
Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our content.
Updated
Insurance rates for seniors climb as they age. One risk factor insurers consider is health, and age-related conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s can raise that risk and your insurance rates. By following the right steps, you can keep driving, even with dementia, Alzheimer’s or a related condition, and also keep insurance in place.
These are typically gradual conditions and often develop over many years. Just because someone is showing symptoms doesn’t mean they necessarily have to stop driving. However, you must inform your insurer if you are driving with a conditional license or have been diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s or a similar condition.
Consider getting the conditional license first, and then notifying your insurer afterwards. This is because having a valid driver’s license, and following the conditions on it, means you have been assessed as being able to drive safely. With this, you can typically stick with the same insurer and might not even incur raised premiums or any other changes other than those which may be laid in the conditional license.
Getting a 12-month conditional driver’s license, and keeping it up to date with yearly assessments, is the key to driving safely with dementia and keeping adequate car insurance cover. As a silver lining, you might even be able to use dementia and a conditional license to get lower premiums or cheaper car insurance.
Discover coverage that’s broader than competitors, valuable discounts up to 30% off and perks like shrinking deductibles that reward no claims.
Following the appropriate steps and getting a conditional license is the only way to legally drive with Alzheimer’s or dementia. This is also the only way to keep effective car insurance.
You can’t just ignore the symptoms until you’re certain you have the disease. Go for the conditional license as soon as symptoms arise because if you don’t, car insurance providers can refuse to pay your claims.
Switching to a conditional license might be the right time to re-evaluate your car insurance cover. If you aren’t driving as far or as frequently as you used to, you might be paying more than you need to.
In-car technology can also be particularly useful for aging drivers. For example, you can find cars with lane departure warning systems that automatically alert the driver when they’re drifting outside of their lane, and many other advanced safety features. Some insurers will recognise the safety benefits of these features with lower premiums, but this varies between insurers.
There are a lot of different factors that impact the cost of car insurance premiums. If your situation has changed, it might be time to take another look at the policies available. No two providers are alike and in special situations, such as if you’re driving with dementia, you might get substantial price differences between almost-identical policies. Compare a range of quotes when switching car insurance and find the insurer that’s right for you.
Compare car insurance companies near you.
Your information is secure.
Dementia is a common age-related illnesses characterized by a variety of symptoms that can affect driving skills. Alzheimer’s is one of the most common types of dementia and may also carry certain risks while driving.
You are required by law to notify your driver’s license authority if you are showing symptoms of dementia as these can affect your ability to drive safely. They will usually ask you to see a doctor who can assess you in further detail. From here, you may need to take a driving test. After this, if you are assessed as being safe to drive, you can get a 12-month conditional license, which needs to be re-assessed after a year.
Depending on the severity of the condition, these conditional licenses may have stipulations attached to them, such as additional speed limits or restrictions on when and where you can drive.
Going through these procedures and getting a provisional license is the first step to driving despite showing symptoms or having been diagnosed with dementia.
It’s good to be alert for these symptoms, not only for the purposes of driving and car insurance, but also because it may be possible to take steps to slow the progress of the condition. If any of the following symptoms are present, it might be time to go for a conditional driver’s license:
In addition to this, the ability to effectively manage one’s finances is usually one of the first things to go. Look for this as well as the following signs of dementia:
Even with an early-stage dementia diagnosis, it’s quite possible that you still have years of driving left. It’s worth re-evaluating your car insurance every year.
You can pay for car insurance in Bitcoin, even if your insurer doesn’t accept it yet.
This fintech just branched out into low-cost life insurance — but its lineup is limited.
Get the skincare you need without taking a trip into your doctor’s office.
Find unusually low face values for a whole life policy, ideal for supplemental insurance.
Get pet insurance that reimburses 100% of your vet bills or a separate wellness plan.
A poor driving record may result in higher rates on your life insurance, with some insurers turning you away altogether.
Preliminary data on fatal accidents and driving behavior could explain why drivers haven’t seen higher insurance refunds.
See average EV insurance rates for 2021 based on Finder’s car model research, plus new models on the horizon.
Learn how insurance companies use identifying info from your VIN to set rates.