Worried about car damage or accidents? Protect yourself and your vehicle with help from the best car insurance providers in Ireland, whom we’ve dissected and reviewed here.
In this guide, we also discuss the average cost of car insurance in Ireland, what factors affect insurance costs, and other car insurance-related info you may want to know.
If you want to narrow down your search for car insurance providers to your city, we currently have guides for Dublin, Cork, and Waterford.
What is the average cost of car insurance in Ireland?
The latest Private Motor Insurance Report from the Central Bank of Ireland showed that the average cost of car insurance in Ireland is €653.
Insurance costs vary depending on several factors, including:
- Address: City residents tend to have higher premiums than rural residents.
- Age: Younger drivers are more costly to insure because of their lack of driving experience.
- Yearly mileage: If you cover more than the average 10,500 miles per year, you’re likely to pay more because you’re on the road longer than most people, increasing your risk of accidents or repairs.
- Job: Insurers decide which jobs are high risk depending on who they believe are likely to get into an accident. High risk jobs get higher premiums.
- Car model: An SUV is cheaper to insure than a luxury sedan.
- Driving experience: More experienced drivers without good driving records get better rates.
Top Car Insurance Providers in Ireland
We looked into known car insurance providers in Ireland and assessed them in the following areas:
Please note that most of these carriers also provide other types of insurance, such as home insurance and life insurance, but we’re mainly looking at their car insurance policies.
1. First Ireland
| VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| DISCOUNTS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FINANCIAL STRENGTH | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
If you’re looking for one of the top motor insurance brokers in Ireland, then look no further than First Ireland. First Ireland takes pride in providing the finest possible service to their clients.
They’ll compare vehicle insurance quotes from Ireland’s top motor insurance providers to get you the greatest coverage at the best price. Since every driver is unique, they are here to help whether you are an experienced driver seeking excellent value motor insurance or a new driver looking for young driver insurance.
One of the benefits we have noticed upon requesting their services is that they can totally secure your No Claim Bonus by paying an additional premium if you have achieved the appropriate amount of no claims bonus.
They can also allow someone who is not a named driver to drive your car with your authorisation under your insurance policy. Most comprehensive insurance provides basic coverage for windscreen damage.
We strongly recommend their comprehensive policy as this is the cover that offers the most protection as it also covers damage to your own car in the event of an accident.
Pros
- Reasonable rates
- No Claim bonus protection
- Provides road rescue and disabled drivers car insurance
- “Driving of other cars” cover protects you when you drive a vehicle you don’t own
- Monthly payment plan available
Cons
- Closed on weekends
Customer Reviews
Couldn’t have helped anymore than she did. Fantastic customer service.
“I have renewed my car insurance recently with Danielle and couldn’t have dealt with anyone nicer. She was so pleasant and very informative and couldn’t have helped anymore than she did. Fantastic customer service.” – Denise Hyland
He made me feel like his priority and dealt with me patiently
“I came to Ireland in 2019 and they were the only company I could find that helped me with insurance. Ever since, I have renewed yearly and received timely reminders and communication. I again renewed my policy today and was assisted by Dean. He made me feel like his priority and dealt with me patiently. Concluding business on our half hour call, I am again very happy with their service!” – Corne Elmarie Moll
2. Aviva Insurance Ireland
| VALUE | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| DISCOUNTS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| FINANCIAL STRENGTH | ★★★★☆ (4/5)AA- (S&P) |
Aviva is a global insurance company with locations in the UK, Canada, and Ireland. A D&B Hoovers report shows that they are the largest general insurer in the country.
Founded in 1908, they have been offering home, life, and car insurance in Ireland for over a hundred years.
We gave five stars for their discount score, as they offer about five types of discounts for drivers, including safe driving and no claims. Make sure to look at the fine print, though, as these come with terms and conditions.
Most of these are applicable only to clients with a minimum premium of €310.
Another thing we’re happy to note is their convenient online portal. Clients are glad to find that MyAviva is easy to navigate.
Through their online portal, you can renew your policy and access your policy documents.
To add to this list of positives, they have 24/7 breakdown rescue. Depending on your policy, they can cover mechanical issues; wheel replacement or repair because of puncture; lost, stolen, or faulty keys; and more.
The company can send an affiliated mechanic to assist you and offer an hour of free labour.
We’ve found that most of their clients are happy with their customer service when it comes to purchasing a policy and lodging complaints.
A lot for them note how their policies and rates are discussed in detail and how the reps are not too pushy.
For complaints, their customer service team is patient and willing to stay on the line to help the client sort out their issue.
However, they can have issues with claims and renewals. One client was upset about his long claims process.
He observed that there didn’t seem to be internal communication between the teams involved in the claims process, so he had to repeatedly give details about his claim.
When it comes to renewals, one client noted that it’s cheaper to take out a new policy rather than renew your current one.
Another client was so disappointed with this, he switched to another carrier and got the same coverage for €200 cheaper.
To sum up, we think Aviva is a good choice if you’re taking out a new car insurance policy. They have plenty of discounts available for you, especially for drivers with excellent driving records.
Pros
- 15% discount for new policies bought online
- 10% discount for second and subsequent car policies
- Maximum of 20% discount for drivers with no driving penalties
- 20% discount for drivers with Advanced Driver qualification
- Maximum of 50% discount if you don’t make claims within five years
- Free courtesy car for a week when you make a claim and put your car out for repairs
- Unlimited window and windscreen cover when you use their affiliated repairers (comprehensive policies only)
- 24/7 claims helpline
- Free legal helpline
- 24/7 breakdown rescue
Cons
- Increasing renewal rates
Customer Reviews
Helpful
“Had to contact Aviva Assist on 3 occasions in the last week. All 3 mechanics, Adam,Liam
and Pail were very professional and knowledgable and nice to deal with. Also contact centre very helpful on each occasion. This is my first time to contact Aviva Assist and was very impressed, wait no longer than 45 minutes.” —Bernadette Henry, Google review
Sorted complaint quickly and fairly
“I had a problem with my policy and made a complaint. The nature of the problem was complicated and so I understand the people in Customer Service weren’t able to help me. I made a complaint which was reviewed by Lisa in the Complaints dept. Once I got to explain my side of the story she sorted it out very quickly and very fairly.” —Donal Marron, Google review
3. AXA Insurance – Long Mile Road Branch
| VALUE | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| DISCOUNTS | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| FINANCIAL STRENGTH | ★★★★☆ (4/5)AA- (S&P) |
Arriving in Ireland in 1999, French global insurance provider AXA is now the country’s third-largest general insurer.
With AA- financial strength rating from S&P, the insurers are highly capable of meeting their financial commitments. This is just one level lower than the highest possible score for investment grade.
For that, we gave them four stars for financial strength. Clients can be assured that the company is strongly capable of paying their claims.
Another positive point we saw for this insurer is their convenient online portal, MyAXA.
On the platform, you can pay, report and track a claim, change your insured car, add a driver to policy, and make other modifications to your policy.
This is especially helpful when not everyone can personally go to the insurer’s locations.
For their Long Mile Road branch, clients seem highly satisfied with their customer service, citing polite, responsive, and quick staff plus the bonus of an easily accessible location.
However, the insurer’s customer service quality doesn’t seem to be consistent on all fronts. Their in-person staff is excellent, but there are complaints about their helpline team.
Another thing to consider about the insurer is that there are multiple instances where clients were dissatisfied with their rates.
There’s no doubt that they provide good coverage, basically, but it often comes at a cost.
One client believed that his quote was priced high due to his address, for instance, but insisted that his location was a safe neighbourhood.
Another client suggested that the insurer’s rates aren’t friendly for non-Irish folks. He got his licence in the UK, and he claims he was charged more than his Irish friend who shares the same driver profile as him.
For most insurers, drivers coming from the UK or other EU countries get the same rates as Irish citizens. That’s why this is a problem.
Last for their list of drawbacks is their discounts. We only gave them three stars for this category because they mainly offer two: no claims and online discount.
To qualify for both, you have to have a €333 minimum premium. It’s possible that the insurer offers other discounts for a limited time, but these aren’t currently listed on their website.
Overall, we think AXA is a reliable insurer with excellent in-person customer service. However, their rates may not be suitable for everyone.
Pros
- 75% no claims discount
- 10% online discount
- “Drive other cars” cover protects you when you drive a vehicle you don’t own
- “Travel Europe” cover offers 3-month protection when you drive your car to anywhere in the continent, resets every insurance year
- Child car seats cover (for third party, fire and theft and comprehensive only)
Cons
- Pricier rates than other insurers
- Seems to charge non-Irish clients more
Customer Reviews
Client for 40 years and counting
“Have been doing business about 40 now, probably the longest person with them. Always Well treated by all the staff over the years and can I mention Brian.Started with PMPA in North Rd Finglas all them years ago.” —William Rattigan, Google review
Excellent staff and service
“First of all parking excellent, staff excellent, service excellent.For an old guy like me very helpful pleasure to deal with. thank you.” —Tony Lambert, Google review
4. KennCo Insurance (Underwriter)
| VALUE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| DISCOUNTS | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| FINANCIAL STRENGTH | ★★★★☆ (4/5)Arch Insurance: A+ (Fitch)AXA: AA- (S&P)ERGO Group AG: A (S&P) |
KennCo Insurance is a subcompany of KennCo Underwriting Limited, the country’s leading underwriting agency.
An underwriting agency is a specialised insurance agent or broker authorised by an insurer to underwrite (take on financial risks and guarantee payment in case of financial loss), write, price, and issue the insurer’s policies.
KennCo Underwriting Limited has multiple capital providers. These include Arch Insurance, AXA, and ERGO.
The mentioned insurers have stable financial strength; that’s why we give them four stars for the category.
We should also note that most clients were highly satisfied with their customer service and their pricing. Several claimed to have received the cheapest quotes from them when they consulted multiple brokers.
One client shared that she shops around for insurance quotes every year and was impressed to find that the company offered a quote €200 cheaper than her previous insurer.
Another client also noted that when he was offered a lower price by another insurer during his renewal period, KennCo lowered their renewal quote and beat their competitor’s price.
It pays off to negotiate with your agent and see if they can offer a lower rate. However, for the customer’s sake, we think the lowest possible rate should have been offered in the first place.
Another thing to consider for this insurance provider is that they have multiple complaints of clients getting into an accident and being charged drastically higher renewal rates.
To be fair, an increase in premium is usually expected after an accident because the driver is then considered riskier to insure. However, the clients we talked to claimed that the amount was unreasonable.
Lastly, although their customer service is exceptionally polite and responsive when it comes to assistance, complaints, and claims, it may not be the same for policy cancellation.
One client was disappointed that they had to wait for more than two weeks after they requested for policy cancellation. His wasn’t an isolated case either.
Overall, we recommend KennCo Insurance for their fair rates, often the cheapest among insurers. However, they may not be ideal for drivers with accidents on their records.
Pros
- Reasonable renewal rates for safe drivers
- 24/7 breakdown assistance including a “get you to your destination” service
- Unlimited windscreen cover when you use their affiliated repairers (comprehensive policies only)
- Maximum of 20% discount during the pandemic
- Courtesy car for up to five days for female drivers
- No loss of no claims bonus for fire or theft claims
- Discounts for additional voluntary excess
- Monthly payment plan available through Close Brothers Premium Finance Ireland
Cons
- Doesn’t cover cars older than 17 years
Customer Reviews
Professional and responsive
“I am dealing with KennCo over 3 years now and i find the staff very professional, responsive and getting you the best value for your money. But most of all it’s personal, every time you ring their number you get through to friendly members of staff.” —Dominick Mc Donagh, Google review
Exceptional customer service
“Great insurance company. My renewal came in quite competitively, but another company managed to get a lower price. I called them up before I made the switch and not only did they manage to beat their competitors price but the customer service was exceptional, whether it’s the renewal or the ease of use when I had a minor windscreen claim. Can’t recommend them enough.” —Eoghan K, Google Review
5. FBD Insurance – Letterkenny
| VALUE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| DISCOUNTS | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| FINANCIAL STRENGTH | NAThe insurer doesn’t have ratings from S&P, Fitch, or other rating agencies. However, you may view their key performance stats here. |
Running for over 50 years, FBD Insurance is the largest Irish-owned insurer. The FBD Group was initially known for catering to farmers, but they have long since extended their services to private individuals and business owners.
There’s an overwhelming amount of praise from clients commending them for their easy-to-use and straightforward online support.
The online platform allows them to pay, submit claims, renew their policy, and more. One client reported that they completed the renewal process online in just three minutes!
Another plus for this insurer is that they offer competitive rates.
One client saved €60 compared to his previous insurer. Another claimed that his policy with FBD was hundreds of euros cheaper than the old one.
However, there may be more than a couple of things that may make you reconsider choosing this insurer. One is their renewal process outside of the online platform.
One client shares that he was offered a high renewal quote when he didn’t reach out through their website. Using their online platform, though, he saved himself €120.
It appears that they would prefer that you make transactions through their online platform. However, it’s not suitable for every client, especially those who aren’t used to online service.
The online platform is obviously not ideal for those who aren’t tech savvy, but their other options for contact don’t seem to work consistently as well.
Multiple clients shared that they prefer speaking to a representative but found that it’s hard to get a response in person. One was upset to be kept on hold.
Another instance of when their phone support team was not working ideally was when one client had to request a letter nine times but got the wrong document.
Lastly, there can be occasional problems with their online platform. A client reported discrepancies in amounts noted on the online platform and in an email.
Multiple clients shared problems with payment transactions too, trying multiple cards until their payment was successful.
These are legitimate concerns. All technology will have moments of failure, so we think they should have strengthened the other channels for everything from communication to payment to provide for that.
To sum up, we like the insurer’s easy-to-navigate online platform, policies, and competitive rates. However, these aren’t ideal for clients who aren’t tech savvy, and there’s the occasional online system glitch to look out for.
We suggest you deal with reps in-person if possible to avoid miscommunication and glitches. Their Letterkenny location has a reputation for having helpful and friendly staff.
Pros
- 20% discount for new online policies (up to March 2022 only)
- Maximum of 75% no claims discount
- Choose three optional add-ons and get the cheapest for free
- Car accident assistance
- Covers you while you drive other cars
- Covers towage and storage
- Covers personal belongings
- Covers new car replacement
- Cover theft of keys
Cons
- Car breakdown assistance is an add-on whereas other insurers offer it as a part of their policies
- Online platform not suitable for older clients and those who aren’t tech savvy
Customer Reviews
Easy to set up, saved hundreds
“Easy to use website and competitive prices for Motor Insurance in 2022. So far so good. I switched to FBD a year ago and renewed this year. For motor insurance, the site is very user-friendly, all options and costs are laid out in an easy-to-understand manner. Also, I saved hundreds on a comprehensive plan compared to previous provider.
” —Francois, Trustpilot review
Most financially advantageous offer for me
“Nice professional service, I will always get the best and most financially advantageous offer for me. I wholeheartedly recommend this office and this insurance.” —Beata Mikołajek, Google review
6. Quoteme.ie Insurance (Broker)
| VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| DISCOUNTS | NA |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FINANCIAL STRENGTH | NA |
Quoteme.ie Insurance is another trading name for O’Callaghan Insurances Ltd. They’re a family-run brokerage firm that has been in the business for over 60 years.
Because they’re not an insurer, we can’t provide a financial strength rating from S&P, Fitch, and other rating agencies.
They deal with products of about 13 insurers. Unfortunately, they don’t provide a complete list of insurers on their website.
We also couldn’t find a complete list of discounts on their website, as this will vary with the insurer you choose.
However, their online quote tool will let you know which of these 13 insurers will get you competitive rates. Part of their service is to also inform you of discounts from these insurers that apply to you.
This is the upside to dealing with brokers instead of directly going to an insurer. The broker can give you a fair analysis of the insurance products available to you and compare policies across different insurers.
Quoteme.ie appears to build good rapport with their clients over time. Plenty of them have been with the company for over 10 years.
Clients reported that the brokers did the rough work of research for them, thus saving them time. Aside from time, multiple clients also shared that the company helped them save from €50 up.
The downside to using a broker, though, is the additional fee for their service. Although we understand that this is how most brokerage firms mainly earn profit, aside from commissions.
Quoteme.ie charges a maximum fee of €100 for setting up your new insurance policy or renewing your current one. For policy changes and cancellation, there’s an additional charge of up to €50.
Still, we recommend Quoteme.ie for those who are looking to save time and are not familiar with the technicalities of insurance products. Having an expert guide you can make the process easier.
They may point out hidden costs and other things that don’t work in your favour. The fees may be worth it if they get you a policy that’s cheaper than what’s offered to you directly by insurers.
Pros
- Time saver
- Provides a fair comparison of insurers
- Builds good rapport with their clients
Cons
- Maximum fee of €100 for new and renewal set up
- Maximum fee of €50 for policy changes and cancellation
- Maximum fee of €25 for duplicate documentation
Customer Reviews
Client for over 30 years
“Great experience with Quoteme.ie (O’Callaghan Insurance, Dundalk). I have been with them for over 30 years. That’s saying something, when most people are shopping around every year. Quoteme.ie have a fantastic Customer Service and genuinely look after their long time customers (not just new customers). I highly recommend this Company for Car & Home Insurance. Nothing can replace doing business with a friendly person at the other end of the phone.” —Mary Browne, Google review
Great, professional, and friendly service
“I’ve used O’Callaghan Insurance/ Quoteme.ie for more than 10 years covering both private and commercial motor insurance. I’ve had great, professional and friendly service from them over the years and they make the renewal a very straightforward process. I’ve gotten other quotes to ensure their renewal pricing remains reasonable and it generally compares favourably.” —Henry Thynne, Google review
FAQs about Car Insurance in Ireland
Stay safe on the road, and we hope you find an affordable policy to protect you and your car.
By the way, if you’re searching for car insurance policies because you want to purchase a new car, we also have a list of the best car financing firms in Ireland. Now you can also get your new car at an affordable price.