The 5 Best Insurance Providers in Ireland

Having insurance is one of the best ways to protect yourself from unseeable circumstances such as accidents and sudden financial hardships.

With this list of the best insurance providers in Ireland, your safety will be one less problem to worry about.

Aside from our unbiased reviews, you can also expect a list of pros and cons as well as a short FAQs section at the very end! 

But before we delve into all that, let’s take a look first at how much insurance costs. 

How Much Does Insurance Cost?

Insurers take a number of factors into consideration before providing you with a quote. This will also depend on the kind of insurance that you’re planning to avail of.

For car and motorcycle insurance, they will usually look at the driver’s experience, claims history, vehicle age, size, value, profession, and use, to name a few.

Meanwhile, for home insurances, they usually consider the location of the property, type of building and when it was built, and whether you’re an owner or tenant, among others.

For life insurance, on the other hand, they assess your health, age, medical history, smoking and drinking habits, to mention a few.

Since all of these factors vary from person to person, insurers can’t give a one-size-fits-all quote. Hence, insurers usually collect more information from you first before giving you a tailored quote.

The Best Insurance Providers in Ireland

In order to give you the best insurance, we’ve evaluated the providers on our list based on the following:

Service Quality – To ensure that you get the most out of your investment, we took a look at providers that offered quick and reliable service from start to finish

Variety – To make sure our entries didn’t fall short on offerings, we made sure to pick out providers with a wide variety of different insurance types.

Discounts – We looked for loyalty discounts or packages that could significantly reduce the overall costs.

Provider Quality – To ensure you get the best insurance, we took a look at the quality of the provider itself and their coverage.

Coverage – We took a look at the scope of their coverage to ensure that they can provide you with the assistance that you need with the most benefits.

Flexibility – Whether it be for a few months or your lifetime, we’ve gathered entries that have flexible terms according to your needs.

Special Services – As the icing on the cake, we also looked around to see if they had any add-ons such as additional covers that set them apart from other entries. 

Customer Support – To make sure our entries are easily accessible around the clock, anytime you need them, we screened their operating hours and communication channels.

1. Aviva Insurance Ireland

CRITERIA	RATING
SERVICE QUALITY	★★★★ (4/5)
VARIETY	★★★★ (4/5)
DISCOUNTS / BENEFITS	★★★★ (4/5)
PROVIDER QUALITY	★★★ (3/5)
FLEXIBILITY	★★★ (3/5)
COVERAGE	★★★ (3/5)
SPECIAL SERVICES	★★★★ (4/5)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	★★★★ (4/5)

Aviva Insurance Ireland has a variety of general insurance products, serving over 18 million customers in Ireland, UK, and Canada in 2020. 

Even with heavy consumer traffic, our sources tell us that it won’t be a headache trying to get in touch with them. Past clients have praised their efficient and professional customer service. 

They offer a wide array of insurance products such as home, car, and life, among others. Hence, they’re a good option if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all your insurance needs.

If you do, they offer discounts and exclusive loyalty offers. They also have extra cover options in case you’re eying some extra protection.

We appreciate the convenience that their MyAviva online portal offers. It’s a convenient place to view your policies, update and access your information, and even ask a query under one roof.

On top of that, they also offer free special services. Particularly, free legal advice helplines for car insurance as well as Best Doctors Second Medical Opinion and Aviva Family Care, a psychotherapy and counseling service, for life insurance.

When the time comes to claim, they have a 24/7 claims helpline at your disposal. We think this extra convenience will definitely go a long way, especially when you need to claim ASAP.

We also appreciate how easy it is to get a quote from them. Simply answer a few questions on their website and you can apply for insurance then and there.

Unfortunately, they don’t have any information on their payment schemes. So you’ll have to inquire.

Customer Reviews

Excellent service

“Excellent service. It is so comforting to know that I can lift the telephone and contact a human being on the other end of the line. Its all fine with online only (insurance companies) when there are no issues. But as soon as you have a problem the online is no help. It is definitely worth paying a tiny fraction more for peace of mind.” – Aileen Joyce-Jones, Google Reviews

Price was the best I could get

“I found the website straight forward and easy to navigate which is great for someone that is not well up on computers.  The price was the best I could get so this was great.  I hope ye keep your prices reasonable when I am renewing next year.” – Nicola Dully, Google Reviews

2. AXA Insurance

CRITERIA	RATING
SERVICE QUALITY	★★★ (3/5)
VARIETY	★★★★ (4/5)
DISCOUNTS / BENEFITS	★★★ (3/5)
PROVIDER QUALITY	★★★ (3/5)
FLEXIBILITY	★★★ (3/5)
COVERAGE	★★★★ (4/5)
SPECIAL SERVICES	★★★ (3/5)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	★★★★ (4/5)

If you value accessibility in choosing a provider, AXA Insurance has over 20 branches across Ireland. 

AXA Insurance offers a wide variety of insurance types, from home to motor insurance. However, what stood out to us was their farm insurance since it’s quite unique.

Specifically, their farm insurance covers lands of over 100 acres. They even have dedicated agri-insurance specialists to help you with farming.

Hence, AXA insurance may be a viable option if you’re a farmer or if you simply own a lot of land.

You can easily request a quote on their website as well as apply for insurance then and there. 

We appreciate that their website is filled with tons of info on their insurance coverage. With definitions and explanations, we think this is an easy way to learn about their offerings.

On top of their website, they also have an app that you can download on any app store. Here, you can view and download files, track claims, and so on, whenever and wherever.

All said, there’s one major downside, though: limited rate options. Unlike brokers who have a number of options available to them, you can only get the AXA’s premiums.

Customer Reviews

Fast response to calls or emails

“Not ever have I met a more kind helpful staff of people, fast response to calls or emails. A truly kind, honest hard working team,AXA should be so proud to have such genuine people in their company, thank you Naas AXA branch.” – Lisa Swaine, Google Reviews

Quick and 100% helpful

“Quick and 100% helpful have to work on the customer service of more been happy and kind but at the end good company” – Heinrich Welter, Google Reviews

3. Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd.

CRITERIA	RATING
SERVICE QUALITY	★★★★ (4/5)
VARIETY	★★★★ (4/5)
DISCOUNTS / BENEFITS	★★★★ (4/5)
PROVIDER QUALITY	★★★ (3/5)
FLEXIBILITY	★★★ (3/5)
COVERAGE	★★★ (3/5)
SPECIAL SERVICES	★★★ (3/5)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	★★★★ (4/5)

Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. has been in the industry for the past 50 years with offices in Dublin (head office) and Cork.

We appreciate the fact that they’ve been focused on providing affordable insurance for people working in the public sector. So if you’re a nurse, teacher, and so on, Cornmarket may be a good option for you since they have special discounts catered to you.

We also appreciate their mental health collective to provide support services and resources to nurses and midwives, especially.

When it comes to claiming, they have designated numbers depending on the scheme and policies. We think ensures that their line doesn’t get held up. Even so, our sources told us that their processes are fairly quick and efficient, though. 

Aside from their website, you can access your MyCornmarket account on their app. We think this is an easy way to access all your files and view policies whenever and wherever.

Customer Reviews

So easy to deal with

“After a long number of years with a Health Insurance provider, I contacted Cornmarket to see if I could find a better deal.    The reason I never changed provider before was that I dreaded the hassle of having to compare the details of benefits in various providers.    It was so easy to deal with Cornmarket, they very quickly compared my policy against others and came back with an option with a different provider which gave me better benefits at significant less cost.   The Advisor I dealt with, Juan, Curley, was very helpful and very good at explaining the detail.   I would highly recommend Cornmarket.” – Patricia Normanly, Google Reviews

Never had a poor experience

“I have just had the annual review of my health insurance and, as always, it was an excellent experience. The Cornmarket Group are to be congratulated on the caliber of their agents. Over many years I have never had a poor experience.” – Mary Higgins, Google Reviews

4. BJP Insurance

CRITERIA	RATING
SERVICE QUALITY	★★★★ (4/5)
VARIETY	★★★★ (4/5)
DISCOUNTS / BENEFITS	★★★★ (4/5)
PROVIDER QUALITY	★★★ (3/5)
FLEXIBILITY	★★★ (3/5)
COVERAGE	★★★★ (4/5)
SPECIAL SERVICES	★★★★ (4/5)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	★★★★ (4/5)

If experience is one of your key considerations, BJP could be a good choice. They have over 50 years of industry experience in providing insurance for corporate and private clients.

They offer a wide array of insurance products for your home, car, and travelling trips, among others. Hence, they’re a good option if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all your insurance needs.

We really appreciate their 24/7 emergency assistance for their home and travel insurance. Yup, they have an emergency hotline that you can use wherever you are in the world. 

Did we mention that they offer unlimited windshield coverage? This little extra will surely go a long way if you’re prone to getting chips and cracks.

You can easily get a quote and apply online via their website. They even have an online portal called MyArachas where you can see all your insurance plans at a glance.  

We appreciate that their website has all the resources that you could need to learn more about their insurance offerings. You’re given a breakdown of what’s covered, FAQs, and more.

We also think it’s worth mentioning that they have a 90% client retention rate. We suppose number speak on behalf of the quality of their performance and professionalism.

Customer Reviews

Done quickly, professionally, and without any hassle

“I dealt with Brian at BJP with renewing my car insurance. My case was a little bit more complicated than normal but Brian made it so simple and easy to understand. Not only did he get me an excellent quote, cheaper than what I could get on the market myself, but it was done quickly, professionally and without any hassle. Within 24 hours of paying, I had my new insurance disk in the car and he made something than can be a little bit stressful incredibly easy! Thanks again Brian!” – Darrelle Moffett, Google Reviews

Made the whole procedure which I usually dreaded getting done very easy

“After years of using a different company who made every bit of getting my car insurance sorted an ordeal, I got in contact with BJP Insurance. I dealt with there employee Brian Byrne. The difference in customer care, efficiency and communicating what needed to be done between Brian and any other employee from the other company was night and day. He made the whole procedure which I usually dreaded getting done very easy. Thank you Brian, highly recommended!” – Shane Mc Creevy, Google Reviews

5. Acorn Insurance

CRITERIA	RATING
SERVICE QUALITY	★★★★ (4/5)
VARIETY	★★★★ (4/5)
DISCOUNTS / BENEFITS	★★★★ (4/5)
PROVIDER QUALITY	★★★ (3/5)
FLEXIBILITY	★★★ (3/5)
COVERAGE	★★★ (3/5)
SPECIAL SERVICES	★★★ (3/5)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	★★★★ (4/5)

Founded in 2012, Acorn Insurance primarily focuses on providing motor, health, and life insurance.

We appreciate the variety of insurances they have depending on the type. For example, for home insurance, they have sub-insurances such as first-time buyers, contents, landlords, and so on.

Hence, you can opt for a specified insurance plan that covers a specific need.

We also wanted to highlight the fact that they have over 10 insurers. Hence, you’ll be presented with a variety of options that best fit your insurance needs.

It’s worth noting that you can pay in 3 ways: full by credit card or debit card, monthly direct debit, or even by cheque. You can even spread these payments depending on the type of insurance.

We appreciate the flexibility as it allows you to pay according to your means and preferred method.

However, we were bummed that their only branch is in Galway. Hence, if you’re the type that prefers to make arrangements in person, Acorn may not be a palatable option for you.

Unfortunately, they’re closed on weekends. Even so, you can easily get a quote on their website or even request a callback. 

Customer Reviews

Got me what I needed at a good value price point

“Had one of the best customer service experiences that I have had in a long time dealing with Acorn today. Siofra who handled my calls, did so in a very pleasant and professional manner. Answered any questions that needed to be answered and worked to get me what I needed at a good value price point. It was a pleasure to do business with Acorn today. Thanks.”  – Mark McComish, Google Reviews

Brilliant to deal with

“Being dealing with acorn for a few years now and all I can say is the team is just brilliant to deal with. Siofra was dealing with my policy today for me and all I can say she’s top class. Nothing was a problem she knew what she was talking about at all time. Highly recommend for value and professionalism.” – Tommy, Google Reviews

FAQs About Insurance

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And there you have our top recommendations for the best insurance providers in Ireland! Hopefully, this article has helped you get the best insurer for your needs.

Did we miss other great insurers in Ireland? Send us your recommendations and we’ll make sure to review them ASAP!

Looking for other ways to work smart with your money? Why don’t you check out our recommendations here:

• best car financing firms in Ireland
• best savings accounts in Ireland
• best financial advisors in Dublin
• best stock brokers in Dublin

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