New medical condition - need to notify car insurers?

[bungle]

(I hope this is the right place for this...)

I've got a new medical condition, which (I believe) is notifiable to the DVLA. So I will obviously do that, and go through the due process, which may result in me not being able to drive for a period of time. In the meantime, while this is sorted, I am just not going to drive at all anyway, voluntarily.

However, my question is re contacting my insurers...

If it is right that I am not able to drive for a period of time, do I have to tell my current insurer? I'm not sure they have ever asked me anything related to this (do you have a current full licence, do you have any notifiable medical conditions, etc) which would mean that the info they have on me is "changed". And anyway, as I say above, I am voluntarily not going to drive anyway for the time being until I have resolved my licence situation with the DVLA.

But, even given that... let's say my car was stolen from my drive tonight, could the insurers say that my policy wasn't valid as I hadn't told them about a chance in my (relevant to driving) medical condition, and therefore don't pay out and cancel the policy (in itself, a nightmare re getting future policies).

Advice out there all seems a little vague.

Yes I could just speak to my insurer, but I've kind of opened Pandora's Box then, and I'd like to get a clear idea of what is actually required before I speak to them.

(and as I say, I am completely voluntarily not driving whatsoever for the time being until this is sorted).

Thanks for any help or guidance

[vaud]

Read through your policy carefully.

If in doubt, call your insurer.

[sociopath]

If you're not going to drive then tell them and transfer your insurance to a laid up policy.

ETA every policy I've had/have asks if you have any notifiable conditions, I'd be surprised if you werent asked, so not notifying them isnt a good plan imho

Edited by sociopath on Sunday 14th February 08:33

[jonnywishbone.]

You must surrender your license if you have a notifiable medical condition which requires you to refrain from driving for more than three months. This document lists all the relevant conditions and though it’s written for doctors it is pretty clear and unambiguous.

The following bit is speculation on my part so I may be corrected by legal types, but your insurance is contingent upon having a valid driving license and if you have to surrender your license your license is not valid so therefore, I assume, your insurance would be invalid.

[bungle]

Thanks all. Helpful stuff. Yes, I guess I may have been asked about notifiable conditions in the past, but maybe as it's always been completely irrelevant I've just forgotten I had been asked. I'll check my policy details, and see if there is a "no" statement about it.

jonnywishbone. said:

The following bit is speculation on my part so I may be corrected by legal types, but your insurance is contingent upon having a valid driving license and if you have to surrender your license your license is not valid so therefore, I assume, your insurance would be invalid.

Good point. That would mean that, in my example given above, if my car was stolen off my drive overnight then I wouldn't be covered, which seems unfair given I am entirely trying to do the right thing and not drive until the DVLA have confirmed the correct course of action, but if that's the way it is then I guess I need to move to some sort of "laid up" insurance cover pretty quickly.

Appreciate the help folks

[bungle]

jonnywishbone. said:

. This document lists all the relevant conditions and though it’s written for doctors it is pretty clear and unambiguous.

That document is extremely useful and user-friendly - thank you for posting.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

jonnywishbone. said:

The following bit is speculation on my part so I may be corrected by legal types, but your insurance is contingent upon having a valid driving license and if you have to surrender your license your license is not valid so therefore, I assume, your insurance would be invalid.

Your insurance isn't dependent on holding a valid licence, it's dependent on holding a licence, or having held a licence in the past and not currently being disqualified from holding a licence. Losing your licence due to a medical condition is not a disqualification, so your insurance is fine. And you are under no obligation to update your insurers until renewal.

As it happens, since the 1996 disability discrimination act, although insurers need to be told at inception or the first renewal after getting the disability, they really aren't bothered about disabilities and very rarely load the premium.

When you would need to tell them mid term would be if you were no longer able to drive, and you were down as the main user. Not about the disability, but that the occasional additional driver will now be the main user. If that was applicable.

[Jonny Wishbone]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Your insurance isn't dependent on holding a valid licence, it's dependent on holding a licence, or having held a licence in the past and not currently being disqualified from holding a licence. Losing your licence due to a medical condition is not a disqualification, so your insurance is fine. And you are under no obligation to update your insurers until renewal.

As it happens, since the 1996 disability discrimination act, although insurers need to be told at inception or the first renewal after getting the disability, they really aren't bothered about disabilities and very rarely load the premium.

When you would need to tell them mid term would be if you were no longer able to drive, and you were down as the main user. Not about the disability, but that the occasional additional driver will now be the main user. If that was applicable.

Thanks for the correction, I should’ve known better than to speculate.

[poo at Paul's]

I'm not too sure re insurance, it can be a bit of a minefield about getting your licence back in future, you may know more about that than me.
But can I just say I'm sure many on here are sorry to hear about condition and hope you get back to full health as soon as possible.

[bungle]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

...very useful stuff...

That's extremely helpful, thanks Twig

[S2r]

We have just done this for a relative who's just had an operation and so can't drive for a bit

The DVLA were informed and when we rang the insurers, they weren't bothered as the DVLA had been informed. The insurance is still in place, no problems, no additional charges.

[bungle]

S2r said:

We have just done this for a relative who's just had an operation and so can't drive for a bit

The DVLA were informed and when we rang the insurers, they weren't bothered as the DVLA had been informed. The insurance is still in place, no problems, no additional charges.

Thanks, that's helpful/ reassuring.

Re the DVLA, was that just a phone call, or did you fill in one of their assessment "fit to drive"-type forms?

[ScoobyChris]

I did this a few years ago and I think you can just notify online, although I think given I wasn't planning on driving I only did it once I got the all clear:

https://www.gov.uk/report-driving-medical-conditio...

FWIW, at the time, the DVLA wouldn't accept a letter from my specialist and it had to come from the GP (who hadn't been involved at all!). Maybe that's changed now.

Here's to a speedy recovery

Chris

[bungle]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Your insurance isn't dependent on holding a valid licence, it's dependent on holding a licence, or having held a licence in the past and not currently being disqualified from holding a licence. Losing your licence due to a medical condition is not a disqualification, so your insurance is fine. And you are under no obligation to update your insurers until renewal.

As it happens, since the 1996 disability discrimination act, although insurers need to be told at inception or the first renewal after getting the disability, they really aren't bothered about disabilities and very rarely load the premium.

When you would need to tell them mid term would be if you were no longer able to drive, and you were down as the main user. Not about the disability, but that the occasional additional driver will now be the main user. If that was applicable.

Told them this (the bold bit), and they say they have to cancel the policy, as the policy is in my name, and without a valid driving licence (whether taken away, or surrendered (which I have done)) I cannot hold a policy. So they say I have to cancel the policy mid-term, and take out a new one in my wife's name to enable her to keep driving the car.

Here's me thinking this was going to be a quick and easy "switch the main driver"-thing.

They are going to speak to the underwriters and get back to me. No doubt come back with loads of guff re my wife not being the main driver on a modified policy before, whether they can mirror her no-claims, etc etc, and quote a ridiculous ££££££ for a policy where she might do 1k miles/year.

[BertBert]

bungle said:

They are going to speak to the underwriters and get back to me. No doubt come back with loads of guff re my wife not being the main driver on a modified policy before, whether they can mirror her no-claims, etc etc, and quote a ridiculous ££££££ for a policy where she might do 1k miles/year.

Or just the logic that someone without a DL can't insure a car?

[bungle]

BertBert said:

bungle said:

They are going to speak to the underwriters and get back to me. No doubt come back with loads of guff re my wife not being the main driver on a modified policy before, whether they can mirror her no-claims, etc etc, and quote a ridiculous ££££££ for a policy where she might do 1k miles/year.

Or just the logic that someone without a DL can't insure a car?

Yeah, maybe, but I was just going on advice/ comments such as:

"Your insurance isn't dependent on holding a valid licence, it's dependent on holding a licence, or having held a licence in the past and not currently being disqualified from holding a licence. Losing your licence due to a medical condition is not a disqualification, so your insurance is fine."

... which suggests I can hold a policy regardless.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

bungle said:

Told them this (the bold bit), and they say they have to cancel the policy, as the policy is in my name, and without a valid driving licence (whether taken away, or surrendered (which I have done)) I cannot hold a policy.

That's just a blatant lie they've told you. Ask them to point you in the direction of the legislation that says you can't insure a car without a valid licence. It doesn't exist. Companies insure vehicles, and they don't hold a licence. But the people that drive the car do. Lots of people own cars but cannot drive themselves. They insure them in their name but obviously they aren't one of the named drivers.

What they might mean is "we don't want to continue with your policy if you don't hold a valid licence" which is a very poor way to treat an existing client, and probably in breach of TCF regs, but not illegal.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

BertBert said:

Or just the logic that someone without a DL can't insure a car?

But they can, and do!

[bungle]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

That's just a blatant lie they've told you. Ask them to point you in the direction of the legislation that says you can't insure a car without a valid licence. It doesn't exist. Companies insure vehicles, and they don't hold a licence. But the people that drive the car do. Lots of people own cars but cannot drive themselves. They insure them in their name but obviously they aren't one of the named drivers.

What they might mean is "we don't want to continue with your policy if you don't hold a valid licence" which is a very poor way to treat an existing client, and probably in breach of TCF regs, but not illegal.

It did seem to "smell" somewhat, but they were having none of it. You will need to cancel the policy, otherwise we will give you 7 days notice to do so ourselves sort of thing (then I have a "my insurer has cancelled my policy" declaration for the rest of my life).

I think your last point is probably right... they just didn't want the policy in my name any more.

Anyway, done now, had to swop to my wife's name, cost me ££ more, but hey ho, I guess I've got bigger fish to fry, and it's now sorted

Thanks for everyone's help. I'm not sure I really got the best outcome (or a completely honest insurer), but at least now done.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

bungle said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

That's just a blatant lie they've told you. Ask them to point you in the direction of the legislation that says you can't insure a car without a valid licence. It doesn't exist. Companies insure vehicles, and they don't hold a licence. But the people that drive the car do. Lots of people own cars but cannot drive themselves. They insure them in their name but obviously they aren't one of the named drivers.

What they might mean is "we don't want to continue with your policy if you don't hold a valid licence" which is a very poor way to treat an existing client, and probably in breach of TCF regs, but not illegal.

It did seem to "smell" somewhat, but they were having none of it. You will need to cancel the policy, otherwise we will give you 7 days notice to do so ourselves sort of thing (then I have a "my insurer has cancelled my policy" declaration for the rest of my life).

I think your last point is probably right... they just didn't want the policy in my name any more.

Anyway, done now, had to swop to my wife's name, cost me ££ more, but hey ho, I guess I've got bigger fish to fry, and it's now sorted

Thanks for everyone's help. I'm not sure I really got the best outcome (or a completely honest insurer), but at least now done.

Now that it's done, tell them that you want to make an official complaint in line with their complaints procedure. Say that you don't believe they've acted in the spirit of treating customers fairly. Throw in the disability discrimination act 1996, they fking st themselves when a breach of that gets mentioned. And highlight how much extra the process they forced you into has cost.

What they've done is wrong, and I suspect it won't have to go very far up the line before someone looks at it and realises the button monkey hasn't been trained properly. If people don't complain about this kind of stupid st, it keeps on happening. I'm sure within a pretty short space of time you'll get the extra money switching insurers has cost you back off them.