Making Sure That You Are Listed As A Named Driver on Your Motability Vehicle

Sunshinerobin

Hello Everyone,

I am very new to this community but I would like to make you all aware of situation that happened to me a few months ago with regards to my adapted Motability car. I am highlighting this issue because I don't want what happened to me to happen to another disabled driver. Below is an extract from the letter of complaint that I recently sent to Motability as it clearly details the situation that I experienced: 

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

I would like to express my deep shock, concern, and anger at discovering last week that for months I have been driving around in my adapted car receiving driving lessons from my instructor from BSM Motability without any knowledge that I was not in fact listed as a named driver on my insurance policy, my mother is as my guarantor, but I was not.

It was only when I had a minor sideswipe with my parent’s woodshed and had to claim on my car’s insurance that I discovered the truth.

 

When my mother contacted the insurance arm of Motability she was informed that as my guarantor it was her responsibility to make sure that I was listed as a named driver on the insurance policy for my vehicle. My mother was unaware of this responsibility and felt that she was made to feel very guilty by Motability. During her conversation with Motability my mother stated that when an able-bodied driver takes out driving insurance on their car they are automatically listed as a named driver on the policy and as a result she naturally assumed that, as my vehicle was adapted for me to drive it and that I would be driving it that my name would automatically be listed on the insurance. Upon hearing this the lady from Motability replied ‘…most of our clients don’t actually drive their vehicles’.

This attitude shocked me, as that wasn’t the point, the point is that Motability’s checks and balances need to be made more robust and that it must be ensured that the clients of Motability who have guarantors and do drive their own vehicles need to be made aware that the disabled driver needs to be listed as a name driver on their insurance policy, either that or they need to be automatically listed on the policy.

 

I am shocked and angry that I could unknowingly not be listed as named driver on my car’s insurance policy and take driving lessons for months and it not be flagged. God forbid if I had a more serious accident when I was out driving with my mother. Firstly, if I had gotten into an accident with another driver then they would not have been able to claim insurance against me which means that my mother would have been liable. Secondly, my driving instructor could have gotten into serious trouble as he and BSM Motability were also completely unaware that I was uninsured. Finally, I could have been arrested and been taken to court for driving without insurance, even though I didn’t realise that I was uninsured.

 

I would like this letter of complaint kept on record and I would like lessons to be learnt from this incident.

 

Firstly, I would like all disabled clients of Motability who have their cars adapted so that they can drive them to be automatically listed as a name driver on their vehicle’s insurance policy.

Secondly, if a diver of a Motability vehicle has not been listed as a named person on the insurance, then a flagging system should be in place at car dealerships, at Motability and at Motability BSM to ensure that the person is made aware of this error, by telephone, post and or email.

Thirdly, I think that all driving instructors for disabled people should be required to check their client’s insurance policies before teaching them to drive.

Finally, I think that all the staff at Motability, including the insurance arm need to think again about how they view disabled people.

 

I ask that you take this matter seriously and ensure that this situation does not happen to anyone else.

I am happy to say that I am now listed as a named driver on my car insurance policy and I am continuing with my driving lessons. 

Please if you are a  driver of a Motability vehicle then I ask that you double check your vehicle insurance policy to make sure that you are listed as a named driver, as I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else. I will let you know how Motability and the car dealership from whom I brought my car responds to my complaint.  

poppy123456

As an appointee for my daughters PIP claim, we placed an order for a car in January. Yes, it's my full responsibility to make sure i report all changes and to make sure everything is correct with the car we chose. Just a few days after i collected the motability car i received the insurance through the post. On there was my name and my daughters name.

When you had delivery of the car your mum would have received the RSA motability insurance certificate through the post. On this it will state the names of all drivers, so it really was your mum's responsibility to make sure everything on there was correct. As named drivers you would have all needed to give your full driving license details before you could be added. So it's not possible to be automatically added.

Sunshinerobin said:

  During her conversation with Motability my mother stated that when an able-bodied driver takes out driving insurance on their car they are automatically listed as a named driver on the policy and as a result she naturally assumed that, as my vehicle was adapted for me to drive it and that I would be driving it that my name would automatically be listed on the insurance.

Of course a person who takes out insurance for any vehicle in their name would be added to the insurance, whether they are able bodied or disabled.

Your name wouldn't automatically be added just because the car was adapted for you.