Car Insurance

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UnexpectedDiagnosis

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
First time i've had a renewal for car insurance after being diagnosed with T1... gone up around 80% from last year, yes insurance may be higher generally this year but I'm shocked it's nearly doubled.

Have people found that specialist insurers are better than generic ones?
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
First time i've had a renewal for car insurance after being diagnosed with T1... gone up around 80% from last year, yes insurance may be higher generally this year but I'm shocked it's nearly doubled.

Have people found that specialist insurers are better than generic ones?
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Your insurance shouldn’t have gone up because of the diabetes @UnexpectedDiagnosis Were you given any reason? Could it just be a general rise? I just use a regular insurance company and my premiums aren’t increased because of my Type 1. I’m pretty sure they’re not allowed to do blanket increases like that.
 
It may have nothing to do with T1 but prices are all 75% + higher than last year.... could just be that it's more expensive this year but I assumed it was because the perceived level of risk has increased hence a higher premium
 
I haven't renewed a policy with the same insurer for years now. I did stay with Direct Line for a good few years until they jumped on the bandwagon of obscene renewal quotes for absolutely no reason other than chancing their arm. I just use one of the comparison sites now via either Quidco or Topcashback.

When I renewed in December for the first time since notifying DVLA I was on insulin, I didn't find any increase due to that. I don't recall anything specific to diabetes on the forms, just if I had a condition that was notifiable to DVLA. Although I did read recently that rates had risen massively. ONS reported 43% to June this year.
 
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UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
It may have nothing to do with T1 but prices are all 75% + higher than last year.... could just be that it's more expensive this year but I assumed it was because the perceived level of risk has increased hence a higher premium
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What you could do is fill out a 'dummy' online request for a quote, leaving out your diabetes, and see if it comes out lower.
I'm sure when I took out my latest car insurance there wasn’t even space on the form to add diabetes, I rang them up and told them afterwards, and they said it didn’t make any difference to the premium.
 
Robin said:
What you could do is fill out a 'dummy' online request for a quote, leaving out your diabetes, and see if it comes out lower.
I'm sure when I took out my latest car insurance there wasn’t even space on the form to add diabetes, I rang them up and told them afterwards, and they said it didn’t make any difference to the premium.
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Good idea... probably just "inflation" but oooof what a jump!!
 
I’m pretty sure it counts as discrimination if they raise the premium simply because someone has diabetes. There was a report about it many years ago - hence my lack of memory - and I’m sure that was what they said. The last time I got a quote by phone, I mentioned the diabetes at the end and it didn’t change the amount I was quoted.
 
Inka said:
I’m pretty sure it counts as discrimination if they raise the premium simply because someone has diabetes. There was a report about it many years ago - hence my lack of memory - and I’m sure that was what they said. The last time I got a quote by phone, I mentioned the diabetes at the end and it didn’t change the amount I was quoted.
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I wouldn't see it as discrimination but increased risk, it's probably just a natural increase but the amount in % terms is quite alot.

Blooming inflation
 
Just out of curiosity I ran a quote through Go Compare, who I used in December. I paid £250 then but the cheapest today from an insurer I've actually heard of is £700! o_O

No difference with or without a notifiable condition though.
 
Whenever I’ve sought quotes I’ve never had to declare diabetes specifically - only that I have a 3 yr restricted licence. My renewal quote from my present insurer was considerably up on last year so as always I visited the meerkat site for some comparisons- all of which turned out to be even higher!
 
UnexpectedDiagnosis said:
I wouldn't see it as discrimination but increased risk, it's probably just a natural increase but the amount in % terms is quite alot.

Blooming inflation
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A blanket rise for every person with diabetes most definitely would be discrimination. If individuals with diabetes have additional risks eg other medical issues or diabetic complications that affect their driving, that’s a separate matter (as it would be for drivers without diabetes who had additional risks). But just having diabetes doesn’t allow them to increase your premium.
 
General rise it is then....
 
I've just had my ins premium quote come through the post and it's £10 cheaper than last year. Nearly fell off my chair in shock.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
I've just had my ins premium quote come through the post and it's £10 cheaper than last year. Nearly fell off my chair in shock.
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Mine was similar to yours when i renewed it in February. Though it was around £10 dearer not cheaper. I always shop around on comparison sites and the cheapest one i could find was around the same as i had been quoted from the previous insurer so i stayed with them.
 
My renewal said there was a £40 cancellation fee so even though it had gone up I didn't feel it was worth the bother of shopping around, a bit lazy I know and probably what they rely on.
 
I think that they should not be discriminating on the basis of T1. Looks like the usual tactic of charging as much as possible. Id suggest to investigate Go Compare/other comparison websites
 
berryr99 said:
I think that they should not be discriminating on the basis of T1. Looks like the usual tactic of charging as much as possible. Id suggest to investigate Go Compare/other comparison websites
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There is no discrimination, it's illegal for ins firms to discriminate due to disability. I have to declare my diabetes and MS and can honestly say the premium didn't alter one bit.
Some of the increases are due to the make and model of some cars because of the conflict Russia is causing, parts are so much more expensive and in some cases very difficult to get.
 
Only ever declare that I have 3 year restricted licence, they never did ask why in phone calls or when applying online.

Own premium is same as my siblings so certainly don't get discriminated for having restricted licence.
 
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