Car insurance and Type 1

[noblehead]

Looks like The A-Teams van @Jaylee

Regards to declaring you have a 3 year restricted licence, I've noticed sometimes when you get a quote on-line they don't even ask why the licence is a restricted.

 

[Jaylee]

Looks like The A-Teams van @Jaylee

Regards to declaring you have a 3 year restricted licence, I've noticed sometimes when you get a quote on-line they don't even ask why the licence is a restricted.

I get that a lot..

A number of years ago (18?) I was almost tempted by an "A Team van" on a garage forcourt. (Late 70s/early 80s GMC Vandora?) this one was more "understated" in metallic dark green & a wood veneered interior? The insurance would have been silly with the left hand drive. Not to mention the high running cost of the big tires on the massive rims & the gas gusling engine..
I've pretty much always driven "commercials" in the past due to the practicality..

I've never bothered with "online" insurance.. Preferred dealing by phone?
The 3 year licence is the max they can give.. I feel the insurance would be more concerned with the stability of the drivers health on anything less than 3??
They seem more focused about endorsements/convictions (or impending.) these days, I've noticed..

To be honest? Employers & agencies don't seem that fussed taking me on in a drivers role either..
I point out the insulin controlled D. & they apear "non plussed".
All they wanna know is a background check on a clean licence!

 

[qe5rt]

Never realized that it's a 3 years restricted license in the UK. In Belgium it's 5 years and i only need a paper from my Endocrinologist and a yearly eye test to extend it. There's even a small plus since i have diabetes i didn't have to pay for my new license (went from paper license to license with a chip in it like a credit card) while the rest does. My wife heard from a Austrian colleague that it's a much bigger fuzz to extend your license in Austria.

The insurance on my loan was funny in the sense that it asked something down the line of: "Do you consistently take any form of medication (unless hormonal)" Pretty sure they were talking about birth control but since insulin is a hormone ...

 

[marktype1]

@victoria21 You should go with Direct Line. They do not discriminate people with illnesses, I was not even asked if I had an illness or a restricted license. I tried all types of price comparison sites and they all came up with medical conditions and when I did the same quote without my Diabetes, it came up a few hundred pounds cheaper. Direct Line was not only cheaper in general, but did not hike up my price because I have a medical condition!

 

[Nidge247]

I've not encountered any car insurance issues with my 3 year restricted licence. As previously said, there was no increase mid-term when I informed them, and no increase at renewal. I'm also a 2nd driver for my daughters insurance, and she wasn't penalised for it either.

 

[victoria21]

Thanks for all the advice and personal experiences!
Decided to name and shame, the insurers are Dial Direct, who have been good to be fair with trying to get answers but ultimately it's the underwriters, Covea who enforced the increase and state that the reason for said increase is due to IF the car is modified, they have to cover the additional repairs if there is an accident??
The car isn't modified, I have had type 1 for 12 years, I've never had my licence questioned or revoked at renewal, don't have any issues that warrant amputations or modifications.
I quoted the Equality Act and was told 'nothing to do with type 1, it's purely if the car is modified', advised it is blatant discrimination as they are penalising people on the basis that SOME restricted licences relate to cars needing to be modified!

So... I have spoken to EASS and am now lodging a formal complaint.
Not one usually to make a fuss but it annoys me that I only discovered this due to an error in my paperwork requiring an amendment, so how many other people have been charged extra unknowingly!

I have now changed over to another insurer who have not charged any additional premium who the unfortunate 'pleasure' of having Type 1

 

[azure]

Thanks for the update @victoria21

I've never heard anything like that before - it sounds utterly ridiculous! It may even be indirect discrimination.

Well done on making a formal complaint! Please let us know how it goes.

Good luck!