Viewing: Car insurance in New Zealand - get jealous.

**Freddie** · 13-01-2008, 09:47 AM

I would just like to make you all jealous - I'm currently in New Zealand, where car insurance is optional.. I bought a 2.2L Honda Prelude - at 21 with zero no claims in the country, it cost me £112 to insure, compared to the £860 I was paying for my battered old Citroen Berlingo van at home. CRAZY!

***waynne*** · 14-01-2008, 09:45 AM

Welcome back Freddie. I thought you might have gone to NZ.

***waynne*** · 14-01-2008, 09:47 AM

Ah - ignore my last post where I suspected you were in NZ I now see that you are. Insurance prices are rediculous out there - enjoy the prelude. I seriously considered getting a prelude - big fast and agile.

**Freddie** · 14-01-2008, 10:32 PM

Not a scratch on the Saxo!

Rear end is a bit light too, but fast still, even for an.. an.. an auto..

***waynne*** · 15-01-2008, 08:26 AM

I thought you liked lift off oversteer

**Freddie** · 15-01-2008, 08:30 AM

I'm in N.Z but I still have access to the internet! Working from home so lots of coffee breaks on my own - plently of time to time on car forums

***waynne*** · 15-01-2008, 08:47 AM

What work are you doing then?

**Freddie** · 15-01-2008, 09:35 PM

CAD Landscape design, keep seeing programmes on Sky where they build cars and bikes and wishing I'd gone into something automotive/fabrication! Ah well, can't help it if I love plants and gardens too!

**pgarner** · 15-01-2008, 11:13 PM

least in NZ you have the sun could be back over here in the rain an ehh rain

***waynne*** · 16-01-2008, 08:48 AM

I'm sure you could cover a car with a nice lawn and flowers somehow?

**Freddie** · 16-01-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

least in NZ you have the sun could be back over here in the rain an ehh rain

True, although I'm inside most days all day so see very little of it! Is nice to be able to pop to the beach on days off though

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynne

I'm sure you could cover a car with a nice lawn and flowers somehow?

I think theres a shining good reason no one has already done this!

**Freddie** · 16-01-2008, 10:26 AM

I got quite used to it in the Sax, at least when I kept my foot down I knew it would hold and hold, this boat is all over the show! Still better than the Berlingo which is sitting at home, rotting and waiting for my return!

Was thinking on the drive home about how crazy the driving/insurance regs are over here. You can take your test at 15, and as insurance is optional there are actually lots of 15 year olds blasting round in Skylines and big V8's. Thinking back to how mature I was when I was 15... Hm...!!!

**pgarner** · 16-01-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddie

True, although I'm inside most days all day so see very little of it! Is nice to be able to pop to the beach on days off though

I think theres a shining good reason no one has already done this!

why not think you could call it a truly green car

***waynne*** · 16-01-2008, 02:18 PM

Started a new thread for this - we were getting away from the KAD mini topic somewhat.

**Freddie** · 17-01-2008, 01:54 AM

Yes we truly de-railed that sucker! I was a bit confused when i logged on - 'I don't remember making that thread!'

So based on my last post, do you think that the UK have something right? Without high insurance costs to stop young drivers getting powerful cars, would we be safe on the roads? Hmm, probably there are better ways to restrict youngsters, other than the big corperate insurers taking all of their heard earned cash.

You worked in insurance for a while didn't you Wayne? Can they actually justify the amounts they charge?

***waynne*** · 17-01-2008, 08:20 AM

Ok to defend the insurance industry.... hummm.....er....... ok ........here goes.

The repair costs were extremely high and I think that is the big problem. Garages charging hundreds of pounds to fit a new bumper or door panel. Then you have the fees charged by the assesors to ensure the insurers aren't being ripped off.

We did get loads of claims from young drivers although it seemed to be a small minority of young drivers with powerful cars that made the claims. In some countries drivers are power to weight ratio restricted on their new cars. Insurance is a way for the majority to share in the misfortunes of the minority but no-one wants to contribute to anothers mistakes so insurers are very careful to group drivers into risk categories and charge them accordingly.

**pgarner** · 17-01-2008, 10:47 AM

ive goto admit when you see young ones (17 and 18 yo) driving around in mummy and daddys car its a bit more worrying as it a case of yeah this has got so much more power than my 1.0 corsa saxo punto etc and they are more likely to push the car further without knowing how well it handles

Quote:

Originally Posted by freddie

I got quite used to it in the Sax, at least when I kept my foot down I knew it would hold and hold, this boat is all over the show!

gives an example it suffered from lift off oversteer but you knew how to handle it now think if someone who had just passed their test jumped into and lifted off round a corner weeeeee their off in a nice spin

i admit it myself when i was in the civic the most i would overtake on the roads round here would be 1 car at a time (unless i had a long straight and the cars were going slow enough) where as now with the bora i find myself passing until i know i have to come back in eg this ive just had to take my mum over to pick up her car passed 3 cars and a wagon whereas before i would never have done that in 1 move

is there not a insurance company now that will try and source 2nd hand parts to fit rather than new ones to keep premiums down. rather than fit a new front bumper at maybe £250 they would source one from a scrappy thats been involved in a rear shunt and take it fit it and dust it off to match the paint cost prob around £150

but like everyone else i think there robbing ******** who just want to make money off the young drivers

**Massive** · 17-01-2008, 02:59 PM

wow if only england was like that, but then i suppose you would get prats driving around in stupid cars cos they wouldnt have to pay for insurance, then crash into others, who then would have to fork out there own money, then they would get off with a slap on the wrist driving with un do caress or what ever blah blah blah

***waynne*** · 17-01-2008, 04:20 PM

But massive, we already have prats driving around in stupid cars down here!

**Massive** · 17-01-2008, 06:00 PM

suppose, but its not fair on honest ppl, who obey the law and pay car insurance, and idiots who wangle round it get fancy/fast cars, then get away with it when the cause an accident

***waynne*** · 17-01-2008, 06:07 PM

I like to think that they can't sleep at night and alway dread getting caught!

**pgarner** · 17-01-2008, 07:12 PM

haha i know of 2 people who have bought high preformance cars then got a cover note to tax it then cancel it
problem is there so little police around here they can get away with it

not that i condone this i like to be save in the knowlage that if i crash into someone im not going to be done. as well as end up bankrupt by being sued through these accident claims

***waynne*** · 18-01-2008, 07:26 AM

Insurance is now on a centrailised database so it wouldn't be too hard to track down taxed cars which have no current insurance. Insurance is also the first thing the police check when you get stopped.

**vr1066** · 20-01-2008, 01:40 PM

If theres no insurance what happens if someone else hits you and doesn't have any money to pay?

do you have to ake them to court?

***waynne*** · 20-01-2008, 07:28 PM

The Motor Insurers Bureau will offer a derisary compensation under certain circumstances but otherwise you need to take them to court. Make sure you always take out Legal Protection cover - it can save a lot of hassle and expense.