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Insurance

Gardai increase trailer licence and insurance checks

New regulations for towing are causing confusion and problems for trailer owners as no licence means no insurance. If you hold a category B licence, you are ok, provided the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of the trailer is less than 750kg or where the MAM of the trailer is greater than 750kg but the MAM of the trailer and the towing vehicle combined is less than 3,500kg. The weight measurement includes the contents of the trailer. Therefore the category B licence does not permit you to tow a horsebox of livestock trailer as the combined weight would exceed 3,500kg. In this case you will need to apply and complete a driving test for a Category BE licence. For more details on finding the right licence, refer to the National Driver Licence Service.

In all cases you should ensure that you have the correct licence in place. If not, your motor insurance or jeep insurance may refuse to indemnify you in the case of an accident. The Gardai are clamping down on drivers towing trailers and conducting licence spot checks across the country. Try Paddy Compare for your car insurance, farm insurance or hosebox insurance.

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Insurance

House prices rally outside Dublin, with more modest gains in the capital

Recent figures from the Central Statistics Office show that whilst Dublin house prices rose during 2016, the majority of the gains were outside the capital.

2016 Property Prices (Central Statistics Office)

Across the country, home-owners saw an average increase of 8.1%. Unlike in previous years, Dublin properties did not see the bulk of these increases, with a rise of just 5.8%.

Outside of Dublin, there were gains of 12.1%, but the best of these gains were in the West of the country, with house prices rising 17.8%.

Whilst strong gains are being made, property prices are still 32.1% lower than the peaks seen in 2007, opening up opportunities for first-time buyers to purchase their first home, and for existing home-owners to be able to climb the ladder, particularly those who are deciding to move outside the capital.

Home insurance and landlord insurance are an important consideration for home-owners. Paddy Compare works with a range of insurers across Ireland and can help you achieve the best deal. Try us today to see how much you can save!

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Insurance

Opinions on Brexit – how will it affect you and your business insurance?

Opinions on how Brexit will affect Ireland have been wide ranging, and there is no clear cut answer on the advantages or pitfalls for the country. Here is a selection of recent views:

“Brexit will destroy Good Friday agreement”

Gerry Adams has claimed that since Brexit looks to end the jurisdiction of the European court, the human rights afforded as part of the Good Friday agreement may be undermined.

“My business lost 20% of revenue overnight”

As the pound slumped following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, Athlone mushroom farmer Gerry Reilly hopes that Brexit won’t deal a further blow to his business, with the UK purchasing 50 lorry loads of mushrooms every day from Ireland.

“There will be opportunities and Irish companies need to be at the forefront of them”

The Irish Examiner reports that Ireland may become an excellent opportunity for UK companies to continue to trade with mainland Europe, with the country acting as a spring board into the continent, for example, UK engineered products could be finished off in Ireland before being sold onto France and beyond.

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Brexit may mean a change in the nature of your business, and it is vital that your business insurance is adequate for your turnover and type of trade. Paddy Compare can help you save on your liability insurance and tradesman insurance, wherever in the country you operate.

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Insurance

Farmers worry after €40,000 hill walker claim awarded – Farm insurance

Farmers remain wary of wandering hill walkers following the judgement to award one €40,000 for her injuries from a fall in Wicklow Way in 2013.  Despite the accident happening on property owned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the IFA and ICSA suggested that farmers should be worried. Mountaineering Ireland disagreed, stating that “Most structures provided for use by recreational users that are on private land, such as stiles, bridges and boardwalks are part of managed trails where there is an insurance policy in place to indemnify landowners” and that if a farmer builds a stile for their own use and even if it is used by hill walkers, the duty of care remains minimal. Read more here. The High Court is set to rule on an appeal on the decision in the coming weeks.

Paddy Compare can help you get a good deal on your farm insurance. Simply enter your details on our farm insurance quote page and we will pass your details onto our trusted farm insurance brokers.  Our partners cover all types of farms across the country.  Farm insurance comes with many features and can include protection for your livestock, buildings and equipment, farmhouse and public and environmental liability cover. Get a farm quote today.

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Insurance

2016 in Review

2016 has been an excellent year for Paddy Compare. We have helped thousands of Irish customers save money on their insurance and we are working with more brokers than ever, all of whom are growing their customer base daily.

2016 was an interesting year for Ireland in General – here’s a quick summary:

January

Storm Desmond and Storm Frank battered the country over Christmas and the New Year, damaging homes, farms and businesses. The Cabinet agreed to replace fodder at the market rate, and also promised €10m for Local Authorities to aid with the clean-up operation.

February

The 2016 election takes place. Over 3.22 million people are eligible to vote. More than 550 candidates contest for 157 Dáil seats and 65.1% of the people turn out to vote.

March

Tens of thousands of people turn out in Dublin on Easter Sunday for the official State commemoration to celebrate 100 years since the Easter Rising – the largest public spectacle in the history of the State.

April

Forms arrive in the post for the 2016 census. Preliminary results indicated that the population grew by 3.7% in 2016, to 4.76m.

May

Enda Kenny is elected Taoiseach on May 6th, 70 days after the general election.

June

The Republic of Ireland face Sweden in their first match of the 2016 UEFA European Championships. The game ends in a 1-1 draw but unfortunately that wasn’t enough to see Ireland progress to the knock-out stages.

July

Twenty-two members of a Dublin Bus syndicate win the EuroMillions jackpot – €1,083,866.36 each.

August

The O’Donovan brothers from Cork become internet sensations as they win silver medals in the lightweight men’s double sculls at the Rio Olympics. The pair, who train at Skibbereen Rowing Club “pulled like a dog” to come in second, just behind the French winners.

September

41-year-old mother of two, Caitríona Lucas, attached to the Doolin Coast Guard unit was on board Kilkee Coast Guard’s rigid inflatable boat (RIB) during a search for missing Clare teacher David McMahon. Caitríona lost her life when the lifeboat capsized in rough seas on September 12th.

October

Munster Rugby players and fans are devastated by the sudden death of head coach, Anthony Foley. Anthony was just 42 and died overnight in Paris on 16th October and was described as one of Munster’s ‘all time greats’.

November

Worldwide news is swamped with the shock US Election result, as Donald Trump defeats Hilary Clinton. In Ireland, almost 60% of secondary schools close as members of the Association of Secondary School Teachers in Ireland pull out of the supervision of students during break times.

December

The cabinet proposes to limit landlords to increasing rent in Dublin and Cork by 4% each year over the next 3 years. In an attempt to reduce homelessness, Minister for Housing Simon Coveney is to announce a series of measures targeting the private rental sector.

2017?

2016 has been an interesting year, how will 2017 fare?

Happy New Year to all customers, from the staff at Paddy Compare!

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Insurance

Horsebox Insurance from Paddy Compare

Paddy Compare are pleased to announce an addition our our extensive product range. We are now offering a service for horsebox and horse lorry insurance in Ireland.

Owning a horse can be an expensive hobby. Feeding, vet bills, cleaning and exercise make up the majority of the costs, but transport can be an important consideration if you are showing, racing or moving your horses. Therefore, insurance for your vehicle is vital.

Horsebox insurance from Paddy Compare, for all your comparison needs!

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Insurance

Irish Motorcycle Road Racing 2016 Calendar

Paddy Compare has produced a guide to this year’s racing calendar. With an interactive map, and links to each of the event websites, you can find out about the riders, results, how to get there and where to stand during the races.

Click the following link for more: Irish Road Racing Calendar

 

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Taxi insurance

Did you apply for WAV15 – Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant Scheme 2015? Paddy Compare taxi news!

Did you apply for the WAV15 Wheelchair Accessible Grant Scheme? If so then you could be eligible to receive disability awareness training and up to €10,000 in financial assistance to purchase a wheelchair accessible taxi vehicle or to convert your existing car into a WAV. Despite applications closing on 30 October 2015, to qualify for the WAV15 funding you must have submitted a provisional grant offer letter to the Authority, the proposed WAV must have passed its initial suitability test, the proposed wheelchair accessible vehicle must have been licensed, and the proposed driver must have complete a Disability Awareness Training Course.

For more information click here. If you need taxi insurance for your WAV taxi or your normal taxi, you can get great deals at Paddy Compare. Simply complete our one page taxi insurance quote form. Our specialist taxi insurance brokers will then contact you with competitive quotes. Get a great deal today.

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Car Insurance

Volkswagen to recall 500,000 vehicles in USA – Paddy Compare news!

A bad day for Volkswagen as they have been ordered to recall 500,000 vehicles by the US Government. Why you ask? The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the car maker after it was reported to have been using sophisticated computer software to cheat clean air tests in its diesel cars. The affected cars include the VW Jetta, Golf, Passat, Beetle and Audi A3 models manufactured in the last 7 years. The company could face fines of up to $18 billion.

Do you own a Volkswagen? If so, don’t worry as it only as it is only USA cars that have been affected. At Paddy Compare you can get car insurance quotes from multiple brokers with just one form. Simply complete our online motor insurance quote form and our partner brokers will contact you with quotes. Our specialists cover all vehicle types and quote nationwide. So get a car insurance quote and save money today.

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Taxi insurance

Annual taxi bulletin in Ireland – Paddy Compare news!

On 7 September the National Taxi Authority published their annual Bulletin for taxi stats in Ireland. The Bulletin covers the main trends on Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSVs) across Ireland dealing with fleet numbers, licences issued, fleet profiles, licence numbers, complaints and compliance activity. There are six main categories of SPSV currently operating in Ireland, being the taxi, wheelchair accessible taxi, hackney, local area hackney, wheelchair accessible hackney and the limo. The majority of SPSVs are taxis operating in the Dublin area. The Bulletin revealed that there was just over 21,500 active vehicle licences in Ireland as at 31 December 2014, a fall of nearly 6,000 from its peak in 2008.

At Paddy Compare you can get taxi insurance quotes from specialist brokers in Ireland in minutes. Simply complete our online taxi insurance quote form and our system will match you up with the broker best suited to your details. Our trusted partners will then contact you by telephone, email and SMS with advice and quotes to meet your needs. They cover all vehicle types and quote nationwide. Save money on your taxi insurance with Paddy Compare today.