Important News re Third Party Insurance
Under current legislation relating to powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters, you are not required to take out insurance cover for your mobility vehicle. However, research commissioned by the Department Of Transport to review the safety and legislation involving Class 2 and Class 3 powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters (for definitions see below) has recommended that third party insurance cover should be compulsory for all users.
The study came to the conclusion following investigation of incidents that have been caused by these vehicles and discussions with users and non users of powered wheelchairs and scooters.
Mobility Risk Services (MRS) took part in the research. Phil Brunton of MRS states “in an increasingly litigious society where many solicitors are happy to operate on a no win no fee basis, it is a huge risk to have no third party insurance if your major means of transport is a powered scooter or wheelchair. An accident involving a third party could prove very costly.
“Some owners of these vehicles mistakenly believe their household policies will cover them in the event of an accident. However, the vast majority of household policies exclude incidents involving powered vehicles. The owner will then be liable if they injure a third party”.
In the last 12 months MRS has received a claim which involved an injury inflicted by a powered scooter user on someone in a supermarket queue. The claim includes substantial levels of rehabilitation for the injured user and will cost Allianz Cornhill, our insurer, over £150,000.
The report also recommends a simple fitness to drive assessment which could include an eyesight test and an ability to control the vehicle.
Under current legislation, a Class 2 vehicle describes a powered invalid carriage capable of 4 mph. The regulations stipulate that the vehicle must be used by a disabled person. A Class 3 vehicle is one that is capable of exceeding 4mph but does not exceed 8mph.
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