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Car insurance case sparks change of policy

By Elizabeth Choppin

Blue BadgeAn insurance company has changed its policies on adapted vehicles after being taken to court by a disabled man who was refused an insurance quote.

Thomas Atkins, from Doncaster, brought a case against insurance broker Insure and Go in Scunthorpe small claims court last month after he was twice denied a quote because he had an adapted vehicle.

If he wins, Mr Atkins could be compensated by up to £5,000.

Since the case began, Insure and Go policy has amended its policy so that customers with disability-related modifications on their vehicles can be given a quote.

Before the case was filed, the now defunct Disability Rights Commission had offered to mediate between Mr Atkins and Insure and Go, but he said the insurance company cancelled the scheduled meeting at the last minute.

Sheffield Law Centre has taken up the case and the next hearing is due to take place this summer after the court receives further evidence from Insure and Go.

Mr Atkins said: “I phoned 14 or 15 solicitors and nobody could take the case because they weren’t versed in disability discrimination law. But I wasn’t about to give up. I’ve always stuck up for my rights.”

An Insure and Go spokesman said: “As a broker, our ability to quote for motor insurance is subject to the policies of the underwriter that we work with. At the time Mr Atkins applied for his quote, the underwriter's question asked if a customer's vehicle was modified. If it was, the case would have to be referred to underwriters as we could not provide a quote directly. Since this issue has been brought to our attention, we have spoken to underwriters and the question set has been changed. If a customer's vehicle is modified we now ask the reason. If it is for a disability purpose, we can then supply a quote.”

Douglas Campbell, chairman of the disabled motorists’ charity Mobilise, said this was also a problem with some other insurance companies, whose systems cannot treat requests for quotes from disabled motorists individually.
1 May, 2008