Car Insirance

[Johnwoods]

Hi. My dad's 87 and his memory is not great. As his daughter, he asks me to get him the cheapest quote as he's not great online.
My other sibling thinks he shouldn't be driving as his memory is not good. He has no diagnosis for any incapacity issues.
He refuses to get any health check when we suggest it.
If he had an accident and was found liable to having say dementia, would I be held liable for anything?
As far as I am concerned, he's no different to any other 87yr old, forgetful etc.
I'm not medically trained and so cannot assess him.

[EnglandPi]

If you were truthful in answering the questions on the application there should not be a problem however if not then you could potentially be liable.

[des8]

Sorry to hear of your father's condition and the concern it is causing you and your sibling.


Cognitive impairment (includes memory loss), depending on its severity, may put the person with the condition, and others, at risk
If it is mild it may not impinge on a person's ability to drive, but regular assessments should be carried out in case the condition worsens

The law requires that if you have any condition that might affect your driving you must inform the DVLA.
Failure to let DVLA know can lead to a fine up to £1000
You acknowledge that you are not qualified to assess your father, so would suggest you have a word with his GP, who could perhaps just examine him under the guise of a regular health check for the elderly

I don't think you should be worrying about your liability in the event of an accident, but you might have feelings of guilt if your father hurts himself or even kills another person.

[Johnwoods]

Thank you!
Obviously, I'm not medically qualified and if my father says he is fit to drive, then I have to take his word. I can't make medical assumptions on his mental capacity etc. He has no diagnosis and believes he is fit to drive. His driving record is impeccable. In fact, I've seen drivers half his age drive like total idiots, at stupid speeds. Yet they class themselves as fit to drive.
Helping parents get cheap insurance on comparison sites is something that most siblings will do, especially for parents who never grew up with the Internet.
If that were the case, the law should be changed to make only the insured authorised to use a comparison site for his own insurance.
Surely we can't be expected to diagnose our parents, especially is we live miles away and only see them a few times a year?

[EnglandPi]

I had a relative with dementia, some simple assessments you can do yourself.

Asking questions like.

What month is it?
What year is it?
Who is the prime minister?
Where does he live?
Where does the queen live?

Best work them into a conversation

[des8]

When you made your first post, I assumed you sat with your father (or were in close contact with him) whilst you completed his insurance proposal form for him and that basically you would refer each question to him before entering the answer.

It now seems that you might only see him occasionally, and possibly complete the proposal form from memory which could prove problematic for your father if you get it wrong.

The end of the proposal is a statement warranting the truth and completeness of the answers.
If you complete the form on behalf of your father you are acting as his agent, and he will be liable for your responses
There is no need to change the law, just a need for people to understand it!


It does seem that you have concerns about your father's condition and the effect it might have on his driving ability.
Your sibling has expressed concerns.
For your own peace of mind do you not think you should raise the concerns with his GP?

[DE DOGS]

When you made your first post, I assumed you sat with your father (or were in close contact with him) whilst you completed his insurance proposal form for him and that basically you would refer each question to him before entering the answer.

It now seems that you might only see him occasionally, and possibly complete the proposal form from memory which could prove problematic for your father if you get it wrong.

The end of the proposal is a statement warranting the truth and completeness of the answers.
If you complete the form on behalf of your father you are acting as his agent, and he will be liable for your responses
There is no need to change the law, just a need for people to understand it!


It does seem that you have concerns about your father's condition and the effect it might have on his driving ability.
Your sibling has expressed concerns.
For your own peace of mind do you not think you should raise the concerns with his GP?

If in doubt check it out.

[ostell]

Someone I know kept insisting that she was fine to drive. However she suffers from macular degeneration but insisted it didn't affect her. Eventually got her to surrender her licence after an examination by the consultant.

On selling the car found various dings on the front and back. Hadn't seen things properly and being deaf hadn't heard the noises either

She is 98, fell over 2 years ago and broke her neck

[Scot22]

Being able to drive should be a privilege not an entitlement. Unless required earlier everyone over 75 should have to have an annual fitness to drive assessment.by trained personnel e.g nurse, doctor. This would have to be subsidised ( cheaper than cost of accidents )

No, you should not have to assess, not should you. Any accident would be devastating for many people. Don't arrange insurance unless your father has a medical. I believe it is both kind and the ethical course.

[EnglandPi]

Being able to drive should be a privilege not an entitlement. Unless required earlier everyone over 75 should have to have an annual fitness to drive assessment.by trained personnel e.g nurse, doctor. This would have to be subsidised ( cheaper than cost of accidents )

No, you should not have to assess, not should you. Any accident would be devastating for many people. Don't arrange insurance unless your father has a medical. I believe it is both kind and the ethical course.

Give us a break, I'm 70 I drive a Revo golf R which is 500 bhp I'm millitary trained to a higher standard than a police pursuit driver I would challenge any youngster to any test you like track or road. Age is not the problem, lack of skill is the problem.

[des8]

ditto as a 77 year old, but generally only drive vehicles built before 1975.
The responses will now probably go slightly off thread (sorry Johnwoods) as us more mature drivers are told we should have medicals every time we get up so that we don't clutter the road for younger inexperienced drivers

[Scot22]

I am a 74 year old member of IAM. All I was suggesting was a screening test for all drivers over an arbitrary chosen age. I did not go on to the wider road safety issues for which I have strong views. There is nothing to say competent drivers should be stopped.
The relevance to the thread is that others are not confident the gentleman should be driving. It is an ethical as well as legal liability issue.My proposal would take away some of the stress.
Whatever for whatever reason incompetent drivers should not be on the road.

[DE DOGS]

I'm over 82 raced at Brands, still have all facilities, just exceded 12,000 miles have to inform insurance as I was on a 10,000 limit. when I know it's time to give up I will.

[Johnwoods]

THANK YOU EVERYONE.
Great website and brilliant to see a range of answers.
I agree that most of the speeding, dangerous drivers I have witnessed are young folk who think they are invincible.
I don't think elderly drivers are dangerous drivers.
Dangerous drivers are those who set out to drive dangerous and that included speeding. This is done by choice, whereas most elderly drivers who may drive dangerously do so by failing eyesight etc that they may be unaware of.

[Scot22]

Never in my life have I suggested elderly drivers are per se dangerous.
It is dangerous to drive when unfit by whatever cause. For.example, I don't know any excuse not to have your eyesight tested.
Safe driving is physically and mentally demanding.
We all physically decline as we get older. When we reach a point where it impairs driving we should stop. Rather than leave it totally for individuals to judge I believe it better to have qualified decisions. Otherwise too much personal pressure.