Disability Car Insurance: Coverage, Costs and Savings Explained
- Car insurance companies can’t charge you more or raise your rates just because you have a disability.
- Your insurer may raise your rates if your disability makes accidents more likely. It may also raise your rates if your car has special equipment.
- You can get car insurance coverage that protects driving aids and mobility devices.
What is disability car insurance?
Drivers with disabilities don’t need a special car insurance policy. They get the same basic coverage as everyone else. Some companies offer add-on coverages for drivers with disabilities, but the main policy stays the same.
How disability car insurance works
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) stops insurance companies from charging more or denying coverage just because you have a disability. Insurers only raise rates if your disability makes an accident more likely, which may lead to high-risk car insurance. Conditions that may fall into this category include:
- Arthritis
- Cataracts
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Heart conditions
- Narcolepsy
- Sleep apnea
Car insurance companies may also charge more if your car has special equipment that needs coverage, like wheelchair ramps or custom seats, to help with driving.
Car insurance options for disability car insurance
Drivers with disabilities can buy liability and full coverage car insurance policies like any other driver.
Liability car insurance, required in most states, covers injuries and damage you cause to others in an accident and includes:
- Bodily injury liability Bodily injury liability helps cover the medical bills of anyone you injure in a car accident.
- Property damage liability Property damage liability covers damage you cause to property like fences, toll booths and light posts.
You need full coverage car insurance to pay for damage to your own vehicle after an accident. Full coverage includes:
- Liability car insurance
- Collision coverage Collision covers damage to your car from a collision with another vehicle or object.
- Comprehensive coverage Comprehensive covers your car for theft and damage from non-collision causes, like fire, flood and vandalism.
Drivers with disabilities may also benefit from optional car insurance coverages like roadside assistance and custom parts and equipment coverage.
Personal injury protection
Personal injury protection (PIP) pays medical bills and other accident costs for you and your passengers, no matter who caused the crash.
Rental reimbursement insurance
Rental reimbursement pays for a rental car or other forms of transportation while your car is being repaired after an accident.
Roadside assistance
Roadside assistance coverage can help pay for:
- Jump-starts
- Pickup and drop-off after an accident
- Tire changes
- Towing services
Custom parts and equipment (CPE) coverage
CPE coverage pays to repair mobility modifications after an accident. It’s helpful if your car has equipment like a wheelchair lift, special steering or siren detectors.
Cost of disability car insurance
Car insurance can cost more than average for drivers with disabilities if:
- The disability makes you more likely to get into an accident
- Your vehicle has mobility or accessibility mods that need to be covered
The ADA stops insurers from charging higher rates or raising rates only because of a disability. But if a disability makes accidents more likely, your insurer can charge higher rates.
Mobility and access modifications often cost a lot to repair or replace, so car insurance companies charge higher rates to cover them.
Always tell the truth about your car’s disability modifications when getting insurance quotes. If you leave them out, your insurer could deny a claim or cancel your policy. Ask if your adaptive equipment needs extra coverage.
How drivers with disabilities can save money on car insurance
Drivers with disabilities can lower their auto insurance costs by comparing quotes and considering usage-based coverage.
Comparing car insurance quotes
Car insurance companies look at risk in different ways. One company may see your disability as a higher risk than another company and charge you more because of it. Comparing car insurance quotes from several companies before you buy or renew can help you find the best balance of cost and coverage.
Consider usage-based car insurance
If you don’t drive often, usage-based car insurance may help you save on car insurance. A device or phone app tracks your driving. If you drive safely and don’t drive too much, you may pay lower rates.
Frequently asked questions
You can’t be denied car insurance just because you have a disability. But if your disability makes accidents more likely, you may have to pay higher rates than you would otherwise.
A car insurance company can’t stop you from driving, but it can report you as high risk to your state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV). The DMV may then suspend your license.
Custom parts and equipment coverage pays for special needs car seats, which standard car insurance usually does not cover.
There are no special car insurance discounts for drivers with disabilities. But you can still save with common discounts, like safe driver or low-mileage discounts.
There are no free car insurance programs for drivers with disabilities. But you can compare quotes to find the cheapest coverage and use discounts to save even more.