I consulted Liam's very helpful article about getting car insurance. So far, I have found only one company that will insure the owner of a car with a US license: Allianz.ie.
I called my insurance company, and they sent me the "loss letter." I also made sure that there was a note in my file that they had permission to discuss my insurance history Allianz, because they call and validate the letter. Allianz was very glad that I was starting the process a month before I planned to buy a car.
They won't give an actual quote until the car is purchased, but they said that they work with any car dealer, and they said that I won't run into the problem that Liam mentioned, where the dealer only worked with certain insurance brokers.
We'll see. I'll update with new info later.
Hey Everyone,
Liberty also insures drivers on an American License - it is expensive, but your options are limited. I wanted to point out that it is possible to get insured on an American license for a second year, as long as you have a Provisional Irish license.
We are now entering our second year here in Ireland, and started the Irish License process about 5 months ago. Obviously, it is best to start this as soon as you possibly can, however with work and kids it can prove difficult to find the time for the lessons.
I think it is assumed that you can only be insured for 1 year, however that is not the case. The current process to get a full driver's license in Ireland makes it practically impossible to get this done within a year.
I was able to purchase and insure a car, but it was a hassle.
1) I bought a Honda Fit. This is just like a Honda Jazz, but it is an "import." I'm not sure what the difference is, but the insurance company was reluctant to insure it, even after issuing me a quote. So make sure that when you get the quote it is for the actual car you are going to buy.
2) I had to cancel my insurance in the States to get the "no claims bonus" from the Irish insurance company. This meant I lost the 9% discount on the cars I still have in the states. Once you get a "loss letter, cancel your insurance, and send it to Allianz, they will need to independently verify the letter. Allianz wouldn't call or fax the US, so the agent gave me her company email address for them to use.
The insurance rates and coverage by Allianz was much cheaper and a better value than what I had for the US insurer, AAA.
Linda, thanks as always for keeping us informed with your updates. They are very helpful. Liam
There is also Clements Worldwide Insurance that I hear is very reasonable. It's global, they have their headquarters in Washington, DC, USA. It covers all over the world. There is also A UK Office , Lime Street, London. My husband and I intend to retire in Ireland in the never near future and dread having to take a theory Test, 12 expensive driving lessons and the road test, drive with a Novice sticker both front and back of car for a couple years . I guess we have to do what we have to do but don't much look forward to it at this point. We are aware that we can drive with our US driver's license for 12 months but have to get an Irish Diver's License after the 12 months. There is also the issue of paying steep Insurance premiums driving on an US License . I am just wondering if there is a way to continue driving on a US licence after the 12 months? ! Example: you arrive in Ireland drive with your American License for 6-8 months, then returning to the US for another few months, return to Ireland again after our stay in the US! Does the year you are allowed to drive on your US driver's license start over again each time you arrive on Irish soil? Just wondering??? This would be a way of avoiding having to take all the steps to get an Irish License. Anyone on this forum that have any information on this. Any tips will be appreciated . Thank you in advance.