Car Insurance Threatening to cancel my insurance for fitness to drive

Hi everyone I need your help please?

I have a mental health condition (Psychotic depression & I am taking medication for it) and DVLA have asked for information from my psychiatrist for fitness to drive - this has been on hold until January as I cant be seen by MH team until then. I informed my insurance and they have apparently sent me a letter asking for more information last week (which i didn't receive)- I received a text on Sunday stating that my insurance may be cancelled if i don't get in touch - I called but they were closed - then i received an email yesterday late afternoon and called to be told the underwriters are closed.

I called back today and I've been told i have 24hrs to get a letter from my GP - I've told them that noone has said i'm NOT fit to work? and i'm not sure if my GP can do this as its down to the MH team? The underwriters will not extend this until Jan!

Where do I stand with this? Can they cancel my insurance? - I cant afford to get another policy until next payday 12th dec? i could potentially lose my job if they cancel my policy as i cant work AND i haven't told my employer about my MH condition as I am trying my best to carry on!

Any help would be much appreciated :(
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  • Hi everyone I need your help please?

    I have a mental health condition (Psychotic depression & I am taking medication for it) and DVLA have asked for information from my psychiatrist for fitness to drive - this has been on hold until January as I cant be seen by MH team until then. I informed my insurance and they have apparently sent me a letter asking for more information last week (which i didn't receive)- I received a text on Sunday stating that my insurance may be cancelled if i don't get in touch - I called but they were closed - then i received an email yesterday late afternoon and called to be told the underwriters are closed.

    I called back today and I've been told i have 24hrs to get a letter from my GP - I've told them that noone has said i'm NOT fit to work? and i'm not sure if my GP can do this as its down to the MH team? The underwriters will not extend this until Jan!

    Where do I stand with this? Can they cancel my insurance? - I cant afford to get another policy until next payday 12th dec? i could potentially lose my job if they cancel my policy as i cant work AND i haven't told my employer about my MH condition as I am trying my best to carry on!

    Any help would be much appreciated :(
    Yes they can cancel the insurance and you can go to the ombudsman
    The first step is to ask your GP to provide the information.
    If they refuse then you can go and try to see the MH team on an emergency basis
    With respect the underwriters did not ask you to speculate as to whether the GP will or won't produce the information required and they could interpret this as trying to hide the truth
    Good luck anyway and I hope you get a positive outcome
  • csgohan4
    csgohan4 Posts: 10,587
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    Your GP will unlikely be able to comment on your fitness to drive and only provide them with your recent MH letters.

    However seems the Mh team will need a specific letter regarding fitness to drive which is not something they may be able to do, they are psychiatrists so can only comment on your MH, they are not driving examiners.
    "It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"

    G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP
  • Thank you both - the DVLA have asked for my MH team to write a letter and on the back of that they will decide whether I need to go for a review / consultation? but the underwriters are not waiting for that and are pushing for the Dr to write a letter - As you said I'm not sure what the Dr can write about other than what my medication is (which I've already told them?)

    Thanks
  • Mistral001
    Mistral001 Posts: 5,346
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    The insurance company is quite correct. The letter should come from your GP. You are under their care unless you have been admitted and presently still in hospital (mental hospital or regular hospital).
  • I managed to speak to my psychiatrist's receptionist and they said he isn't in today but will get him to email me it tomorrow - i have contacted onecall and XS Direct have refused to extend the time period! & will cancel tonight at 23:59!

    I will therefore lose my job as i cannot afford to pay another premium this month and i don't get paid till 12th dec!

    After trying so hard to fight my mental health issues to get to work every day its not fair that because I informed the insurance about the dvla they cancel my policy & I now have an apt with HR this afternoon to tell them and lose my job as i need to drive for my job!

    Unbelievable! whether they are legally allowed to do this i think its MASSIVELY unfair to me surely there is leeway for extenuating circumstances?

    WOW Speechless!:cry::cry::cry:
  • Jumblebumble
    Jumblebumble Posts: 1,800
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    edited 21 November 2019 at 10:41AM
    I managed to speak to my psychiatrist's receptionist and they said he isn't in today but will get him to email me it tomorrow - i have contacted onecall and XS Direct have refused to extend the time period! & will cancel tonight at 23:59!

    I will therefore lose my job as i cannot afford to pay another premium this month and i don't get paid till 12th dec!

    After trying so hard to fight my mental health issues to get to work every day its not fair that because I informed the insurance about the dvla they cancel my policy & I now have an apt with HR this afternoon to tell them and lose my job as i need to drive for my job!

    Unbelievable! whether they are legally allowed to do this i think its MASSIVELY unfair to me surely there is leeway for extenuating circumstances?

    WOW Speechless!:cry::cry::cry:
    I am sorry to hear this and I do know what you are going through as a relative has had similar issues
    My understanding is that you still did not ask your GP as the underwriters requested?
    Has occurred to you that if you told the underwriters that you had actually asked the GP and they had refused or said that they need the MH team to confirm to them that the underwriters would be more sympathetic to waiting for the MH team?
    By refusing their perfectly reasonable request you have probably damaged any claim to the ombudsman
    What would you do now if you were the underwriters and suspected that someone may be concealing the truth?
    If however you have contacted your GP and they have refused to help then I have misunderstood and all I have said is irrelevant
  • Jumblebumble
    Jumblebumble Posts: 1,800
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    edited 21 November 2019 at 10:38AM
    Mistral001 wrote: »
    The insurance company is quite correct. The letter should come from your GP. You are under their care unless you have been admitted and presently still in hospital (mental hospital or regular hospital).
    If course the underwriters are likely to be correct
    I expect they are dealing with this kind of situation day in and day out whereas the speculators on here have simply guessed who needs to confirm fitness to drive which is not at all helpful if the OP chooses to believe them.
  • csgohan4
    csgohan4 Posts: 10,587
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    If course the underwriters are likely to be correct
    I expect they are dealing with this kind of situation day in and day out whereas the speculators on here have simply guessed who needs to confirm fitness to drive which is not at all helpful if the OP chooses to believe them.


    I disagree strongly, my friend who is a GP does these reports all the time, and when asked by the DVLA if the patient is fit to drive, they usually put, 'unable to comment' and quite rightly so. If pt crashes, who do you think is to blame?

    GP's/ Psychiatrists are not driving examiners and put simply, the DVLA is trying to put the risk onto them. When actually they should be the one to make the decision as they are after all the DVLA.

    Yes the OP could get a GP letter, but no reasonable GP would make a comment on driving and will simply state facts and give copy of recent letters.
    "It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"

    G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP
  • Mistral001
    Mistral001 Posts: 5,346
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    I managed to speak to my psychiatrist's receptionist and they said he isn't in today but will get him to email me it tomorrow - i have contacted onecall and XS Direct have refused to extend the time period! & will cancel tonight at 23:59!

    I will therefore lose my job as i cannot afford to pay another premium this month and i don't get paid till 12th dec!

    After trying so hard to fight my mental health issues to get to work every day its not fair that because I informed the insurance about the dvla they cancel my policy & I now have an apt with HR this afternoon to tell them and lose my job as i need to drive for my job!

    Unbelievable! whether they are legally allowed to do this i think its MASSIVELY unfair to me surely there is leeway for extenuating circumstances?

    WOW Speechless!:cry::cry::cry:

    You have done a lot of things correctly. Deal with one situation at a time. To maintain your insurance you have to get a letter from your GP. That should be your focus with regard to your insurance continuing.

    The insurance company, DVLA and your employer are separate entities. Deal with them separately and focus on each separately.
  • Weighty1
    Weighty1 Posts: 1,170
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    csgohan4 wrote: »
    I disagree strongly, my friend who is a GP does these reports all the time, and when asked by the DVLA if the patient is fit to drive, they usually put, 'unable to comment' and quite rightly so. If pt crashes, who do you think is to blame?

    GP's/ Psychiatrists are not driving examiners and put simply, the DVLA is trying to put the risk onto them. When actually they should be the one to make the decision as they are after all the DVLA.

    Yes the OP could get a GP letter, but no reasonable GP would make a comment on driving and will simply state facts and give copy of recent letters.

    I'm surprised at this as I'm T1 diabetic and each 3-years need to get confirmation that I'm fit to drive and it's done without any issues. Surely the GP is commenting that the OP's MH condition does not prevent then from driving and not that they are simply not up to a standard of driving deemed as safe?
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