Q.If I make a claim, what will happen to my premium next year?
A. There are 4 possible situations depending on the type of policy you have –

i) You may lose all your No Claim Discount and your premium will more than double.

ii) You may have a policy where your No Claim Discount is reduced to a 2 or 3 year discount. In that case, your premium will increase by at least 50% and sometimes much more.

iii) You may have a policy with a fully protected No Claim Discount in which case the claim will not affect your premium

iv) You may have a policy with a partially protected No Claim Discount in which case, if the claim is small (say, under €3,900), it will not affect your premium. In general, a claim for a broken windscreen will not affect your premium. Whether or not your No Claim Discount is protected, a claim can restrict the availability of alternative options at the following renewal.

You should note that premiums can still rise due to rating increases irrespective of whether any claim has occurred.

Q. If I have Comprehensive Cover, am I fully covered myself?
A. Comprehensive cover can be a misleading term. Usually a comprehensive policy will cover injury to Third Parties, damage to Third Party Property and loss of or damage to your own car (whether by accident, fire or theft). Most comprehensive policies also provide Windscreen Cover – with no excess and no effect on the No Claim Bonus. Very few comprehensive policies provide any amount of Personal Accident Cover for the driver, which is why Cunnane Insurance Brokers offer additional Personal Accident cover with all car policies whether they are comprehensive or Third party policies.