Frequently Asked Questions

Select a topic below for more information regarding our insurance policies.

Car insurance FAQ
- 1. What is a policy excess?
  
  The policy excess is the sum that you will be obliged to cover when making a claim. Please refer to your policy documents to find out what excess is applicable.
  
  With FBD no excess applies to Third Party, Fire, Theft or Windscreen claims.
- 2. I want to insure my car. What covers are available to me and what do they mean?
  
  Third Party: This is the minimum cover you must have to comply with the Road Traffic Acts. It protects you from claims made by other parties, including passengers for personal injuries or damage to third party property.
  
  Third Party Fire & Theft: Covers you for Third Party claims as above. In addition you are also protected in the event of damage to or loss of your car by fire & theft.
  
  Comprehensive: Covers in addition to the above, accidental damage to your own car.
- 3. Can my insurer settle a third party claim under my policy without my agreement?
  
  From time to time claims will arise where liability will be in dispute. Our aim in all cases is to establish the full circumstances and based on same we will make a decision on liability.
  
  Your insurer does have the right to settle a third party claim should they feel that you are liable based on the circumstances provided by all parties involved.
- 4. What is indemnity?
  
  In the event of a claim your insurer, subject to the risk being covered, is obligated to compensate you so you are in the same financial position you were before the accident.
- 5. Does my policy cover me for car hire?
  
  Car hire is only available on a private motor policy where the insured has fully comprehensive cover. Car hire is covered up to a limit of €40 per day and a limit of €300 for any one accident.
- 6. Apart from myself, who is covered to drive my vehicle?
  
  With FBD you can avail of a number of driver options:
  
  1. Restrict the policy to cover yourself only.
  
  2. Restrict the policy to cover yourself and any other driver that you have named on the policy.
  
  3. Select open driving which will cover yourself and any driver between 25 and 71 with a full clean Irish or UK licence to drive your car with your permission.
  
  Your Private Motor Certificate of Insurance will always tell you which drivers are covered under a Motor Policy.
- 7. Will my policy cover me to drive a vehicle that I do not own?
  
  To qualify for the driving of other cars extension you must be between the age of 25 and 71 with a full licence. If you qualify and avail of this addition your policy will provide third party cover for you to drive someone else’s car with their permission providing it is not a hire vehicle or in your custody for business reasons.
  
  Your Private Motor Certificate of Insurance will always tell you whether you have this benefit under your Policy.
- 8. A Motor Assessor has deemed my vehicle to be a write off, what is the procedure?
  
  Once a Motor Assessor has deemed a vehicle to be a write off, he will compile the vehicle’s valuation based on the open market value. This will form the basis of the settlement.
  
  There are two categories for wrote off vehicles:
  
  1. Beyond Economic Repair: A vehicle is classed as Beyond Economic Repair when the cost of repair is financially unviable.
  
  2 End of Life: A vehicle will be deemed End of Life when the extent of damage means that it not possible to return the vehicle to a roadworthy condition. We are legally obligated to ensure that such vehicles are disposed by an authorised garage.
- 9. Personal property is stolen from my car, is this covered?
  
  Personal property is covered up to a limit of €400 where you have Third Party Fire and Theft cover or Comprehensive cover.
- 10. Cash is stolen from my vehicle, is this covered?
  
  No, cash is not covered when stolen from your vehicle.
- 11. Does my gender bear any relation to my car insurance premium?
  
  Due to regulation and European law our prices must be the same for male and females customers. We still collect this information for statistical and marketing purposes.
Home insurance FAQ
- 1. What is meant by building cover?
  
  The building under your FBD Home Policy not only refers to the Dwellinghouse Building but also extends to include domestic outbuildings and garages, drives, patios, decking, tennis hard courts and swimming pools.
  
  Buildings are insured against a range of risks such as fire, storm, damage from a water leak or falling trees. FBD standard Building Cover includes accidental damage cover FREE on owner occupied houses.
- 2. How much building cover should I have?
  
  You should insure your home for the reinstatement cost as opposed to full market value. You should insure your building for a sum insured that represents the full rebuilding costs of your house, including domestic outbuildings and drives and other items as outlined in the answer to Question 1.
  
  You should make an additional provision in setting your Sum Insured for costs in removing debris after a loss, Architects fees and additional costs in rebuilding to current Construction and Local Authority Regulations. The Society of Chartered Surveyors issue an annual guide in respect of home reinstatement.
  
  For more information visit their website www.scs.ie
  
  It is always good advice to seek advice from a Builder, architect or chartered surveyor in determining a correct Sum Insured for your Buildings.
  
  Avoid the mistake of insuring your property for its market value. This is incorrect and may lead to the value of your claim being reduced in the event of a loss. The market value may be more or less than the full rebuilding cost of your home.
- 3. What about cover for my contents?
  
  With FBD home insurance most of your contents are insured on a "New for Old" basis.
  
  This means in the event of a claim we will replace the lost or damaged item with a new one. Therefore when setting your sum insured for contents you should provide for the current cost of replacement with a new item of a similar standard.
  
  Note: Some items are replaced including a deduction for wear and tear. This includes entertainment and ancillary equipment over 3 years old, floor covering over 5 years old, clothing and household linen.
- 4. How much contents cover should I choose?
  
  You have two options. Firstly, you can choose contents cover as a percentage of your building cover. For example if your building is insured for €200,000 and you choose 30% contents cover, then you have cover up to €60,000. Your second option is insuring the total value of all your contents as a separate sum.
- 5. Am I covered?
  
  We’ve included a list of common property claims below. However you should check your own Policy Schedule Document and Booklet. This will indicate what cover applies under your policy.
  
  - Theft / Attempted theft
  - Fire, Lightning, Storm or Flood
  - Breakage of glass- Accidental damage
  - Escape of water / oil leakage
- 6. Do I need an estimate or paperwork relating to my claim?
  
  It is a requirement to have supporting documentation relating to the claim (eg.original purchase receipts, instruction manuals, guarantees and replacement estimates). Any cost incurred in obtaining estimates is not covered under the policy.
Business insurance FAQ
- 1. I want to insure my Shop. What covers are available to me?
  
  Buildings, Trade Contents, Frozen Food, Stock in Transit, Business Interruption, Household Goods, All Risks on Business Equipment, Glass, Money, Employers Liability, Public & Products Liability and Personal Accident.
- 2. What are the Vital Areas of Insurance Cover I need on my Business?
  
  - Fire & Perils cover on the Building, Stocks, Fixtures & Fittings
  - Consequential Loss cover also known as Business Interruption or Loss of Profits
  - Employers Liability
  - Public & Products Liability
- 3. What is the benefit of Consequential Loss Cover?
  
  Fire Insurance will pay for reinstatement of the Buildings, Trade Contents & Stock but it will not pay for any loss of net profit, expenses you will have to continue to pay even though you are not generating any income and the increased cost of working while your premises is being rebuilt, eg Rent, Rates, Salaries, Hire of an alternative premises, transport, overtime etc.
- 4. What are the limits on Money Cover for a Shop Policy?
  
  The standard limits are €10,000.00 for Cash in Transit, On the Premises during business hours (including ATMs), €4,000.00 In a Safe outside of business hours if it’s a Live In situation or €1,500.00 in Unoccupied at night, €750.00 if out of the safe outside business hours and €350.00 if in a private dwelling house.
  
  We will also automatically double these limits during Christmas and Bank Holiday Periods at no extra charge.
- 5. I have an ATM in my shop. Am I covered for this?
  
  Yes under our Money Section and provided you have a Monitored Intruder Alarm Installed we will cover you for cash in your ATM both during and outside of business hours subject to specified Policy Limits.
- 6. What payment methods are available to me?
  
  - Cheque / Cash
  - Credit / Debit Card
  - Direct Debit
- 7. What is the difference between Fire & Perils Cover and Material Damage All Risks?
  
  Fire & Perils cover includes Fire, Lightning, Explosion, Aircraft, Storm, Flood, Escape of Water, Impact by Vehicles or Animals, Riot, Civil Commotion & Malicious Damage.
  MDAR insures the property on an All Risks Basis, ie it includes Accidental Damage.
- 8. What cover would I need if I am letting out my premises to a tenant?
  
  - Buildings inc Landlords Fixtures & Fittings
  - Property Owners Liability
  - Employers Liability for Maintenance & Repairs
  - Rent Receivable
- 9. I'm renting a premises and I have modified the property (partitions, false ceilings etc..). Do I have to include this in my insurance seeing as I don’t own the property?
  
  Yes. Under Tenants Improvements we will cover you for any modifications to the property made to suit your business as the landlord will not be responsible to replace them in the event of a fire or other insured peril.
- 10. I have extra stock for the Christmas Period. Do I have to increase my sums insured for this and will this cost me extra ?
  
  Under our Retail Multiperil policy we will automatically increase your stock sum insured by 100% for the Christmas period at no extra cost.
Farm insurance FAQ
- 1. I don't have a full time employee, why do I need Employers Liability cover?
  
  Employers Liability is a vital cover for all Farmers to have. A farmer will have somebody working on their farm at some time. Even if this is only once during the year, accidents can and will happen, Employer Liability protects you as the employer if it happens to you.
- 2. Why should I have Personal Accident Insurance?
  
  Personal Accident will provide income in the event of you not being able to work on your farm as a result of an accident. This income can offset cost associated with bringing some one in to help run your business while you are unable to work.
- 3. Why do I need to review my Farm Insurance?
  
  Your insurance needs change as your business changes. There may be buildings that have been built in the last couple of years that have not been added to your policy, the values of these buildings need to be kept up to date, and also you may be farming more or different land that you were the last time you looked at your policy.
  
  Our people with their vast farming knowledge are ideally placed to help you with this review.
- 4. What is Underinsurance?
  
  Under insurance occurs where the Sums Insured set on your property is less than the reinstatement or replacement cost of the property as new. Where a property is under-insured, the value of any claim on this property will be reduced by whatever proportion is represented by the level of under-insurance.
  
  For example:
  
  - Take a Livestock Shed where the current rebuilding cost is €100,000 and this is insured for €70,000.
  - The extent of under-insurance is €30,000 or 30% of the full rebuilding cost.
  - The value of any claim in relation to this shed will be therefore reduced by 30%.
- 5. What is a policy excess?
  
  The policy excess is the part of a claim that is not paid by the Insurance Company. For example there was fire damage to my Milking Parlour of €1000, the excess on my policy is €150 so my Insurance Company paid me €850
  
  Policy Excess can vary from company to company so always check the excess amount.

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