How to choose your policy

Before choosing a policy for your vehicle, pay attention to these aspects and read carefully the proposed estimate, the information note and the contract terms.

Below you can find some useful tips on how to choose the motor liability policy best suiting your needs.

Compare The Offers

Before taking out a motor liability policy, compare the offers of the various insurance undertakings.

In addition to the estimate that you can obtain from the website of each company, on-line comparison tools are available, such as the Public estimator or private comparison websites.

Always follow our 5 steps to be sure that you are contacting a duly authorised undertaking and to protect you from fraud and unauthorised intermediaries.

Ask for the application of the provisions on family motor liability insurance 

Check whether you are entitled to benefit from the bonus class of a cohabiting family member, more advantageous than the one generally applied to a new or renewed policy.

The Law on “family” motor liability insurance, in force since 16 February 2020, has changed the Bersani Law of 2007, extending its benefits under certain conditions.

Careful, the bonus class of a family member can be applied:

  • between members of the same family, having the same residence
  • to insurance policies relating not only to vehicles of the same type (car and car, motorcycle and motorcycle, etc.) but also of a different type (from a policy on a car to a policy on a motorcycle, etc.)
  • both when a new contract is concluded or upon renewal, provided that no claims with full or main or equal liability occurred in the last five years on the basis of the claims history statement
  • to natural persons and not to legal persons (companies are therefore excluded from the benefit)

As regards the observation period relating to the last five years, on 15 February 2021, IVASS published on its website a Notice on the “Family Bonus and Extension of the claims history statement”, providing clarification on the terms of the provisions, IVASS’ action and limits of intervention.

Be careful to the "driver type" 

The “driver type” is an option you must choose when taking out a motor liability policy. This option is necessary for the insurance companies to know who will drive the vehicle and calculate the insurance premium on the basis of the assumed risk. Some of these formulas allow you to save on the premium, but entail risks that must be carefully assessed. If you have any doubt talk to your insurance intermediary.

If you take out an "any driver" policy your car can be driven by anyone and, in case of accident, the undertaking will always pay damages.

“Expert driver” policies offer a discount but require the vehicle to be driven only by expert drivers, therefore with a specified amount of driving experience or belonging to a specified age band; for many companies the driver must be at least 26 and have held the driving licence for two years; for others the minimum age of the driver is 23, the minimum number of years that a driving licence has been held is 2, while others raise the minimum age to 28.

Although, by law, anyone can drive a car provided they have a driving licence, in case of “expert driver” policies if an accident is caused by a driver who does not reach the minimum age envisaged by the policy, the undertaking may avail itself of the right of recourse and claim back part of the damages from the policyholder. Therefore choose this option only if you are sure that the car will always be driven by you or “expert” drivers.

A policy with a “sole driver” clause restricts the cover to only one driver and no-one else. In this case the economic advantage on the insurance premium might be relevant. Careful not to choose a “sole driver” policy if you are not sure that the car will only be driven by you. In fact, in the event of an accident, should the company pay damages for an accident caused by a different driver, it may avail itself of the right of recourse and make you pay part of the damages paid.

Pay attention to deductibles 

The deductible is a contractual clause on the basis of which, for payment of a lower premium, the policyholder shall pay out of his own pockets (through repayment to the undertaking) part of the damages paid by the undertaking to the injured party. This clause may be advantageous when, for example, the vehicle is rarely used or is driven by very prudent persons and the level of the deductible is not very high.

Pay attention to exclusion and recourse clauses 

The exclusion and recourse contractual clauses limit or exclude the coverage of the risk and, therefore, compensation in the event of a claim. The circumstances not covered by the undertakings generally relate to accidents caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol or the effect of drugs, or driving without the license, but undertakings may envisage further cases of exclusion of the cover.

Read carefully the exclusion and recourse clauses envisaged in your contract, which must be described in the precontractual information note and seek advice from your insurance intermediary!

Consider installing a "black box" to save money 

Some motor liability policies envisage a premium reduction if policyholders consent to the installation of the "black box" or of similar devices on their vehicle. Under the law the costs of installation, maintenance, removal, replacement and operation shall be borne by the undertakings.

The black box is an electronic device that records the position and speed of a vehicle; it is capable of reconstructing the dynamics of an accident, and can thus contribute to countering fraud. Moreover, thanks to its systems for recording the mileage, you can access the motor insurance offers based on a pay per use system, which might be cheaper.

In some cases the black box also functions as an alert device for finding the car in case of theft and can send requests for roadside assistance.

Last update

6 August 2021