Did you realise that if you have certain health conditions you must tell your local driving authority such as the DVLA in the UK, and you may need to declare it when applying for car insurance, otherwise it could invalidate your policy?
Not only that, but it could even lead to prosecution if you fail to tell the DVLA or your local driving authority about any notifiable medical conditions. It’s pretty serious stuff and to make sure you comply with the law, below we’ll explore the reasons why it is so important not to lie about your medical conditions when applying for car insurance.
Read on to find out why you need to inform your local driving authority or car insurance company of a notifiable medical condition.
Properly disclosing any notifiable medical conditions will ensure your safety and others
In some countries, the law requires that people driving cars should declare any notifiable medical condition on their car insurance.
You might be wondering what this has to do with car insurance, but the answer is quite simple. These notifiable medical conditions are crucial because they can impact your driving ability. If you have a notifiable medical condition, then you are more likely to have an accident. This is not just about driver safety but also about public safety.
It is important for people to disclose notifiable medical conditions when they are applying for any type of driving licence or car insurance because this will ensure that they are safe and the people around them are safe.
It may be that the medical condition will prevent you from driving as it’s simply too risky. Other conditions may require the car to have adaptations to ensure you drive safely, or you may be required to have medical reviews or regular doctor approvals.
What are the types of notifiable medical conditions for car insurance?
There are many health conditions, so which ones do you have to report to the driving authority and/or your car insurance?
Likely you will be presented with a list of notifiable medical conditions when taking out your car insurance. However, if you have a medical condition and you’re not sure whether to report it then simply ask. It’s better to simply ask than to be inadequately insured should an accident happen.
Notifiable medical conditions which may affect your premium and driver risk include diabetes, sleep apnoea, heart conditions, fainting spells, epilepsy, strokes and glaucoma.
You will also need to make them aware of any physical impairments or eyesight deterioration.
You should have an eyesight test when taking your driving test to ensure you can read a number plate from a safe distance. If you can’t then you will need to declare this to the DVLA and always wear your glasses or contact lenses when driving.
In the UK you can check which health conditions need reporting on the official government website. There are around 200 health conditions that require reporting.
Basically, if your condition could affect your driving at any point or in any way, then it’s very likely you will need to report it. Check with your own country or state’s driving authority to see what you need to report and how.
If you don’t disclose your health conditions you may invalidate your car insurance
If you don’t declare medical conditions to the correct driving authority or where asked on your insurance application form, it may result in any claim being rejected or even your entire insurance policy being invalidated.
It could also lead to your car insurance being refused or cancelled, proving difficult to find car insurance going forward as you may need to declare you have previously had car insurance cancelled.
Simply having car insurance in place isn’t enough if you haven’t disclosed any notifiable medical conditions properly. In the UK you require at least third party car insurance and in most states, in the US, you require PLPD insurance as a minimum (see what is PLPD insurance? for more information). But simply getting these insurances is not good enough if you haven’t disclosed any medical conditions that are notifiable or that could impact your driving. This is especially true if the medical condition is the cause of the accident.
Failing to disclose your medical conditions could leave you seriously out of pocket
In the UK if you fail to properly disclose a medical condition to the DVLA you could land a large fine.
By invalidating your insurance, you could also be left seriously out of pocket. If you cause an accident, your insurance company could refuse to pay out which would leave all the legal costs and compensation down to you personally.
If you have injured yourself then you may also be out of pocket without sufficient insurance.
Even if you have disclosed your medical conditions correctly, it’s worth noting that many insurers might not payout for your own injuries if a car accident is your fault, therefore you may need medical payments car insurance as a separate cover or look into adding personal injury cover as a feature to your existing car insurance policy.
Conclusion
If you have a notifiable medical condition, you must tell your local driving authority and/or your car insurance company about it. It’s important to declare any illness or condition that may affect your driving ability or the risk of injury to others in an accident.
Yes, you may have to pay a higher car insurance premium, but you’d be foolish to not disclose or lie to the relevant authorities about any existing medical conditions that could affect your ability to drive.
Ultimately, it’s about your safety and those around you. Car accidents can be costly if you are not adequately insured, and, at the very worst, if your medical condition causes a crash and you should never have been driving, they can be fatal.
Helpful post as not everyone thinks about this!
I think it would be a good idea for the DVLA to require drivers to undergo a sight test every few years as peoples eyesight changes as they get older
Yes that’s a good idea!