To get your first car insurance policy in Ireland you need your driver number, details of the car and an honest record of your driving so far. You have no claims-free years in your own name yet, so your price is likely to be higher than an experienced driver's: Citizens Information says less experience usually means a higher premium. For context, the average premium across all drivers was €655 in 2025 (Central Bank of Ireland).
What insurers will ask you
Expect questions about you, the car and how you use it. Citizens Information and the CCPC list these as the main ones (checked 9 November 2026):
- Your insurance history. Citizens Information says every insurer will ask if you have had insurance in your own name. If not, it will ask whether you have driven on someone else's policy without incident.
- Your licence. A learner permit or a full licence makes "a huge difference" to the price, Citizens Information says.
- Your driver number, and the number of anyone you add as a named driver. The CCPC says this has been required since 31 March 2025.
- Penalty points and convictions. The CCPC says these can raise the premium, and serious ones can lead to a refusal.
- Where you live and park. Citizens Information says city drivers, particularly in Dublin, normally pay a loading.
- The car. Engine size, age and value all count, Citizens Information says.
- How you use it. A standard policy covers social, domestic and pleasure use. Business use adds a loading.
Answer every question accurately. The CCPC says that if you fail to disclose relevant details, your policy could be cancelled and you may struggle to get cover in future.
Documents to have ready
| Document | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Driving licence or learner permit | Your driver number is in section 4(d) (Citizens Information). If you drive on a non-Irish licence, the CCPC says you must give your insurer a physical copy. |
| Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) | The CCPC says some insurers ask for it to prove ownership. Citizens Information says your name must be on the VRC before you can tax the car. |
| NCT certificate | Some insurers ask for it to prove the car is roadworthy (CCPC). Cars 4 years or older must be tested (Citizens Information). |
| Named driver experience letter | Proof of time spent as a named driver, if you have any (see below). |
| No claims bonus certificate | Only if you held a policy in your own name before. |
Motor tax is a separate legal requirement. Citizens Information says you must have motor tax and display the tax disc to drive in a public place. For the first tax of a car, you use form RF100.
Once you buy, you get an insurance disc and a certificate of insurance. You must display the disc. Citizens Information says not displaying it carries a €60 fixed charge, and you must produce the certificate within 10 days if a Garda asks.
The CCPC says the insurer must send your policy document within 5 working days, and you have a 14-day cooling-off period.
Named driver experience letters
If you were a named driver on a parent's or partner's policy, that history can lower your first premium. Citizens Information says some insurers give a discount to people who were named drivers.
You need proof. Aviva says insurers do not issue named driver letters automatically: you must ask each insurer you were named with, and get one from each if the policy moved between insurers (checked 9 November 2026). Ask for the letter to show the dates you were named and any claims.
Timing matters. The CCPC says some insurers will not count your experience if you have not had a policy in your own name, or been a named driver, in the past one or two years. Aviva's own rules ask for at least one full year of consecutive named driving, and you must still be named on a policy now.
Do not front. Listing a parent as the main driver of a car you mostly drive is fronting. The CCPC says your insurer may then cancel the policy, refuse a claim or make it harder to get cover later.
Ways the CCPC lists to lower the premium
The CCPC's guide to choosing car insurance lists these steps (checked 9 November 2026):
- Shop around and bargain. Get quotes from several insurers, including your current one, or use a broker. Ask a broker how many quotes it searches and whether it charges a fee.
- Buy online. Many insurers give an online discount.
- Pay in one go. Monthly direct debit usually carries interest.
- Get your full licence. You are charged more on a provisional licence.
- Value the car realistically. In the CCPC's example, a car insured for €8,000 but worth €10,000 gets only 80% of the repair or replacement cost.
- Avoid penalty points and convictions.
- Park securely. A locked garage may lower the price. City drivers pay more than rural drivers.
- Think about named drivers. An experienced driver with a good record can reduce the premium. A younger one can raise it.
- Choose a higher excess, if you could afford to pay it on a claim.
- Choose the car carefully. Bigger engines cost more. Left-hand drive, convertible and modified cars usually cost more to insure. Get a quote before you buy the car.
- Get insurance in your own name, so you start building a no claims bonus.
The CCPC also has a motor insurance shopping around checklist you can use to compare quotes side by side.
If insurers refuse you
An insurer can refuse to quote, but the CCPC says it must give you written reasons within five business days. If three or more insurers refuse you, you can contact the Declined Cases Committee of Insurance Ireland. Citizens Information says you need the refusals in writing from at least 3 insurers.
Keep a note of the order in which you got your quotes. The CCPC says the committee will usually get a quote from the first company you approached.
When full cover may not be worth it
Comprehensive is the highest level of cover, and it usually costs more. The CCPC says that if your car is older or low in value, you may decide comprehensive is not worth the extra cost.
The CCPC gives the example of Kate, who paid €2,000 for her car. She chose third-party, fire and theft because she felt comprehensive cover was not worth it for a car of that value. For a first car in that price range, ask for both quotes and compare.
If you are under 25, read our guide to young driver insurance, which covers black box policies. If you are still on a learner permit, see learner driver insurance. For what drives the price, see how much car insurance costs in Ireland, and for an overview, our car insurance guide.
Sources
- CCPC: Choosing your car insurance policy (accessed 9 November 2026)
- CCPC: Car insurance (accessed 9 November 2026)
- CCPC: Renewing your car insurance (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: Motor insurance (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: National Car Test (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: Motor tax (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: Driving offences (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Central Bank of Ireland: NCID Private Motor Insurance Report 8, published 20 October 2026 (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Aviva Ireland: Named driving experience page (accessed 9 November 2026)
General information, not financial advice. Prices and rules change: check the details with the insurer before you buy.