Girlfriend on motability insurance

MissNice

Hi,
Just looking for a bit of advice, my boyfriend is disabled and has a BMW 120d on motability, I have a petrol hungry audi a1 and we were just wondering what the chances are of me getting on his insurance. He can only drive an auto due to his disability, it affects his feet and he gets tired very easily too. We dont go away very often but if we go somewhere like Alton towers or a trip to London etc, it would be really handy for me to be able to drive his car, that way we can share the driving and its cheaper on fuel. I would let him drive my car but he physically cant because its a manual.
Back in September, we went to alton towers (3hr drive from us) and called motabilty insurance on the drive up to enquire about letting me drive (I'm 22) but they said they would add me on temporarily until the end of the weekend so my boyfriend could go to the theme park and not have to stress about driving home later that day. They had no problem with this, they just said they probably couldn't put me on permanently because of my age and the power of his car. A month or two later we were off to London and tried doing the same thing (we should have called them before we set off really, but were rushing too much!) and tried to put me on the insurance temporarily so he wouldn't have to worry about doing all the driving and anything strenuous. They point blank refused to put me on the insurance, even though I had been on it a month or two before, they said that was a mistake and the person who allowed us will be disciplined! Seemed a bit harsh! So we got about 10 miles away in rush hour and filled the tank, and had to turn around and get my car because he said he would be in pain and really tired all night if he drove.
I live about 11 miles away from my boyfriend (I know they have a 5 mile rule or something similar) and I end up doing a lot of the driving because I cant drive his car and he doesn't feel well enough to drive a lot of the time. I stay at his a lot but I don't live there. We aren't the type that will say "I drove to such and such so that's £x in fuel so can you give me that money please?" we try to take turns driving but generally I am doing a lot more of the driving so its easier for him but its costing me more in fuel! We would both find things so much easier if we could split the driving, or if we ever go anywhere in his car and he feels tired, we can swap seats without the worry of being stuck somewhere where he is in pain and struggles to drive. He has also had a lot of operations on his feet, and will need more, when he does, he cant walk for 3 months at a time, I know I will be taking him to the hospital, doctors, doing all the shopping etc, doing everything for him that he cant do, but it would be so much easier for us if we could use the motability car for the person with a disability, seems a bit useless having it sat on the drive for 3 months whilst somebody else has to do the driving, purely because of their disability!
I'm not just looking at this to save a bit of money, but it would just make our lives so much easier.
I'm thinking of writing to them to appeal their decision to not let me on the insurance and I'm just looking for a bit of advice, I'm not too sure how they classify people to be added to the motability insurance.

pstuart

Motability allow other people to drive a vehicle under the circumstances that you have mentioned.
They give cover for a week and this disregards where the fresh driver lives.

However, the vehicle that you mention has a high insurance rating which precludes anyone under 25 from driving it.

If they allowed your appeal it would open the system up to abuse and those Daily Mail readers would be onto us again.

MissNice

So do you think I have no chance of appealing?
I see what you mean, I guess some irresponsible young people could get their hands on a car they couldn't normally afford or be allowed to drive. I have a brand new Audi that I am in love with and would only drive my boyfriends car in emergencies!

Parva

Unfortunately there are rules and those aged under 25. I quote :-

" Drivers under the age of 25 can only drive cars in the lower ABI insurance groups of one to 16 and with a brake horsepower rating of 115BHP or less."

The rules are pretty clear on this. And that's before we get to the 'within 5 miles' rule. So you lose on both counts. Sorry.

Morglin

No, I don't think they will relent, as the rules are pretty clear. They might relent on the 5 mile rules, as you stay there a lot, but they cannot relax the insurance rules.

I don't know when his car is due for changing, but it might be an idea to get one less powerful. Or things won't change until you reach 25.

Lin

GwylimT

It is due to your age, my wife has a motability car and I am able to drive it for her as unfortunately I am on the wrong side of 25, but it isn't that powerful anyway.

If he has problems with his feet he might benefit from hand controls, my wife has them as she suffers from a type of paralysis from the waist down. Generally hand controls are pull to accelerate and push to brake, they are a very easy to use and it didn't take her very long to adapt and I don't find it difficult going from a normal car to her car.

cattermole

Motability may possibly agree to an earlier termination if you can demonstrate the car no longer meets his needs. Ie he is too tired to drive it for long distances and it needs to be a vehicle that someone else can drive as well. Its worth trying and would also have the benefit of being more economical if it was less powerful.

The posters advice above about hand controls is very sound and this would definitely be a change of need.

Poppie68

OP you posted under a different user name 'I Love Shoes' i think, on the Benefits and tax credits board back in november, You were given the same advice and the rules have'nt changed im afraid.

FBaby

I remember that post, where OP complained about not being able to claim benefits which they supposedly needed because they were struggling financially...despite the cars, regular holidays abroad etc...

harveybobbles

Move in with bf.
Sell Audi.
Or be thankful you both have pretty much brand new cars to use.

Poppie68

It begs the question why would the boyfriend get a BMW in the first place, why waste money on an upfront payment plus his monthly mobility payment on a car that he can't drive very often due to 'tiredness and pain'.