Third party, fire and theft insurance covers you for any damage caused to a third party or their property if you are involved in an incident, while also covering your own car if it’s damaged by fire or stolen.
What does Third Party, Fire and Theft Insurance mean?
In order to drive in Ireland, you are legally required to have at least third party cover in place. While the AA does not offer third party only cover, we offer third party, fire & theft insurance which affords you a little extra protection. In addition to covering any damage caused to a third party if you are involved in an incident, your own vehicle is also covered if it’s damaged by fire, an attempted theft or stolen.
What should I consider before purchasing a Third Party, Fire and Theft Policy?
As a third party, fire and theft policy offers you some additional protection, it will likely be slightly more expensive than a third party policy but, in most cases, cheaper than a comprehensive policy. This policy makes most sense for drivers who have gained some experience but are still relatively new to driving or those with a car value towards the mid to lower end of the scale. When purchasing third party, fire and theft insurance, the most important thing to consider is the repair costs of your vehicle. If the costs of repairing the car after an accident (learn what to do in an accident) would likely exceed the cost of replacing the car, but you still want protection from fire or theft, then this policy may be the best match for your needs.
What about the cost?
In most cases third party, fire and theft insurance will be the “middle of the road” option in terms of price, as it will likely be more expensive than third party cover but cheaper than comprehensive insurance. However, it’s important to weigh up the value of your car when purchasing insurance as the savings you make by opting against purchasing comprehensive cover may be offset by the cost of repairing or replacing your own vehicle if you’re involved in an incident.
If you’re looking to reduce the cost of your car insurance premiums it may be worth paying your insurance in one go instead of paying by monthly instalments. Paying on a monthly basis means that, depending on your provider, interest of up to 20% is applied to your premium resulting in your paying more for coverage.
As one of Ireland’s top insurance intermediaries, our aim at the AA is to provide you with the best value car insurance available, as well as making sure you get the cover that suits your needs. You can find out more and get a quote for car insurance here.
