Please can you help me with car insurance worry?

zuliano

Hi

I will summarize the situation. My mum has dementia, but has a policy with a car insurance which she has had for a few years.

She was diagnosed with dementia quite a while ago, about a year last January, but the insurance is fully comprehensive which means I can drive it.

Having the car vital for basic needs like shopping, and taking mum to appointments, and exercise at a local park. That is all it is really used for now that she has agreed with her GP to stop driving, so I, as her carer depend on the car for this purpose.

The policy is due for renewal 1st February and I will be telling them that I want to be the policy holder now. Will this be alright or will I get told off for not informing them sooner about mum not driving, and only me driving?

It is over £840.39 which I hope to get very much reduced.

Do you think it will be alright? I am nervous to telephone them

Quentin

You don't need to mention this when taking out a new policy

Let the current policy lapse and take out a new one in your name.

If you are not the owner/registered keeper then make sure whoever you go with for insurance is aware of this. ( You may find it easier to get cover if you change the rk to yourself)

(Having comprehensive cover does not mean anyone is covered to drive - check the certificate to ensure you are covered)

Morph4610

Hi Zuliano, that a tough situation. When did she agree with the GP to stop driving? I guess that was your trigger point for a discussion with her insurer. Assuming that this was fairly recent I can't imagine your insurer being too unreasonable. Assuming the policy and no claims bonus are in her name currently then you will need to change the policy to your name. This means you'll need to have a conversation with the insurer about your driving experience as presumably you don't have another car/insurance policy. If your insurer can't help a good broker should be able to

Placitasgirl

Firstly you have my empathy - I'm in exactly the same situation with my dear Dad, who has Alzheimers and yesterday had to tell him he won't be driving again and remove his keys. Dementia and Alzheimers are cruel conditions and I wish you well on the journey ahead with your Mum.

I'm assuming that you're a named driver on your Mum's current policy? The fact that it is comprehensive alone doesn't mean that you are insured to drive, so do check this to be sure. Do you have authority or a Lasting Power of Attorney which enables you to deal with your mum's affairs? If so that will be a great help and should mean that the insurer will be happy to act on your instructions now and in the future.

With you Mum now having ceased driving you MUST inform her insurers that you are no longer the named driver, but the main/sole driver on the policy. You should already have done this, as you have a responsibility to advise them of any and all changes in the use of the vehicle or to the particulars of the policy, so do it now to make sure you're covered in the event of an accident. At the moment you're risking any claim being denied by not advising of this significant change.

You'll also need to advise the insurer of any change to the address where the vehicle is kept and any change to the estimated annual mileage. The policy will be reassessed on your details and not your Mum's and this may result in a change to the premium/excess etc depending on where the car will be kept, your occupation, claim history if any and NCD.

It's very important that you call them now, as putting it off means you could well be driving uninsured or would not be covered in the event of an accident. Tell them what's happened and I'm sure they'll be happy to help and ensure everything is updated and that you're fully insured to drive Mum's car.

Placitasgirl

Zuliano, please DO tell the insurer about the changes - that is absolutely essential. There are still 10 days to run on your mum's current policy and I'm not convinced you're insured to drive at present as you make no mention of being a "named driver", only that you believe the fact the policy is Comprehensive covers you.

I'm sure Quentin meant that if you are currently a named driver on the policy you wouldn't need to inform them, but you are now the sole/main driver, your mum is not, and that is how the policy was sold, so this is a significant change and must be reported to the insurer.

forgotmyname

As above just because its comprehensive insurance does not automatically entitle you to drive it.

Are you a named driver on her policy?

zuliano

Quentin wrote: »

You don't need to mention this when taking out a new policy

Let the current policy lapse and take out a new one in your name.

If you are not the owner/registered keeper then make sure whoever you go with for insurance is aware of this. ( You may find it easier to get cover if you change the rk to yourself)

(Having comprehensive cover does not mean anyone is covered to drive - check the certificate to ensure you are covered)

( You may find it easier to get cover if you change the rk to yourself)

How do I do this please?

zuliano

Placitasgirl wrote: »

Firstly you have my empathy - I'm in exactly the same situation with my dear Dad, who has Alzheimers and yesterday had to tell him he won't be driving again and remove his keys. Dementia and Alzheimers are cruel conditions and I wish you well on the journey ahead with your Mum.

I'm assuming that you're a named driver on your Mum's current policy? The fact that it is comprehensive alone doesn't mean that you are insured to drive, so do check this to be sure. Do you have authority or a Lasting Power of Attorney which enables you to deal with your mum's affairs? If so that will be a great help and should mean that the insurer will be happy to act on your instructions now and in the future.

With you Mum now having ceased driving you MUST inform her insurers that you are no longer the named driver, but the main/sole driver on the policy. You should already have done this, as you have a responsibility to advise them of any and all changes in the use of the vehicle or to the particulars of the policy, so do it now to make sure you're covered in the event of an accident. At the moment you're risking any claim being denied by not advising of this significant change.

You'll also need to advise the insurer of any change to the address where the vehicle is kept and any change to the estimated annual mileage. The policy will be reassessed on your details and not your Mum's and this may result in a change to the premium/excess etc depending on where the car will be kept, your occupation, claim history if any and NCD.

It's very important that you call them now, as putting it off means you could well be driving uninsured or would not be covered in the event of an accident. Tell them what's happened and I'm sure they'll be happy to help and ensure everything is updated and that you're fully insured to drive Mum's car.

Hi Placitasgirl,

I am very sorry to hear about your Dad also with a similar condition to my mum. it is THE most cruel disease, and to see someone you love deeply going through this is heartbreaking! On top of that I am trying to manage her affairs and mine and it is extremely hard going.

I have been DREADING having to deal with the car insurance, because it is so vital I have car access. I do shopping and mum relies on me to drive here to appointments etc, and for exercise to a local park.

I think I do have permission to talk for my mum. She is not that far gone she cannot verify I am speaking for her to whomever is on the phone, and that is usually find.

OK, please let me copy what it says on the policy. Though I do find all this confusing! I also have mental health issues on top of it. though I am sure this stuff is daunting for many people.

5. Persons or classes of persons, entitled to drive:

(then it has my mum's name and mine underneath it).
However it seems to stipulate I can drive it, but not

'to and from work'

That is alright, I think, because I just use it now for shopping and taking my mum where she needs to go. She is retired of course.

Quentin

zuliano wrote: »

How do I do this please?

Change over the rk by completing the change of keeper details on the V5C and send to dvla.

All explained in section 12 of the V5C

zuliano

Update: I was nervous when I went to phone mum's insurance this morning, but I got this really lovely friendly Geordie lady. She warned that IF I did get the car registered in my name, because I would personally have no no-claims bonus the premium would go sky high, so she suggested I just be put down as main user, with mum still owner, and premium was dropped several hundred pounds! :j

That worry at least is off my mind.

Thanks for all your help.

forgotmyname

Did you explain your mum can no longer drive and doesnt have a valid licence?