in return for some insurance.
Shopping around was difficult bordering impossible and a lot of the time it was a question of taking what you were given. Some would say it was only slightly less intimidating than a visit to the bank manager!
As the world changed in the 1980s and 90s, competition increased hugely as did the culture of buying insurance. Prices were driven down and consumers started to be in the driving seat. The arrival firstly of telephone insurers and then the internet, also meant that insurers had to be really on their toes and that the customer was king.
Insurance in Northern Ireland
Of course, it has to be said that here in Northern Ireland the special circumstances meant that to some extent at least, we weren’t able to fully participate in this insurance revolution. Choice remained limited and prices, relatively speaking, high.
Yet this is changing.
Insurance quotes for Northern Ireland
More and more mainland UK insurance companies are now offering their policies across the water. This is great news as it increases competition.
Whether you’re looking for property or motor vehicle insurance in Northern Ireland, there are now options available that would not have existed even a few years ago.
It’s therefore worth making just that little bit more effort to look around if you need insurance or your existing policy is coming up for renewal. If you have access to the internet – you won’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to do so!
The price of insurance in Northern Ireland
There’s no point pretending though that everything is now entirely routine in terms of insurance quotes for Northern Ireland. Until confidence improves further, premiums are likely to stay a little higher than UK mainland norms.
Remember though, you can help keep your prices as low as possible by looking for policies that offer reductions for things such as:
- cars not parked on public roads overnight;
- fitting specialist locks and alarms (cars or property);
- taking a higher excess.
If you’re looking for insurance quotes for Northern Ireland, keeping these things in mind may save you significant amounts of money.
Looking for the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland?
Car insurance costs a lot of money and there’s no point paying more for it than is necessary. Historically, the special circumstances in Northern Ireland meant that searching for really good deals was something of a challenge. Today though, shopping around to find the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland is not only possible but also possibly sensible.
The new Northern Ireland insurance market
As normality has returned to our daily lives over recent years, the insurance companies have started to move back into selling their products and services in Northern Ireland.
No longer are we restricted to dealing with only the specialist and niche insurance providers. As competition increases, so does choice and hopefully pricing will become increasingly competitive also.
The internet is also driving change. It’s now possible to see a wide selection of products that are delivered right to your living room. Convenience is hardly the word for it!
Reducing effort
Of course, if you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland, it’s not all good news. Quite a few insurance companies still haven’t yet geared up to providing their car insurance here and it’s only too easy to waste time trawling through various insurance companies on the internet trying to find those that do.
The solution may be the specialist Northern Ireland car insurance consolidation websites that offer direct links to those companies that do offer their policies here.
You may find that you save yourself a lot of time indeed!
Keeping prices down
It may sound like stating the obvious but you typically can also help find yourself cheaper car insurance by changing your circumstances.
For example, if you fit one of a range of approved security devices and alarms, you may find that the insurance company will reduce your premium. The same may also apply if you garage or park your car off public roads overnight. You may also be able to reduce the price by agreeing to pay a higher excess in the event of an accident.
All things worth thinking about if you’re looking for some of the cheapest car insurance in Northern Ireland!
Trying to compare insurance in Northern Ireland
We all like choice. As a result, when shopping for anything, few of us enjoy being told that there’s only one option available. That’s certainly the case when talking about insurance and most of us would like to be able to compare insurance in Northern Ireland in the same way as is typically possible on the UK mainland.
A stable market
Ok, it has to be said that historically insurance in Northern Ireland was, of course different. Some insurance companies saw the various risks as being unacceptable and didn’t even offer their products into our particular marketplace. Others did so but usually at very inflated price levels.
What this meant was that insurance was often seen as a specialist and niche function and many risks were perhaps understandably classified as hard-to-place. Many policyholders would find a certain form of cover and simply stick to it partly through habit and inertia but also significantly because the alternatives choices were limited or perhaps even non-existent in some cases.
Shopping around for insurance in Northern Ireland
Yet times have changed. Increasing political stability and progress means that the larger insurance companies are now making their presence felt. The increasing use of the internet is also making it easier for potential buyers to look around and check deals to see if what they’re currently getting is up-to-scratch in terms of cover and price.
This is potentially great news for all our wallets!
There are even specialist sites around that can provide access to a number of insurance providers that are selling insurance in Northern Ireland. Using this sort of site may save you a lot of time and possibly also money and allow you to more easily compare insurance in Northern Ireland on a policy-by-policy basis.
Keep in mind some variables
If you are looking to compare insurance in Northern Ireland, it may be worth remembering that you need to compare like with like.
For example, not all companies offer the same discounts for taking certain risk-reducing steps such as:
- using security and anti-theft devices such as alarms on houses and cars;
- accepting higher voluntary excesses on the policies;
- reducing the number of younger drivers listed on car insurance cover etc.
So, whilst a policy may appear cheaper at face value, another one may prove to be a far better deal because they offer higher discounts if you use some of the above options.
The future
Predicting the future is a dangerous game but assuming that current trends continue, it should become easier to compare insurance in Northern Ireland as competition increases and the insurance marketplace normalises. It may be that for some time to come prices will remain above UK mainland norms but the overall trend may be downwards.