hello all… sorry if this is a long one, just after some advice… I was diagnosed in 2010. Well, i say diagnosed, but they have never actually said ‘this is your diagnosis’. they have said… the tests seem to suggest MS (demylination on MRI, o bands in LP), and ‘if you want to tell people what’s wring with you, you can say you have MS’. I have an MS nurse, and I see the consultant at the MS centre, a registrar who I saw earlier this year for optic neuritis was saying ‘… with your MS…’ and called it an ‘MS relapse’… I haven’t been told to inform the DVLA. Should I? I think i already know the answer to that… but what are the implications? does it affect your insurance? is it a ball ache of paperwork? Can i get away with not informing them? i do know when i am not fit to drive, with eyesight problems for example, so i get the bus or walk. any advice? K xx PS… when I was first having tests and first started using these boards there was a lady called karen, i’m pretty sure that was her name, and her avtar was a candy cane. she was on here all the time always replying and offering helpful advice…
Hi MS legally has to be disclosed and since everything points to it and the specialists are referring to it, I would cover you backside and notify them. The norm is to be issued with a three year licence (renewable). It DOES NOT affect insurance premiums (although you have to tell them otherwise they could void the insurance). It’s a fairly simple form, available from the DVLA, with dates and details of the illness and symptoms. It’s a bit of a faff, but once it’s done, it’s done. The bulk of it is them getting info from doctors and consultants, which you’re not involved with. X
PS with eyesight problems (which can cause problems with a licence), I would explain how you dealt with it. In my case I stated, “period of double vision/blurred vision August-December 2011, corrected temporarily with prism lenses and now recovered in full”. My consultant was always happy for me to drive.
[quote=“Choccyholic”] Hi MS legally has to be disclosed and since everything points to it and the specialists are referring to it, I would cover you backside and notify them. The norm is to be issued with a three year licence (renewable). It DOES NOT affect insurance premiums (although you have to tell them otherwise they could void the insurance). It’s a fairly simple form, available from the DVLA, with dates and details of the illness and symptoms. It’s a bit of a faff, but once it’s done, it’s done. The bulk of it is them getting info from doctors and consultants, which you’re not involved with. X [/quote] There was quite a strong discussion recently about whether or not Insuarance Companies have to be told if you have m.s. With my Insurance Company I asked if they wanted to know about any medical issues and they said no - so long as the DVLA said you were fit to drive my Insurance Company was happy
thank you both. i’ll just do it I think. I seem to remember on getting insurance quotes it said ‘any Medical conditions reportable to the dvla’ or something like that. thanks again for the replies. its been that nagging feeling at the back of mind for ages. x
I think that’s the best thing to put your mind at rest. My insurance company definitely asked whether I had a medical issue restricting my licence. The drop down box just allowed me to state “DVLA informed - 3 year licence” or something similar. I guess every insurer is different, but I would always cover myself as the small print will say that if you don’t notify them of a ‘material fact’, they could void the insurance completely. I imagine there’s some (not all) insurance companies who would use any possible excuse not to pay out a claim and ‘material fact’ could have many definitions!
I think that’s the best thing to put your mind at rest. My insurance company definitely asked whether I had a medical issue restricting my licence. The drop down box just allowed me to state “DVLA informed - 3 year licence” or something similar. I guess every insurer is different, but I would always cover myself as the small print will say that if you don’t notify them of a ‘material fact’, they could void the insurance completely. I imagine there’s some (not all) insurance companies who would use any possible excuse not to pay out a claim and ‘material fact’ could have many definitions!
I think this is very good advice.
Alison
…Short ‘n’ sweet (… but enough about me )
I was told on diagnosis (…several years ago) that I should inorm the DVLA as soon as possible. It would then be up to them how they wished to proceed. I’d have met my ‘obligation’ by telling them!!
Dom
I wasn’t told outright that I had MS either. So I asked my neuro if I should tell DVLA that I had MS as I’d read that you should. The reply was, “it would keep every thing above board”. (That was a year ago.)
If I were you, I’d ask your neuro. Call their secretary? On the DVLA form you could put date of DX as when the neuro tells you that you should tell DVLA.
Telling your insurance is part of the requirement of full disclosure in your agreement (contract) with them. They are not allowed to put premiums up and as long as you’ve told the DVLA they are happy.
thanks again everyone. I’ve printed the for and i’m going to take it to my annual neuro appt which is coming up. so i’ll discuss it with him then. what you say about the insurance is a relief, i think that was my main worry. xxxxx