Motability insurance issue

JeanyG · 25 April at 9:54AM

My husband has a motability car for the past 15 years.
We've had this one for 2years.
My husband backed into another car at a carpark recently.
We reported this to motability insurance Direct Line and they informed us he wasn't on the insurance policy.
I'm the designated extra driver. Always have been and do most of the driving.
We were shocked to realise he'd been occasionally driving for 2 years without insurance.
Sometimes with our son and grandson in the car.
We've never had a problem before, they'd always insured both of us.
We've now been told we should have checked our policy when picking up the new car.
This is our 4th car and never had to worry before or check as motability have always sorted this out.
I can't understand why my husband wasn't put on the policy this time! Nothing has changed in our circumstances.
They are now saying we will have to pay for the damages to the other vehicle.
What I am really annoyed about is if we'd have had a serious accident with our family in the car and not been insured it would have been a catastrophe.
Any idea what we can do please 🙏

TheSpectator · 25 April at 9:57AM

JeanyG said:

My husband has a motability car for the past 15 years.
We've had this one for 2years.
My husband backed into another car at a carpark recently.
We reported this to motability insurance Direct Line and they informed us he wasn't on the insurance policy.
I'm the designated extra driver. Always have been and do most of the driving.
We were shocked to realise he'd been occasionally driving for 2 years without insurance.
Sometimes with our son and grandson in the car.
We've never had a problem before, they'd always insured both of us.
We've now been told we should have checked our policy when picking up the new car.
This is our 4th car and never had to worry before or check as motability have always sorted this out.
I can't understand why my husband wasn't put on the policy this time! Nothing has changed in our circumstances.
They are now saying we will have to pay for the damages to the other vehicle.
What I am really annoyed about is if we'd have had a serious accident with our family in the car and not been insured it would have been a catastrophe.
Any idea what we can do please 🙏

Who's name is the policy in?

Ultimately it's your responsibility to ensure all drivers are covered. Renewal documents should clearly show who is covered to drive.

DullGreyGuy · 25 April at 10:02AM

JeanyG said:

My husband has a motability car for the past 15 years.
We've had this one for 2years.
My husband backed into another car at a carpark recently.
We reported this to motability insurance Direct Line and they informed us he wasn't on the insurance policy.
I'm the designated extra driver. Always have been and do most of the driving.
We were shocked to realise he'd been occasionally driving for 2 years without insurance.
Sometimes with our son and grandson in the car.
We've never had a problem before, they'd always insured both of us.
We've now been told we should have checked our policy when picking up the new car.
This is our 4th car and never had to worry before or check as motability have always sorted this out.
I can't understand why my husband wasn't put on the policy this time! Nothing has changed in our circumstances.
They are now saying we will have to pay for the damages to the other vehicle.
What I am really annoyed about is if we'd have had a serious accident with our family in the car and not been insured it would have been a catastrophe.
Any idea what we can do please 🙏

Have you checked the policy documents? Does it name him?

Whilst I know the motability scheme conceptually I dont know the practicalities of how it works in terms of ordering a new vehicle, how the insurance is setup on it etc. Is it a new policy with a new car? Do they transfer the old contract to the new car? Do you deal with the insurance or does the scheme?

JeanyG · 25 April at 11:54AM

DullGreyGuy said:

JeanyG said:

My husband has a motability car for the past 15 years.
We've had this one for 2years.
My husband backed into another car at a carpark recently.
We reported this to motability insurance Direct Line and they informed us he wasn't on the insurance policy.
I'm the designated extra driver. Always have been and do most of the driving.
We were shocked to realise he'd been occasionally driving for 2 years without insurance.
Sometimes with our son and grandson in the car.
We've never had a problem before, they'd always insured both of us.
We've now been told we should have checked our policy when picking up the new car.
This is our 4th car and never had to worry before or check as motability have always sorted this out.
I can't understand why my husband wasn't put on the policy this time! Nothing has changed in our circumstances.
They are now saying we will have to pay for the damages to the other vehicle.
What I am really annoyed about is if we'd have had a serious accident with our family in the car and not been insured it would have been a catastrophe.
Any idea what we can do please 🙏

Have you checked the policy documents? Does it name him?

Whilst I know the motability scheme conceptually I dont know the practicalities of how it works in terms of ordering a new vehicle, how the insurance is setup on it etc. Is it a new policy with a new car? Do they transfer the old contract to the new car? Do you deal with the insurance or does the scheme?

The scheme always provides the insurance and pays. We've never had to worry or check before. You'd think as no different from last time they'd just transfer.

DullGreyGuy · 25 April at 11:59AM

JeanyG said:

DullGreyGuy said:

JeanyG said:

My husband has a motability car for the past 15 years.
We've had this one for 2years.
My husband backed into another car at a carpark recently.
We reported this to motability insurance Direct Line and they informed us he wasn't on the insurance policy.
I'm the designated extra driver. Always have been and do most of the driving.
We were shocked to realise he'd been occasionally driving for 2 years without insurance.
Sometimes with our son and grandson in the car.
We've never had a problem before, they'd always insured both of us.
We've now been told we should have checked our policy when picking up the new car.
This is our 4th car and never had to worry before or check as motability have always sorted this out.
I can't understand why my husband wasn't put on the policy this time! Nothing has changed in our circumstances.
They are now saying we will have to pay for the damages to the other vehicle.
What I am really annoyed about is if we'd have had a serious accident with our family in the car and not been insured it would have been a catastrophe.
Any idea what we can do please 🙏

Have you checked the policy documents? Does it name him?

Whilst I know the motability scheme conceptually I dont know the practicalities of how it works in terms of ordering a new vehicle, how the insurance is setup on it etc. Is it a new policy with a new car? Do they transfer the old contract to the new car? Do you deal with the insurance or does the scheme?

The scheme always provides the insurance and pays. We've never had to worry or check before. You'd think as no different from last time they'd just transfer.

I know it comes with insurance and the scheme pays but clearly someone has to tell someone about who's to be insured to drive the vehicle etc and I dont know if you tell mobility and mobility tell DLG or if you tell DLG directly. Likewise when selecting the vehicle you are at that point asked who'll drive or if they just assume it will be the same until you tell them otherwise etc etc.

Without understanding the process flows it's impossible to say how/where it could go wrong or who may be responsible if it isnt you.