A medical condition does not automatically make someone a high-risk insurance customer. The important issue is whether the condition affects driving and whether any disclosure is required to DVLA or the insurer.

What can make a driver look higher risk?

• Recent accidents or claims
• Penalty points or motoring convictions
• A previous policy cancellation
• Serious driving offences
• Very limited driving experience
• Certain unusual vehicle or usage combinations

Previous claims

Claims history is one of the clearest indicators insurers use. They will normally ask what happened, when it happened and how many claims you have had.

A string of recent incidents is likely to matter more than one older claim. The effect can also differ according to whether the claim involved theft, accidental damage, liability to another person or another type of loss.

Penalty points and convictions

Not all motoring offences are treated alike. A small number of points for one offence may have a very different effect from repeated offences or a serious conviction.

Disclose what the insurer asks for accurately. The relevant period can differ between the driving record and the questions insurers ask, so answer the proposal form rather than relying on memory of how long points appear on the licence.

Serious offences

Convictions such as drink driving or dangerous driving can make ordinary insurance harder to obtain for a time. Specialist or non-standard insurers may be more willing to consider these risks.

Prices may be higher and terms can be tighter, but the position often improves as the conviction becomes older and the driver builds a cleaner record.

Medical conditions and disability

Drivers with adaptations should describe the vehicle accurately. Adaptations for disability are not the same thing as performance modifications, although the insurer still needs enough information to insure the car correctly.

Previous cancellations or refused insurance

A policy that has been cancelled by an insurer can cause difficulty because future insurers often ask about it. Give the exact circumstances rather than trying to minimise what happened.

If you have previously been refused cover, use insurers or brokers that are comfortable with non-standard risks rather than repeatedly applying to firms aimed mainly at straightforward cases.

The car can make a difficult risk harder

A powerful or expensive car can amplify an already difficult insurance profile. Choosing a lower insurance group, lower-value or less powerful model can sometimes widen the market considerably.

Security, overnight parking and annual mileage can also influence the final quote, although none of these cancels out a serious driving history.

How your position can improve

Risk is not permanent. As time passes, old claims and convictions become less recent. Building a continuous period without further incidents can gradually improve the choice of insurers and the prices offered.

• Keep information accurate at every renewal.
• Avoid unnecessary modifications.
• Choose a sensible vehicle for your circumstances.
• Compare specialist as well as mainstream insurers where appropriate.
• Keep records of claims, convictions and policy changes.

Do not hide the awkward details

Trying to obtain a cheaper quote by leaving out a claim, conviction or cancellation can create a much bigger problem later. An insurer may investigate the information when a claim is made.

The better approach is to disclose accurately and shop around among insurers prepared to consider the risk. Higher risk does not mean uninsurable; it means finding the right market matters more.