fire and theft

[sunrock]

hi
I live in a rural area where car crime is very rare....do i need fire and theft on my third party car insurance?
Also as i have been coming and going to the u.k. i have a u.k. driving licence, which i`d prefer to keep as it is valid for a long time....is there any problem with that or should i get an irish licence?

 

[DrMoriarty]

Dunno about the third-party-only options, but I do know that as of recently you can be ordered to apply for a standard 10-year licence if you have — as I do — one of those EU licences that's valid for longer than 10 years.

I have an old French-issued licence from 1988 that's valid until I turn 65, and it's still legally valid here — but if the Gardaí wanted to they could require me to get a current Irish one as well. Needless to say, I think I look much better in the 1998 photo!

 

[extopia]

Used to be that some insurers insisted on an Irish license also, don't know if this is still the case.

 

[Eurofan]

I have an old French-issued licence from 1988 that's valid until I turn 65, and it's still legally valid here — but if the Gardaí wanted to they could require me to get a current Irish one as well

Are you sure about that? I know a couple of people with UK licenses and although both have been told by Gardai they must change following enquiries they tell me there is no obligation, currently at least, to do so.

 

[Ravima]

if you are happy that your car will not be stolen, damaged in attempted theft or by fire, then there is no need of Fire & Theft cover.

there is no legal obligation to have that cover. All the law requires is basic Third Party cover.

Mind you, the difference in premium would be very little, perhaps as little as €40 per annum.

 

[Bgirl]

Hibernian offer up to 20% penalty points discount as long as you have an irish license - other than that there is not much incentive to change your license for an Irish\EU one.

 

[DrMoriarty]

Are you sure about that? I know a couple of people with UK licenses and although both have been told by Gardai they must change following enquiries they tell me there is no obligation, currently at least, to do so.

There's none (yet) in Irish law, afaik. However, Article 1(3) of Directive [broken link removed] (which provides for the application of relevant national provisions in relation to the standardised European licence) states:

Where the holder of a valid national driving licence takes up normal residence in a Member State other than that which issued the licence, the host Member State may apply to the holder of the licence its national rules on the period of validity of the licences, medical checks and tax arrangements and may enter on the licence any information indispensable for administration.

So, even if they've a valid licence with an unlimited validity period, once they've been 'normally resident' in Ireland for ten years — the maximum validity period here — they can theoretically be required to exchange it for an Irish licence.

I don't know whether such a case has ever come before the courts, though!​

Interestingly enough, Article 7(5) of the same Directive stipulates that no person may hold a driving licence from more than one Member State.​

Sheesh, there I go, breaking that old EU law again! ​