Messages

I've had a real run in with insurance companies over the last week or so.
My wee runabout, with our 18yo on it, packed in. Bought a new runabout (3Kish car) and phoned up to change the insurance. They went through the details and it seemed they had our daughter down as only having provisional licence and not full licence, so I informed them that was wrong. They said then she had to come off the policy as they wouldn't insure a young driver and that she wouldn't have been covered all this time (9 months into policy).

They only option they gave us was to take her off the policy or cancel the entire policy.
So I cancelled and set about looking for a new policy. Got some ridiculous quotes (1.5 diesel clio) between 5K and 8K. Not happy with previous insurer, Lloyds, at all - as I feel they have just done this as they know they can get a higher premium now.

Axa quoted £1600 with a telemtry device, next cheapest was about 2.5K.
So I went with Axa, until it came to the point of paying and it said I had to phone them.
I call them, and some cheeky wee f....person on the phone just said that I was just insuring this so my daughter can drive and they'd only quote on her name 4.5K. I explained the car was mine, I was the driver and I've 10+ years NCB, but he just said it didn't matter that basically I was only saying that so she could get cheaper insurance. I'd love to know the legality of that.
Yes my daughter will be driving, but it's not her car nor will she be the main driver.

I tried Abbey, who were more sympathetic, but said they couldn't add her onto a new policy on a new car until I had been driving it myself for 2 years - even though I have 10+ years NCB.
The whole thing is a racket and they seem to be making up rules and inflating the prices.

I had to go with a 2.5K policy with a telemetry device.
I am not surprised there are so many un-insured drivers out there with this approach.
I'd imagine there are not many people who can afford to pay insurance like that every year on top of a car payment.
What makes it worse - my next lad turns 17 in July. No idea what I'm going to do to get him covered.

What have others found?
Anyone any idea if it's worth my time complaining to Lloyds, Axa, Abbey?

Have an 19 and an 18 year old insured on my car as named drivers. Insured with AXA via Hughes if that makes sense. Last year was £1,100. Renewal came through this month at £1,600. Checked AXA online and got a quote of £1,450. Rang Hughes, they contacted AXA who stood over the lower quote. No questions about either named driver being the main driver, maybe because I have business use for me on the insurance.

It was actually cheaper to insure the two of them than just the older one.

Brilliant from Anto Cacace. What a warrior.

Bishop Pat Buckley, 72

Commemorated eloquently and for all eternity in song by The Slaggarts. Can't remember it all but some of it might have gone like this.

In the mountains of old Mexico
Where the rebel priests we love to grow
We've heard of another, we love like a brother
He's Father Pat, our amigo

If your daughter is living in sin
With a pervert from outside Drumquin
In a broken down caravan, ragged and starvin
Father Pat, he'll take them in

If your girlfriend is ugly and coarse
If you've been through a messy divorce
In the family way, there's no need to delay
Just ring Father Pat Buckley of course

Tried to find that on YouTube last nite... v funny song from the Omagh Slaggs done in Mexican accent!

I only ever had it on a cassette. Lost it some time before the turn of the millennium.

Bishop Pat Buckley, 72

Commemorated eloquently and for all eternity in song by The Slaggarts. Can't remember it all but some of it might have gone like this.

In the mountains of old Mexico
Where the rebel priests we love to grow
We've heard of another, we love like a brother
He's Father Pat, our amigo

If your daughter is living in sin
With a pervert from outside Drumquin
In a broken down caravan, ragged and starvin
Father Pat, he'll take them in

If your girlfriend is ugly and coarse
If you've been through a messy divorce
In the family way, there's no need to delay
Just ring Father Pat Buckley of course

A second consecutive reality check for us. Not realistic contenders, especially with the current management.
Two stamping incidents this year with a Derry team coached by Gavin Devlin. Coincidence?
Harte's success with Louth vastly overstated; Baker took Antrim from div 4 to div 2 and to an ulster final. Would any Derryman want him at the helm?

Derry

Few use it more than you.

Don't think Derry too worried about winning Ulster again.

However, the blueprint has been set by Jimmy.

It's the manner of the defeat. Absolutely obliterated by McGuinness.

[There were questions about whether or not Mickey was the right appointment for Derry]

Just one game but given Mickey's terrible record against McGuinness and his extremely patchy record in big Championship games over 15 or so years it's possibly quite significant. A hammering on home soil and concession of four goals punches quite the hole in the reputation Derry have been building. There were questions about whether or not Mickey was the right appointment for Derry and they look very pertinent after his first Championship test.

No questions. He wasn't.

Always good days and bad days supporting Derry. Better team won. Game won and lost on the line; McGuinness far cleverer than Harte.

Congratulations to Dun na nGall, even if it's just for J70 who seems like an all-round good guy.

BALLBAG

Nope, can never be overused.

Ref didn't see it and went on linesman's view. Linesman was wrong.

How do you know ref didn't see it?
Are you Conor Lane?

Yeah felt bad for Fenton. He has lost it twice that I have ever seen - twice against Derry this year too.

Don't think it was a red card and I know it's a cliche but he isn't that type of player.

Raised hands though.

It's not about the handful of the best teams playing good games though. It's the rest.

Never a red card, but a foul and a yellow. Play should have been stopped and Derry given a free. The goal should never have happened.

The ref didn't see it, so play continued till a break in play, informed by his linesman's dished out the card.

This is why armchair ref's need to read the rules every now and then

How do you know the ref didn't see it?
Are you Conor Lane?

He was looking at the ball. Watch it back

Tried, but recording cut out just before the incident.

Will get back to you after RTE's coverage.

Yeah felt bad for Fenton. He has lost it twice that I have ever seen - twice against Derry this year too.

Don't think it was a red card and I know it's a cliche but he isn't that type of player.

Raised hands though.

It's not about the handful of the best teams playing good games though. It's the rest.

Never a red card, but a foul and a yellow. Play should have been stopped and Derry given a free. The goal should never have happened.

The ref didn't see it, so play continued till a break in play, informed by his linesman's dished out the card.

This is why armchair ref's need to read the rules every now and then

How do you know the ref didn't see it?
Are you Conor Lane?

Lads would you ever give over. Fenton charged at him off the ball and hit him with a raised forearm in the neck. No other option than red.

No, not for me. Very soft. The issue is why play wasn't stopped as soon as it happened.

Yeah felt bad for Fenton. He has lost it twice that I have ever seen - twice against Derry this year too.

Don't think it was a red card and I know it's a cliche but he isn't that type of player.

Raised hands though.

It's not about the handful of the best teams playing good games though. It's the rest.

Never a red card, but a foul and a yellow. Play should have been stopped and Derry given a free. The goal should never have happened.