INSURANCE
TAKING COVER Getting insurance for your vehicle is important, but making sure you benefit from the quote you go for is just as vital any years ago, disabled drivers may have found it more difficult to get a good quote for their car insurance - or even a quote at all! - because insurance companies struggled to understand the concept of vehicle adaptations. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Not only is it a far less common occurrence, but under the Equality Act 2010, it’s illegal to both reject someone from getting car insurance, or to charge them more money, on the grounds of a disability, unless the insurer can prove that it’s a justified additional charge.
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There are lots of insurance companies out there for you to shop around and get quotes from, so remember not to feel obligated to go for the first one that gives you a quote, especially if you think it’s unreasonable. There’s also the option to go to comparison sites like Go Compare and others, where you can input all of your details and get an assortment of quotes from a vast array of insurance companies. Be aware that not all companies can be optioned in this manner - large insurers like Direct Line, and smallerscale firms who may be able to provide
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good, comprehensive insurance may not be on comparison sites. You also have the option to insure your vehicle through specialist insurers who exclusively cater to disabled clientele. This can have benefits which, when you weigh them up against a non-specialist insurer, may be a massive advantage to you. Insurance companies like Fish Insurance and Chartwell may provide you benefits that you wouldn’t see elsewhere. For example, Fish advertise that some of their key benefits include turning claim-free years on the Motability Scheme into a no-claims bonus with them, the cover of repair and replacement of adaptations, protections for mobility aids carried within vehicles, and car insurance for carers and personal assistants. Something important that you may want to take into consideration are the additional benefits that come with selecting a particular insurance company. Going with a specialist insurer may allow you to get additional insurance on wheelchairs, mobility scooters, or prosthesis at a lower cost, which may be beneficial. Of course, if you don’t require this, it might not be as
important to you; taking out your insurance with a company who cover a wide range of cover, for example, home or contents insurance, you may find yourself able to take out reasonably priced cover for your vehicle, as well as getting a cheaper quote for home insurance. You may also want to consider what type of courtesy car you will get when you take out insurance. Specialist insurers are more likely to offer a “like-for-like” scenario when you require a courtesy car, meaning the car you receive will have most or all of the adaptations you may require in order to get around. Some will offer credit towards the Motability Scheme in place of an adapted vehicle, should you find yourself unable to acquire one which has the adaptations you need. It’s also important to remember the benefits of being transparent and upfront about what you want. If you like the benefits of an insurer but you find their prices a bit steep, you’re within your rights to drop them a call and ask if that’s the best offer they can do for you. Often, you’ll find that polite and firm questioning of quotes can cause them to slide somewhat in favour of your wallet!
