Car Insurance Article Discussion

i.wong

Just had my sons car insurance cancelled by Hastings Direct which is underwritten by Advantage Insurance Company Ltd in Gibraltar. Y ? All because he moved back home from Uni and informed the insurers of this and was told that they were terminating his policy as they do not allow him to change his Policy address. They said that he can buy a new Policy off of them even though he has got 3 months left on the original. Surely that is nonense and unenforceable. Does anyone know where we Stand????

chadarooney

I am hoping that someone out there can help me. I have been diagnosed as being Bipolar. I have informed the DVLA and they have issued me with a 3 year restricted driving licence. I have now informed my car insurance firm and the cost has doubled!! Does anyone out there know of a firm that can offer people with mental health difficulties reasonable car insurance. I'm sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place, I have never used this site before.

raskazz

chadarooney wrote: »

I am hoping that someone out there can help me. I have been diagnosed as being Bipolar. I have informed the DVLA and they have issued me with a 3 year restricted driving licence. I have now informed my car insurance firm and the cost has doubled!! Does anyone out there know of a firm that can offer people with mental health difficulties reasonable car insurance. I'm sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place, I have never used this site before.

Who is your insurer?

raskazz

i.wong wrote: »

Just had my sons car insurance cancelled by Hastings Direct which is underwritten by Advantage Insurance Company Ltd in Gibraltar. Y ? All because he moved back home from Uni and informed the insurers of this and was told that they were terminating his policy as they do not allow him to change his Policy address. They said that he can buy a new Policy off of them even though he has got 3 months left on the original. Surely that is nonense and unenforceable. Does anyone know where we Stand????

Why would it be unenforceable for insurers to choose which areas to accept risks in?

luci

I didn't realise you had to inform the DVLA if you were bi-polar or that your licence could be restricted.

I know someone who is bi-polar and I doubt that they have informed the DVLA.

Quentin

Now you know - but why would the patient tell you whether or not they have complied and informed dvla. With respect is it anything to do with you?

dacouch

chadarooney wrote: »

I am hoping that someone out there can help me. I have been diagnosed as being Bipolar. I have informed the DVLA and they have issued me with a 3 year restricted driving licence. I have now informed my car insurance firm and the cost has doubled!! Does anyone out there know of a firm that can offer people with mental health difficulties reasonable car insurance. I'm sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place, I have never used this site before.

Try Fortis who are usually good on medical conditions, alternatively try any of the Bi Polar support groups / websites as they may be aware of an Insurer who is sympathetic to Bi Polar

chadarooney

I was told when I was initially diagnosed that I must inform the DVLA, your licence can be restricted for 1, 2 or 3 years or withdrawn completely, depending on the severity of your condition. If you do not inform your car insurance company then your insurance will be void. My insurance company was M & S car insurers. Thank you all for your advice, I will try the bipolar websites and Fortis.

dacouch

You may need to use a local broker to get a quote from Fortis, avoid using Swintons though

raskazz

chadarooney wrote: »

I was told when I was initially diagnosed that I must inform the DVLA, your licence can be restricted for 1, 2 or 3 years or withdrawn completely, depending on the severity of your condition. If you do not inform your car insurance company then your insurance will be void. My insurance company was M & S car insurers. Thank you all for your advice, I will try the bipolar websites and Fortis.

The Disability Discrimination Act allows insurers to differentiate between those with disabilities and those without, but only on the grounds on a difference in risk. Thus it requires that in order to load a premium on the grounds of disability (including mental conditions such as your own) the insurer must be able to prove that the disability influences the risk by using accurate and relevant information and evidence.

It would absolutely amaze me if the insurer could provide evidence to the standard required by the Act - I strongly suspect that their pool of risks with bipolar disorder will not be of a sufficient size to extrapolate any statistically significant results from it (they cannot just group all mental conditions together to draw their conclusions). On that basis you should write to M&S to query on what grounds they are increasing your premium. Make them aware that if they do not provide the required evidence you will refer them to the Equality and Human Rights Commission.