A car insurance company has taken the profound step of blacklisting certain parts of the country in which it is based due to a higher number of claims in these areas. Ireland's second largest car insurance company Quinn Direct is refusing to issue new premiums for cover in deprived areas of Cork, Waterford and Galway, as well as in parts of Tallaght and Clondalkin.
Why have these areas been placed on the blacklist?
According to the insurer, these areas amount to less than one per cent of the country's total land area - but they have been placed on the blacklist because of an "extremely poor" claims record. The move has received criticism from consumer groups who have accused the company of unfairly "targeting innocent people". Car insurance companies in Ireland are not legally obliged to provide quotes and customers who can't find cover may need to contact the Irish Insurance Federation's Declined Case Committee.
What can you do if you can't get a car insurance quote?
Car insurance is a legal necessity - driving without it could lead to jail time, so just because one insurer refuses to offer you a quote you shouldn't give in. Use a comparison website as a quick way of finding car insurance at a more affordable price. These search tools return quotes, in some cases from more than 100 car insurers, allowing you to get a perspective of the premiums you should be paying.
Of course if you live in a high crime area, or an area with a poor claims reputation, then you are probably going to face high premiums even from an insurer that will offer a quote.
You can get around this by opting for a more basic form of cover - such as third party, or third party fire and theft. These policies won't protect your car in the event of an accident but they will at least legalize your driving and protect you from claims from other motorists.{ezinearticles.com}
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