Choosing travel insurance

Other than the standard concerns about medical cover, the key thing to check here is if expensive equipment such as wheelchairs will be covered against loss or damage, and if the insurance company will get replacement equipment to you or, alternatively, get you home if you cannot do without it.

Some brokers have reported problems with some travel policies where cover stops when you return to British soil. In some cases wheelchair damage has been discovered at the airport after a flight back to Britain, by which time the cover has ended. However, you should be covered if the damage happened in transit, for example during the flight. It can, though, be difficult proving exactly when the damage happened and if a transport company may be responsible. Better cover is provided by travel policies which cover you for a set period, or until you return back at your front door. Make sure you check the small print to see how long your travel policy lasts.

Another important thing to check is what the insurance company will do if something happens to your carer while you are away. The insurance may, for example, pay for a family member to fly out and bring you home. 

Choosing car insurance

Insurance companies are not allowed to have a blanket policy of refusing to insure adapted vehicles. However they may ask you to pay more to cover the extra cost of repairing or replacing any special adaptations to your car, if it is stolen or damaged.

There are specialist motor policies aimed at people with a disability, but mainstream insurers will also cover vehicles modified to suit disabled drivers, usually on their standard terms. In either case, you must ensure that you notify the insurer of any modifications, and that the value you insure your car for includes the cost of those modifications.

You should also look for a policy which provides acceptable alternative transport when your vehicle is being repaired after an accident. If you can’t get a guarantee of being able to access a suitably adapted replacement vehicle, you should look for a policy which pays a daily allowance for taxis.

All motor policies offer a small amount of cover for items stolen from your car, but special policies may offer a higher than usual limit, to cover you in case your wheelchair is stolen from the car.
 

Choosing home insurance

As with car and travel insurance, you must ensure that any expensive equipment or adaptations, such as wheelchairs, stair lifts, and electric beds, are covered under your home contents insurance. Specialist policies often offer this reassurance as standard, whereas ordinary policies may add on hefty surcharges.

If any major adaptations have been made to your home, you should also check the effect on your building's insurance.

If you employ a carer you must also check that the employer's liability cover (usually intended to insure against accidents to gardeners and cleaners while on your property) extends to cover them. There are specialist home policies which do include carers under the employer's liability section, but if you cannot find one you may have to take out separate employer's liability insurance. If your carer is employed by the local council this should not be an issue. Where equipment is on loan from the NHS or other medical or care provider, you should always check if you are responsible for such equipment. If so, then the insurer should be notified. 

Wheelchair and scooter insurance

You may find it cheaper to cover your wheelchair or motorised scooter separately, rather than adding it on to your home and travel policies. These policies can cost around £50 a year to cover a £3,000 vehicle, and will also give you public liability cover to insure you in the event that your wheelchair or scooter injures someone or damages property. An all-risks extension on your home contents policy might not achieve this, although you could consider taking out separate public liability insurance. This is an area where you should take advice. 

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