Car Insurance with 5 year restriction ?

Sorry if I’m doing this wrong, I have never posted on here before…

So I have had MS since I was 17 so have always had a restricted license, until now it’s always been 3 years restricted. I recently had it reviewed and it is now 5 years restricted.

I’m now coming up to renewal and I cannot for the life of me find an insurer who will give me a quote for a 5 year restricted license! The max they give you an option for is 3 years… so I’m not sure what to put. Should I just put 3 years? As that’s the longest option?

I had to read my letter from the DVLA over again as it made me think I had misread it! But nope. 5 years! I wonder why insurance companies don’t give you that option frown

I really don’t want to phone up as I have anxiety but looks like I’m not going to have a choice :frowning: unless anyone knows any insurance companies that give you the 5 year option online?

thank you in advance !

Interesting. I guess everyone has a restriction to their licence these days that they must now be retested at 70 and every three years thereafter, however, that doesn’t mean they don’t hold a full licence in the meantime. Could you not just carry on with your current insurer? assume you renew every year anyway so why would it matter if you said it was 3 year rather than 5, I cannot see how this could logically be a material deception as long as you declare your health condition?

1 Like

Thanks for you reply!

My current one only has the option of no medical license or 1, 2 or 3 year medical restricted. I don’t know if having a shorter time period increases your premiums or not.

But either way, if I put 3 year even though my license is now 5, would that mean I’m knowingly giving them incorrect information, thereby invalidating my policy?

So confusing. I guess they wouldn’t make it a requirement to ask if they didn’t want/need to know …

I’m glad the dvla have read what my consultant has said about my condition and upped the period I need before a review from 3 to 5 years… but at the same time I wish they didn’t, as it’s made it confusing for me haha

Hiya, I’ve recently renewed my car insurance and, as I do every year, reminded them that I have MS and DVLA are aware. As always, they said that as long as DVLA are aware they aren’t interested. Shall repeat the conversation next year!

Tippy x

The DVLA had to change it’s length of licence due to EU rules and regs. So for the last year or two longer licences have been issued. I’m not sure that the ins company care two hoots how long the licence is valid for as long as DVLA know you have certain medical conditions and thus the licence is legal and above board. If it were me so you have peace of mind give the ins company a ring and tell them it’s 5 years not 3 then you know you are covered.

I’ve just been put on a 3 year medical licence and when I informed my insurance company it was just a simple case of ticking a box next to which licence I had been granted , no penalty or questions, just had to let them know.

I cant recall a 5 year licence being an option though, I’m sure it was 1, 2 or 3 years or no licence granted ?

Most insurance companies vary slightly though when filling in the proposal form, some might offer an option of 5 year medical licence where others only go up to 3 years.

It’s the same with NCB (no claims bonus), some give a max of 9 years, but others up to 15 years.

I agree with Horsemad, as long as the DVLA have issued you a licence the insurance company dont care, as all the legal stuff is on the DVLA for issuing the licence.

I also read somewhere that the insurance companies cannot increase premiums as that would discriminate against disabled people.

When did this rule that 70 year olds need to retest come into force ?

My father is 82, still driving and has never sat a retest.

He has had to renew his licence a few years ago as it expired, but no retest, just sent the old one back and a new one was issued.

I believe the rule is that from 70 on you must renew your licence every 3 years but no re-test is involved.

Just an added thought for those with a normal unrestricted licence, do you realise that you do actually have to renew your licence every 10 years? This is due to the photo needing to be renewed. Personally I think unless you have a disability which needs monitoring then 10 years is a good idea as it then requires people to fill in forms again and declare their fitness to drive.

Agree Jactac - unless the rules have changed recently. My Mum voluntarily handed her driving licence back when she was in her early 80s as she felt the traffic had got too busy for her. Up until then her GP had to send a Yes or No to the DVLA. No test was required (in fact she never took a test in her life as she started driving during WW2!)

Tippy x

Looks like the insurers haven’t kept up with DVLA’s change from 3 to 5 years. Having had company cars for 20 years I’ve just bought my own car and found the same issue with the 3 year restriction thing. I would just select this. Most insurers don’t seem concerned anyway

I wish the DVLA would do some version of the medical questionnaire for the over 80s at least. I know someone aged 89 still driving round town but a bit too nervous to drive the 5 or so miles from her house to ours. (And another of 85 who has no problems driving 50 miles and I don’t have a qualm about her ability.)

My husband had to physically take the car keys away from his father with dementia at the age of about 82. He would have continued to drive even though he often forgot where he lived.

It’s not about age, it’s about ability. Just as with us (and other disabled), it’s not about diagnosis, it’s about capability.

Sue

Thanks for correcting that misunderstanding Jactac

Thanks for all the replies guys! Mines literally just a medical license due to MS, I’m 25 so it’s deffo not due to age! Haha I can’t do comparison websites as 5 years isn’t an option… sigh & my current car insurance renewal is through the roof! At almost a grand, it’s almost as expensive as the year I passed Even though I’ve never claimed! But hey ho that’s another rant for another day! I really don’t want to select 3 years as even though it’s classed as discriminate, the prices for me do change on how many years restricted you are! (I had a look the other day) so if I can get it cheaper for 5, that’s deffo what I want to do! So I’m just going to ring around tomorrow. Fingers crossed I can get a decent one! First year of being 25 AND a longer restriction. Hope the odds are in my favour!