Car insurance increased due to adaption

blandford28

My husband has just got a quote of £276.99 for the annual car insurance via Money Supermarket We were delighted as that was some £100 cheaper than our renewal. He phoned them and went through the usual details (He has 9 years no claim) but as soon as he told them he is a right leg, above knee amputee and uses a left foot accelerator the premium went up to £513.84! They claim it has nothing to do with his disability but is due to the adaption cost which actually costs under £100! The DVLA know about the adaption and are happy with it and he cannot drive anything without the adaption. Can they do this or is it as I suspect, discrimination?
I'm hoping you will tell me if there's any action I can take regarding this disgusting rip off.
Many thanks

miduck

I doubt it would be discrimination - insurance premiums are calculated according to risk, and a higher premium would suggest that those with this adaptation are more likely to have an accident. You could get some quotes from other insurers, see if they are also higher?

rogerblack

It depends.
Are they simply applying a blanket rule that adaptions are more risky.
If so, this may be discrimination, as they have not taken into account that disabled people are more likely to need adaptions, and you're being lumped in with the people that put on body kits.

If however, it's based on actual statistics that disabled peoples adaptions raise the risk, this may be legal.

pauliboo

Try a car insurance company that specialises in disabled drivers.
https://www.fishinsurance.co.uk/disabled-car-insurance.php

Chorlie

I'm with More Than (they used to be Motability's Insurers RSA, not sure if they still are).

I tell them that my car has Hand Controls (Standard Push/Pull £400'ish) and they don't seem to care. I've done online quotes via there web site to compare and they have be of a simaler price.

I know people with adaptions that cost many thousands and there quote increased due to the possible added cost of replacement controls if in an accident (so they are told, but kind of makes sense).

As always with Car Insurance you have to shop around, it does smell of discrimination however, I have heard several stories in the past of people getting into cars with left foot accelerator (friends, family, mechanics etc) and they have crashed it since they didn't know, forget etc and put there left foot on what they are used to as the break and shot forwards / backwards and hit something, so it could be that this type of adaption has a higher risk and therefore a high premium; so won't be discrimination.

blandford28

A QUOTE from a car insurer specialising in insurance for the disabled driver
"We know that your car is vital to your lifestyle. And so we know that you will take great care in your driving and vehicle maintenance"
Having had a good look at the various insurance companies the general consensus is that as the car is an "essential"; disabled drivers seem to have LESS accidents that mainstream drivers.
We have gone with a company whose premiums are not only reasonable but considerably cheaper than our renewal quote. They haven't increased the costs although they are very aware of the left foot accelerator adaption. (It is removed for servicing etc.)
I am still looking into what I believe is this blatant discrimination and would advise other disabled drivers to check around. There ARE, I'm glad to say fair and reasonable insurers out there!