Irish Mini Owners Club

Hi All,

I have recently returned from an extended stay in Sweden where I spent the last 6 years. Not wanting to sell my beloved mini I garaged it for this whole time and now that I'm back I was hoping to put it back on the road. Only problem is that no-one will quote me for the insurance. Either the car is too old, it's a 97D reg, or the fact that i haven't been insured on a car for several years and therefore have no experience (according to them) is pushing me out of the market.

I have tried all of the following:

Autoline, Carol Nash, Allianz, Aviva, AA, 1st Ireland, FBD, Chill, Adelaide/MCE, AIG, 123, Its4women, Nononsense, Coverme, Quoteline, OlearyInsurance, Zurich and BrianJPearse.

None of the above would even quote me. The only companies to even entertain the idea of quoting were Axa (quoted €9000, only a 1500% increase on what i paid previously) and Liberty, who wouldn't actually quote until the NCT was passed and that hasn't been done yet.

Has anyone any advice on who might be willing to cover the car for a reasonable price? Any advice appreciated, I'm really running out of options now.

Thanks.

Niall

this:

If you are refused motor insurance
Individual insurers have the right to refuse you cover, but they must provide you with a reason for the refusal should you ask for one. However, even though you have been refused cover, you are entitled to go to the Declined Cases Committee of Insurance Ireland who will obtain an insurance quotation for you. In order for the Committee to consider your case you must first have sought and been refused quotations in writing from at least three insurers.

and this:

If you have been refused a quotation for motor insurance, you are entitled to go to the Declined Cases Committee of Insurance Ireland who will obtain a motor insurance quotation for you.

Declined Cases Committee
Insurance Ireland
39 Molesworth Street
Dublin
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)1 676 1914

It would be cheaper for you to buy a cheap daily driver and insure it. Then you could contact the insurance companies for a limited mileage policy on the mini and they will mirror your NCB (albeit at 0) to the car.

Thanks for the info guys.

With regard to the refusal process, I suspect that if I ask for written letters when declined they will just start quoting me ridiculous prices to avoid officially declining but it might come to this eventually. Has anyone actually gone through this process successfully?

Getting a second car just to keep the mini on the road isn't really an option. I don't have a driveway and so the second car would be permanently on a public road, I don't want the burden of another car that needs NCT/Tax/Insurance every year.

I was kind of hoping someone just knew a mini friendly broker who understood that not all cars over 15 years old were death traps driven by people looking to make fraudulent claims. The quest continues.

Cheers!

Ok so I just thought I leave a little feedback in case anyone else is coming home to a garaged mini from a period abroad. After calling for quotes from all of the below:

autoline, Carol Nash, Axa,liberty, Aviva, AA, 1st Ireland, FBD, Chill, Adelaide/MCE, Allianz, AIG, 123, Its4women, nononsense, coverme, Quoteline, olearyinsurances, Zurich, Top Quote Direct, McCarthy Insurance Group, 25plus, blueinsurance, AIB, An Post, coverinaclick/CFM, JLT Ireland, Aaran insurance, Alliance Insurance Brokers, AML Insurance Brokers, Brophy & Co Insurances Ltd, Cotter Insurances Ltd, Cross Insurances Ltd, cusafe, Europlan Insurances Ltd, Gogans Insurance, Goggin Insurances, Tesco, Supervalu, Kennco insurance, Cross Insurace, Fitzgerald Flynn.

I finally found a broker who would cover the car for a reasonable sum, now covered fully comp for €700 with Octane via Campion Insurance. Of all the others only two would give quotes, 95% of them refused because the car is over 15 years old and the rest because I have no car history having been abroad for 6 years, or both.

So almost street legal now, just need to get it through the NCT tomorrow evening, fingers crossed

Glad to hear you finally got sorted. Fair play for persisting! Good luck with the NCT.