Who is the cheapest car insurer in Ireland?

No single insurer. Each one prices your details differently, so the insurer that is cheapest for a 45-year-old with a full bonus and a small car is not necessarily the cheapest for a 21-year-old on a learner permit. The way to find the lowest price for you is to put your own details to a range of insurers at once. GMIB.ie puts them to 14 insurers in one search.

How do I get cheaper car insurance in Ireland?

Start when the renewal notice arrives, at least 20 working days before the policy ends. Note the cover level, excess and extras on it, then put the same details to a range of insurers so the quotes compare like with like. Declare every year of named-driver experience and your full no-claims history. Decide the excess and the extras before you compare, not after, so the lowest price is for the cover you meant to buy.

How much does car insurance cost in Ireland?

There is no standard price. Insurers price on your experience and licence type, your claims and points record, your age, where you live, the car’s age, value and engine size, what you use it for, the cover level and the excess, and each insurer weighs those differently. A quote with your own details is the only real answer, and the Quick Quote on this page takes under 60 seconds.

Is third party cheaper than comprehensive?

In most cases, yes: third party is normally the lowest-priced cover and comprehensive the highest, with third party, fire and theft in between. Comprehensive is the only one that pays for damage to your own car in an accident you cause, so the saving on a lower level of cover has to be weighed against what it would cost you to repair or replace the car yourself.

Can I get cheap car insurance with no no-claims bonus?

You can get insurance without one; every driver starts there. The premium will be higher than with a bonus. Years as a named driver on someone else’s policy count as experience, and Citizens Information notes that some companies offer discounts to young people insuring in their own name for the first time if they have been a named driver. Declare that experience when you quote.

Does a higher excess make car insurance cheaper?

Usually, yes; the CCPC notes that a higher excess usually means a lower premium. Two things follow. You cannot claim at all for amounts below the excess, so a high excess on an older car can mean never claiming. And the excess is paid per claim, not per year, so check the figure on each quote rather than assuming they match.

Is car insurance cheaper for over-50s?

Age is one of the factors insurers price on, alongside your record, your car and your cover. You do not need a special over-50s policy to find out: enter your details and the 14 insurers we compare price them, age included.

Does a telematics box make car insurance cheaper?

A telematics, or black box, policy prices you on how you drive, which can help you find cheaper insurance if you drive carefully. Our telematics car insurance page explains how it works.

Will I lose my no-claims bonus if I make a claim?

You can, and a claim made against you can reduce it even when you were not at fault, though it may be restored if the insurer recovers its costs. No-claims bonus protection is an optional extra that keeps the bonus after a claim, and step-back protection means you lose only part of it. Both are optional extras that cost more; check the policy documents for what each one covers.

Compare cheap car insurance quotes in Ireland

The cheapest car insurance in Ireland is not one insurer. It is whichever of them prices your particular details lowest, and that changes from driver to driver and from one year to the next. GMIB.ie puts your details to 14 different insurers in one search, so you see the range rather than a single price. Enter your registration and a few details below; it takes under 60 seconds.

Where the form cannot give a price straight away, one of our agents reviews your details and calls you back with the options. GMIB.ie is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and rated 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

A cheap quote is only a good one if the cover matches what you need. Compare the excess, the cover level and the extras as well as the price.

Excellent 4.6 out of 5 · 5,503 reviews on ★ Trustpilot

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Tony Gormley · 2026-09-07

Excellent service

Staff very helpful Price good Service excellent

Helena Hazizi · 2026-09-06

Gmib are a great insurance company…

Gmib are a great insurance company their staff are so helpful and actually want to get you over the line every time can’t forget the amazing...

Matthew Duffy · 2026-09-05

What makes car insurance cheaper

Renewal. Premiums change at renewal. Your insurer must issue the renewal notice at least 20 working days before the policy ends and cannot raise your price just because you stayed, but that does not mean its renewal price is the lowest available. Compare before you renew, every year.

The no-claims bonus. Each year you hold a policy in your own name without a claim earns a discount, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the State’s consumer watchdog, notes that most insurers reach their maximum after five or six years. The bonus applies to the policyholder, not to named drivers, and it moves with you between insurers and between cars. A claim, even one that was not your fault, can reduce or remove it. No-claims bonus protection is an optional extra that keeps it, and step-back protection limits how far it falls.

The excess. The excess is the first part of any claim you pay yourself. A higher excess usually means a lower premium. Choose one you could pay on the day of a claim, not the highest on offer.

The level of cover. Third party is normally the lowest-priced cover and comprehensive the highest. Whether comprehensive is worth it depends on what the car is worth and whether you could replace it yourself after an accident you caused. Our third party, fire and theft page explains the middle option.

The car. Its value, age and engine size all count. A newer car costs more to insure because it costs more to replace, and a bigger engine costs more because insurers treat it as a higher accident risk.

Your record and experience. Penalty points and convictions raise premiums, and how long you have held a full licence matters. Years as a named driver on someone else’s policy count as experience you can declare. Never declare a more experienced person as the main driver of a car you mainly drive: that is fronting, and it is illegal.

The extras. Windscreen cover, breakdown assistance, a courtesy car and bonus protection each add to the premium. Keep the ones you would use and drop the ones you would not.

How to compare cheap car insurance quotes properly

Compare like with like: the same level of cover, the same excess, the same extras and the same drivers on every quote. A lower price with a higher excess or fewer extras is a different policy, not a cheaper one. Check what each policy excludes, how much the excess is per claim, and whether driving other cars, windscreen repair and a courtesy car are included. The CCPC publishes a car insurance shopping-around checklist that lists the questions to ask.

Young or first-time driver? The price is driven mostly by experience, so start with our young drivers and first-time drivers pages, and see whether a telematics policy, which prices you on how you drive, suits you. If you have points, read how penalty points affect car insurance before you quote.

To talk it through instead, call 0818 92 92 42, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.

Sources: Citizens Information – motor insurance; CCPC – car insurance. Last reviewed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the cheapest car insurer in Ireland?
No single insurer. Each one prices your details differently, so the insurer that is cheapest for a 45-year-old with a full bonus and a small car is not necessarily the cheapest for a 21-year-old on a learner permit. The way to find the lowest price for you is to put your own details to a range of insurers at once. GMIB.ie puts them to 14 insurers in one search.
How do I get cheaper car insurance in Ireland?
Start when the renewal notice arrives, at least 20 working days before the policy ends. Note the cover level, excess and extras on it, then put the same details to a range of insurers so the quotes compare like with like. Declare every year of named-driver experience and your full no-claims history. Decide the excess and the extras before you compare, not after, so the lowest price is for the cover you meant to buy.
How much does car insurance cost in Ireland?
There is no standard price. Insurers price on your experience and licence type, your claims and points record, your age, where you live, the car’s age, value and engine size, what you use it for, the cover level and the excess, and each insurer weighs those differently. A quote with your own details is the only real answer, and the Quick Quote on this page takes under 60 seconds.
Is third party cheaper than comprehensive?
In most cases, yes: third party is normally the lowest-priced cover and comprehensive the highest, with third party, fire and theft in between. Comprehensive is the only one that pays for damage to your own car in an accident you cause, so the saving on a lower level of cover has to be weighed against what it would cost you to repair or replace the car yourself.
Can I get cheap car insurance with no no-claims bonus?
You can get insurance without one; every driver starts there. The premium will be higher than with a bonus. Years as a named driver on someone else’s policy count as experience, and Citizens Information notes that some companies offer discounts to young people insuring in their own name for the first time if they have been a named driver. Declare that experience when you quote.
Does a higher excess make car insurance cheaper?
Usually, yes; the CCPC notes that a higher excess usually means a lower premium. Two things follow. You cannot claim at all for amounts below the excess, so a high excess on an older car can mean never claiming. And the excess is paid per claim, not per year, so check the figure on each quote rather than assuming they match.
Is car insurance cheaper for over-50s?
Age is one of the factors insurers price on, alongside your record, your car and your cover. You do not need a special over-50s policy to find out: enter your details and the 14 insurers we compare price them, age included.
Does a telematics box make car insurance cheaper?
A telematics, or black box, policy prices you on how you drive, which can help you find cheaper insurance if you drive carefully. Our telematics car insurance page explains how it works.
Will I lose my no-claims bonus if I make a claim?
You can, and a claim made against you can reduce it even when you were not at fault, though it may be restored if the insurer recovers its costs. No-claims bonus protection is an optional extra that keeps the bonus after a claim, and step-back protection means you lose only part of it. Both are optional extras that cost more; check the policy documents for what each one covers.