Dementia, Driving assessment and Insurance.

[danonwheels]

I found myself in a similar situation the other year - after diagnosis my license was revoked with no assessment. This was done by DVLA and I now know they did this to a few thousand people and that they shouldn't have done this. A large complaint was made and eventually I had an assessment and was given my license back.

Insurance companies are not allowed to increase premiums simply based on a disability or illness but have to justify the risk being covered. If the driving assessment deems that the person is a greater risk then yes the company could legitimately increase the premium but they can't get away with it simply because of a diagnosis.

 

[Magic57]

Hi Majic57 sorry your husband is having to go this process but great news that he (a) want's to continue working and (b) wants to retain his driving license and continue driving .
From my own experience I was 57 when first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1999 but wasn’t told to inform the DVLA until 2001 after by a new Consultant after notifying DVLA it took a few months before the DVLA finally decided to grant a license for 12 months the Insurance was never a problem because providing you inform them they ask If you have a Medical License from DVLA is it for 1, 2, or 3 years pretty straight forward in my case 1 year it wasn’t until 2003 after a PET brain scan I was diagnosed with FTD the scan was repeated a year later in 2004 nothing change with my driving license every year they gave me another 12 month licence and No problems with Insurance either I was an essential car user at work so it was important I retired in 2008 when I became 65 , the driving licence became such a thorn in my side that in 2012 after having 12 number 12 month licenses I decided to take the DVLA to court to challenge their decision, long story here but all I will say I now hold a Full driving licence albeit is only for 3 years because I’m over 70 my Insurance renewal still has Dementia on it Obviously that cant change, all I can say Majic57 when your dealing bureaucrat’s you need to be prepared to fright for your rights,,
ps I having been responding to Driving issues here on TP since March 2005 nearly 13 years and still driving No problems
Best of luck to your Husband
sorry about the grammar mistakes

Thank you so much for this valuable advice. We were worried sick about it all!!! Have sorted the insurance out...no problems at all and have notified DVLA. Just got to wait for their reply now. Great weight off my mind!!! Many thanks.

 

[Susisuster]

My husband had a driving assessment after diagnosis (his license was never taken off him) he passed his assessment which was a physical assessment followed by driving around Derby for two hours. His insurance was not increased, I don't think they are allowed to if they have passed the assessment? He was not given a medical license just kept his normal one, since them 3 years on he has decided to give up driving as he was finding it too stressful.

 

[Countryboy]

Thank you so much for this valuable advice. We were worried sick about it all!!! Have sorted the insurance out...no problems at all and have notified DVLA. Just got to wait for their reply now. Great weight off my mind!!! Many thanks.

Hi Magic57 well good news you now have the insurance sorted out, as stated previously the DVLA decision will be made by their Medical adviser based on : the Medical Report submitted by you G.P on a CG2C form the G.P may? send a covering letter , also the DVLA may request a Driving Assessment depending on the CG2C report

CG2C questions 1 – 4 are about Diagnoses, Date of Symptoms, Date last seen by G.P, Dosage of current medication ect

(5) Does your patient currently experience side-effects from their medication which are likely to impair safe driving? N/A Yes No

(6) Is the mental state and/or behavior so unstable and/or so severe as to make driving dangerous ? Yes No

(7) Does your patient lack insight and/or judgement to a degree that would make driving dangerous? Yes No

(8) Is your patient experiencing continuing hallucinations/delusions likely to distract attention from driving? Yes No

(9) Does your patients condition cause significant impairment in their ability to preform the activities of daily living? Yes No

(10) Misuse of drugs Yes No

(11) Misuse of Alcohol Yes No

(12) Are you Aware of any other medical condition that may affect safe driving? Yes No

(12a) Do you have any information regarding your patients driving?

(13) supply Names of another doctors/specialist ect

That’s about it Magic57 obviously answers tick box 5 to 11 need to be No

Magic57 tell your husband not to worry everything is going fine, DVLA are following the policy and procedures based on advise ??
just remember because we have dementia's were not criminals or Law breakers

 

[chick1962]

My husband also drives having Alzheimers and has a yearly driving licence. As far as I know vascular dementia is an automatic revoke of licence and not renewable due to mini strokes or TIA,s which come with this condition . Think Spamar was right to point that out.

 

[Spamar]

Thanks Chick. That was our experience, anyway.
How are you, not seen you for ages!

 

[chick1962]

Thanks Chick. That was our experience, anyway.
How are you, not seen you for ages!

Yes, fully agree with you . I am ok just been really very poorly with that nasty flu and bed bound and waiting for a pace maker to be fitted .
So sadly not been posting too much .
I am a battle ax though and will be well soon
How are you? Not heard much from you either my lovely xxxx.

 

[Countryboy]

Thanks for your story Tony.

I too informed the insurance company who weren't interested unless DVLA revoked the license, which they did later.

However, recent quotes based on the fact (if Mum passes the test) that the license will not be her original, held for fifty plus years, but a new one, held for days will increase the premium significantly.

I suppose what I am asking is , if anyone is in a similar position, were they subsequently able to secure insurance at a reasonable premium, or did it put you off having an assessment at all?

Hi Three of Three sorry for the delay in responding to your post but I don’t always read all the posts

Re; driving Test or in our situation it is an Assessment this is carried out at the Disability Centers around the Country just to see if the person has the ability to continue driving safely , some time the DVLA will insist you have an assessment the report is then sent to them because their paying.

In my case I booked and paid for the assessment myself in 2012 at cost of £65 obviously I then had the assessors report, so I could use it as evidence in Challenging the DVLA in Court , we have every right to challenge their decision. I am actually on my nineteenth 19th licence my original pass date hasn’t changed my Insurance has never questioned my illness they only need to know if (a) you notified the DVLA (b) is the licence for 1,2 or 3 years my Car insurance has never been increased in cost as said previously we are Individuals with different abilities and I can only speak for myself

Cheers

 

[Spamar]

Sorry about the flu, Chick. I had it once, years ago, took 2 months to recover! Thought I was going toget something before Christmas, bought a load of stuff for sore throats, etc. Must of scared it off! Cos it didn’t develop.
Otherwise, full of arthritis! Guess you know about that! Had shoulder injection, it lasted 6 weeks, now that shoulder is worse than ever! Oh well, such is life!
Keep smiling!

 

[Poppy33]

Can anyone advise? My mother has been reported to DVLA and they have written to her with forms to fill in for GP etc. Will that automatically mean that she has to do an assessment? How can i find out?

 

[Countryboy]

Hi I take it you have been sent a CG1 form from DVLA to fill out this gives your consent for DVLA to notify your G.P they will then send you G.P a CG2C ( I already put that on previous reply )form to complete nothing to worry standard procedure, unless your mum has medical issues which would effect her ability to drive however having Dementia is Not an automatic revoking of your License I’m have been Driving 19 years after my diagnoses and still going strong So don’t worry if you need any advice I’m happy to help and support you with the positives about Dementia and driving

 

[PJ]

Hi Majic57 I’ve being thinking about your husband and noticed on another thread you stated he is 60 years old still young, so I though he needs support from someone who was in the same situation as him at age of 57. remember I'm the person wearing the “T” shirt and we don’t have to give up normal every day living , as previously stated I was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1999 and later with fronto-temporal-dementia and continued working for 8 years

In general frontal lobe dementias are insidious in onset and progression and It is therefore likely that any changes will occur only very gradually over a number of years however it still falls in the Dementia definition when dealing with bureaucrat’s ( they haven’t got any information on FTD) and believe me driving can bring about a lot of debate this can be very upsetting and frustrating to the person with the actual diagnoses however we must bear in mind we are all individuals with individual skills and abilities driving could be one of those abilities , for myself personally I have driven almost every day for almost 59 years and bearing in mind I am in the twentieth (20th) year since my first diagnoses and still going strong , I’m so glad I decide to fight to retain my driving license, I was fortunate that all my close family and friends the GP’S Consultants were very positive about my ability to drive not one of them made a negative comment

Hi Tony,
It’s so reassuring to read how well you are doing since your initial diagnosis.
Do you mind me asking how old you were when you knew something was not right with your brain? I hope you don’t mind me asking only you sound like you are doing so well despite your diagnosis all those years ago

 

[Countryboy]

Hi Tony,
It’s so reassuring to read how well you are doing since your initial diagnosis.
Do you mind me asking how old you were when you knew something was not right with your brain? I hope you don’t mind me asking only you sound like you are doing so well despite your diagnosis all those years ago

Hi PJ by chance I original went to see my GP with chest pain aged 57 obviously we got into a bit of an heated altercation I was signed off work for a week then went on two weeks holiday the GP ask to make an appointment for when I returned which I did and was asked if I would see an Old aged psychiatrist which I did in October 1999 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in November 1999 and asked if I would take the new Drug called Aricept released in UK in 1998 and only prescribed by psychiatrist, then In 2001 my psychiatrist move away after several visits with his replacement he agreed to send me for a PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography) in March 2003 and SPECT Scan (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) in 2004 hence my diagnoses of fronto-temporal-dementia as you say after all those years I doing fine obviously I have a few issues but no worries and possibly the Aricept has helped keep me stable however the way my life has been turned upside down and the battles I have fought with bureaucrats !! and employers to remain at work which I did until my retirement, I often wonder was going to the psychiatrist in 1999 the correct thing, believe me I have tried to get the diagnoses Overturned or removed from my medical records but after the Brain Scans that’s not going to happen.
By the way both Parents had dementia!!

Sorry if a bit difficult to read or understand blame that on FTD

 

[PJ]

Hi PJ by chance I original went to see my GP with chest pain aged 57 obviously we got into a bit of an heated altercation I was signed off work for a week then went on two weeks holiday the GP ask to make an appointment for when I returned which I did and was asked if I would see an Old aged psychiatrist which I did in October 1999 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in November 1999 and asked if I would take the new Drug called Aricept released in UK in 1998 and only prescribed by psychiatrist, then In 2001 my psychiatrist move away after several visits with his replacement he agreed to send me for a PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography) in March 2003 and SPECT Scan (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) in 2004 hence my diagnoses of fronto-temporal-dementia as you say after all those years I doing fine obviously I have a few issues but no worries and possibly the Aricept has helped keep me stable however the way my life has been turned upside down and the battles I have fought with bureaucrats !! and employers to remain at work which I did until my retirement, I often wonder was going to the psychiatrist in 1999 the correct thing, believe me I have tried to get the diagnoses Overturned or removed from my medical records but after the Brain Scans that’s not going to happen.
By the way both Parents had dementia!!

Sorry if a bit difficult to read or understand blame that on FTD

Thank you for your reply Tony, not at all difficult to understand & very helpful. Sounds like the drug has helped. In fact you sound like a strong, independent person that nothing, not even FTD, could hold you back.
I just want my SPECT scan date to hurry up & arrive. Do you know how long results take after?
Thank you

 

[Countryboy]

Thank you for your reply Tony, not at all difficult to understand & very helpful. Sounds like the drug has helped. In fact you sound like a strong, independent person that nothing, not even FTD, could hold you back.
I just want my SPECT scan date to hurry up & arrive. Do you know how long results take after?
Thank you

Hi PJ well my first PET Scan was 15 years ago on 18th February back then I had to travel to a hospital in Devon Cornwall didn’t have the facility for PET scans then so not really sure on time limits for results , Yes I have always been very upbeat about my having dementia it’s never worried or bothered me and I always tried to be positive the only problems is the Stigma attached to the word dementia when dealing with bureaucrats they don’t see us as individuals with different abilities, that’s make living with dementia difficult,

I hope all goes well for you

 

[PJ]

Hi PJ well my first PET Scan was 15 years ago on 18th February back then I had to travel to a hospital in Devon Cornwall didn’t have the facility for PET scans then so not really sure on time limits for results , Yes I have always been very upbeat about my having dementia it’s never worried or bothered me and I always tried to be positive the only problems is the Stigma attached to the word dementia when dealing with bureaucrats they don’t see us as individuals with different abilities, that’s make living with dementia difficult,

I hope all goes well for you

You are right there is a stigma attached to the word dementia & I can’t begin to imagine how frustrating that must be for you.
I feel that I want to tell people how I feel right now & what I’m worried about but because of the stigma attached it’s very difficult so it’s easier to distance myself from friends. Thankfully my husband is amazing. I hope you have a good support network around you.

 

[Countryboy]

You are right there is a stigma attached to the word dementia & I can’t begin to imagine how frustrating that must be for you.
I feel that I want to tell people how I feel right now & what I’m worried about but because of the stigma attached it’s very difficult so it’s easier to distance myself from friends. Thankfully my husband is amazing. I hope you have a good support network around you.

Hi JP great you have support from family that’s very important, I was fortunate when I was first diagnosed and want to continue at work the Senior Occupational Therapist at the Mental Health unit was assigned as my mentor she would attend meetings with me my daughter , HR / personal my work managers and Occupational Health these meetings continued every few months for 8 years, she also supported me with my personal challenges and battles I got into with bureaucrats there were a few ( actually I joined Talking Point in March 2005 during a battle with DVLA ) the DVLA one lasted almost 12 years but the good thing the challenges kept my brain active my wife and close family & friends were brilliant they gave me 100% support on everything , unfortunately a lot of so called friends will drop off because of the stigma and I understand that because the unfortunately the link between my brain and speech gets lost somewhere cant find the words this is frustrating and I then use not so polite swear words not great but if it offends it is what it is and to sum up in one word Unlucky

there is one bit of advise JP stay positive don’t worry or give up