Diabetes and discrimination

# 68

Posted: 28/04/2009 12:02

Dear People .Help is at hand !!!

I have read most of your comments and I agree that we live in a world of stress ,but believe me I am here to help

Diabetes is a fact of life for most people ,to the person that said their life cover had increased by four times I found it appauling .My friend who works as a financial advisor told me he encounters the same problem .

But since putting his friend on 3 products his friends diabetes is under control ,and life companies have sat up and took heed .I myself use these products each day and they are endorsed by noble prize winning doctors in the US .As we know diabetes can also effect the heart etc .

To find out more e-mail me brianmcgaghsynergyireland@live.ie

Regards and Thanks

Brian Mc Gagh

# 67

Posted: 20/11/2007 15:39

All,

Recently arranged my first Mortgage. I was horrified when my Life Policy quadrupled after declaring I was a type 1 diabetic. I imediately got on to the Diabetes Federation and they reccommended ERM Financials as a Diabetic Friendly Insurance provider.

I did this and have made a substancial saving on my monthly life policy repayments. ERM also made sure the policy was for the full term of the mortgage with no review after 10 years.

Dont take my word for it check them out.

G.

# 66

Posted: 17/03/2007 22:52

I was wondering if i had diabetes...I got some spots on my arms and legs a couple months back that itch quite a bit. Well the ones on my arms are pretty much gone but the ones on my legs are better but still visible. And i thought it was ringworm but if it was it woulda been gone by now....and only other thing it might be is diabetes or allergies. And i was wondering if this sounded like a symptom of diabetes? Thought i should get an opinion before wasting a possibly unnecessary trip to the doctor.

# 65

Posted: 24/07/2006 19:50

Reply to all who have replied to me.sorry about the delay.I can understand all of your points and i do admit my mortgage protection cover has been declined for other reasons other than my diabetes,but as a fairly healthy man who doesnt drink or smoke i find it totally unacceptable.Anyway, since my last post i have not got any further with the insurance companies,so have decided to take a different path.I had applied for interest only mortgage and have been accepted as life insurance isnt a nessecity.This will work out for me but unfortunatly this will not be the case for many diabetics.

# 64

Posted: 14/07/2006 12:51

Sam, it may mean that you are in a pre-diabeic state and need to look after yourself a bit more. Cutting down on sugary foods and taking more exercise every day might be a good idea.
I think tho, that it should have been your Dr. who discussed this with ouanfd not just left a message with his nurse or receptionist.

# 63

Posted: 14/07/2006 11:32

SAM Posted: 13/07/2006 21:35
i'm appalled at the manner in which your doctor has handled the outcome of your tests, his behaviour was not only rude, it's a disgrace!
toput your mind at ease, at this point you are not a diabetic, one high result alone is insufficient to confirm diabetes.
however, given the result you most certainly do need to examineyour diet and lifestyle very closley, and reduce your intake of highly refined foods and reduce your intake of high sugar content foods and drinks, including alcohol if you use it of course.
this is why i am so disgusted at your doctors attitude, because NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVIDE YOU WITH GOOD ADVICE, SO AS TO PREVENT YOU BECOMING DIABETIC!
i would suggest you visit the irish diabetic foundation site and read their information online, or call into them and collect their very helpful leaflets.
your doctor, in my opinion, was negligent in not referring you to the diabetic nurse specialist at your local hospital, but you should enquire there, the diabetic nurse specialist may well hold diabetes education classes, or may agree to see you. you can also DEMAND your doctor give you a referal note there, and should you doctor refuse, then i think you should consider another doctor, one who cares.
you are actually very lucky Sam, you have had a warning, many don't, so the changes you make now can, really can, help you to avoid becoming diabetic. believe me, while it's not the end of the world, diabetes is no joke, it is, overall, a devastating disease, but it can be controlled, be sure of that, ok?
meantime, a very easily read and understood book you might consider is the "DIABETES FOR DUMMIES" BOOK.
don't let the "dummies" part put you off, the books are written in a helpful, but readily understood format, from where you can then make decisions and seek more detailed information.
don't be scared, you don't have to inform insurance companies or anything like that, but you will if you don't heed this warning and start making changes, NOW!
good luck with your future health.

# 62

Posted: 13/07/2006 21:35

Im just wondering if anybody could help me.I went to my GP for a medical,when he did urine sample if found too much sugar in my urine.He sent me to hospital for a glucose tolarance test.I had to fast for my first test and for the second test i had to drink a pint of lucozade.When i got the results back the first one came back 4.8.The second one [the one after i drank the lucozade] came back 7.7.My GP said i was borderline and that i should cut down on sugary foods and to come back in one months time.The message was left with his receipionist so all the questions that i have were not answered.
Im just wondering did he mean that im borderline diabetic?If so does this ean that i am a diabetic or is it that if i dont start looking after myself i could end up a diabetic? Please help im very confused.
Thanks in advance.

# 61

Posted: 10/07/2006 09:54

I see our point about blood tests. The risks are virtually nil.

In relation to the smear - I gotcha and no you were not being indelicate and yes, in medical terms, it is not an invasive procedure (unless a sedative is used and again this would be invasive from the point of view of an injection) altho' on a purely personal note it feels that as to many women and various gynaecological, proctal and even naso-gastric procedures, despite their being "a natural point of entry" can indeed be invasive and have specific medical consequences, far greater than what may be percieved as an invasive blood test.

# 60

Posted: 07/07/2006 17:48

Yes I agree that diabetics are discriminated. I am a 36 yr old type 1 diabetic and have applied for numerous jobs but once i mention my diabetes they turn a blind eye with ignorance about the condition. The employers were american companies and irish public service jobs. Its everywhere and no one seems to care anymore. a This country has gone to the dogs in the last 15 years. Our government is living in cloud nine. No one cares anymore. You gotta look out for your self and don\'t rely on the health service. It\'s in a shambles and will get worse as we become more self centred and only think of our selves! We are living in a false economy and we are in debt to 228 billion euros! The government doest give a damn but look after themselves!!
I remain!!
an observer

# 59

Posted: 06/07/2006 14:01

mary, please, don't let this upset you, it's just words really! the issue here was felix felt it was his diabetes they discriminated against him for. he may very well be correct, they may have refused him on that point alone, but they refuse people mortgage protection, and accident and illness insurance all the time, sometimes for non medical reasons. i will probably begin a more controversial point now, but as an example, bar staff often get refused accident and illness insurance even though they are young, very healthy people. why? because they are usually going home during the highest danger periods for road accidents, even though they might be walking!
that's not discrimination, it's a decision made based purely on risk factors. but you can bet some bar staff are convinced their refusal was made on the grounds they were a health risk from smokey bars etc, and so believe it was discrimination.
i knew giving the blood test example would either cause more posts, expected them to be saying nonsense and so on. however, i used a blood test to highlight the fact that some tests are not even given a second thought, the risk with a blood test is virtually nil, unless there is carelessness, which is unlikely. but other tests, which are relatively simple and quick to perform do have a measured risk, and an angiogram is one of them.
mary, as a male i don't wish to be indelicate by discussing your smear test, but i feel i have to put this "invasive" aspect in it's proper context. while i can understand that a smear test probably does feel very invasive, it is not in fact an invasive procedure.
an invasive procedure is one where the doctor has to cut, or open the skin to gain access to the inside of the body. this is not the case with a smear test, in the same way as an ear examination would not be termed invasive. there is already an existing natural entry point.
i'm not going to elaborate any further, i think you can make the connection yourself quite easily.
any talk of medical issues always has an emotive aspect to them, we all see illness as unnatural and seldom take time to question and learn, we just want the doctor to make it go away, i know i do!
just keep in mind that just as many tests etc carry a risk, not having them can usually have a greater risk, it's a question of balancing the risk against the possible gains.
not that unlike how insurance companies usually make decisions too???

# 58

Posted: 06/07/2006 11:19

Godh Anon, I have a blod test every three months and a smear test every year and nver consider them invasive.
Actually, it as more likely tha tthe care team told my mother of all the details risks and dangers and she may have downplayed it to me at the time as I was very young byut it never afected him in terms of life assurance or mortgage protection cover.

# 57

Posted: 06/07/2006 00:49

your father very likely already had MORTGAGE insurances in place prior to any of this, i'm guessing of course. the other poster had them done BEFORE seeking ONE SPECIFIC type of insurance where existing medical conditions ARE considered.
you should also realise that a premium loading, or even refusal, is not always discriminatory, it's more often just an indication of a higher risk category, and purely a business decision that's all.
where it can be shown to be clearly discriminatory, i want the full weight of the law brought to bear on any company involved. most decent companies are fully aware of the requirements and don't discriminate, but it only takes one employee ignorant of the regulations, or poorly trained to cause an error.
any medical procedure that requires an intrusion inside the body is by defination "an invasive procedure". an angiogram involves inserting an instrument through the body to the heart, something that surely is highly invasive? having a blood test is technically an invasive precedure, an angiogram is most definitly a more serious procedure, surely?
your father would have been fully advised on his angiogram and the inherant dangers involved, there is a measurable risk of mortality attached to an angiogram, and by law the patient must be advised of this risk. obviously, a doctor would be caring enough not to create undue anxiety for the patient or family, or may have been asked to play things down by your father.the risks were certainly explained to me prior to having it done, and i insisted it be downplayed to my family, with the exception of my wife.
all that said, different doctors do approach things differently. i'm genuinley glad your fathers outcome was a happy one, i celebrate his good fortune in not having diabetes, long may he enjoy good health, that's the most important thing after all, not the language used.

# 56

Posted: 05/07/2006 12:21

My father was on two occasions admitted to a coronary care unit and he has had an angiogram but was never discriminated against or loaded when it came to an insurance policy of any kind. But he does not have diabetes.
Incidentally, neither he nor any of his care team ever described an angiogram as \"a highly invasive investigation\" or a highly invasinve anything. Just, rather, as a medical test.

# 55

Posted: 04/07/2006 19:02

FELIX Posted: 04/07/2006 12:31
hi felix, i\'m not trying to distress you, i\'m just being devils advocate hoping that you can think this through, your without doubt an intelligent person capable of accepting unbiased information.
felix, your second post shows a slightly bigger picture than your first one, but i\'m not suggesting you lied or behaved improperly in your first post. my response to that clearly said that insurance companies decide on granting mortgage insurance based on consideration of many factors, not just a single issue such as diabetes.
i have to assume that you told the insurance company about yourdiabetes, and now i\'m wondering if you told them about the other issues that led to this diabetes diagnosis, am i correct?
even if you did not then either your doctor or hospital consultant if asked for a full report would have been legally oblidged to \"tell all\" as it were.
i\'m not the insurance person that refused your mortgage insurance, but i would be pretty certain they refused you on more than your diabetes, they considered all risk factors. it would be stretching things to believe they would ignore an admission to a coronary care unit and a highly invasive investigation like an angiogram, even if these were all clear.
an insurance company may well grant you mortgage protection insurance with strict exclusion terms, but most will simply refuse to protect against claims of discrimination. is all this fair? on a personal level i say no, but standing apart and looking at it as an objective business decision, then it\'s perfectly sensible i\'m afraid.
you should also bear in mind that now you have applied for, and refused, an insurance, so this is held on file by the insurance bureau, so you risk all sorts of problems if you were ever tempted to avoid declaring this on any future insurance proposals. please, know that i am not suggesting you would do so, simply telling you in case your unaware, ok?
i feel for you, and any employess you would provide jobs for if you were planning on expansion, it\'s a terrible situation.
do contact the idf, you will get the best possible assistance.
good luck for the future, long may your diabetes be controlled.

# 54

Posted: 04/07/2006 14:37

You need to get your insurance company to very specific about the diabetic related items that are not covered. With the likes of heart problems, kidney failure, etc being possibilities you need to make sure that the insurance company will accept medical opinion that whatever the problem was is not caused by diabetes otherwise you are in fact covered for very very little.

My wife used to work in the insurance industry and warned me about that one where life insurance etc are concerned.

# 53

Posted: 04/07/2006 14:19

i recently got mortgage protection cover , but it will only cover you for illness and the redundacy etc..as per normal

you will not get cover for illness cover for diabetic related ilness.
I am a type 1 diabetic.

# 52

Posted: 04/07/2006 12:31

Reply to anonymous:posted 03/07/06:thank you for your advice.I became a member of the diabetes federation only last week and it seems this is an important thing to do when having difficulty with insurance companies.I had no problem with the car insurance,my biggest worry is that i wont be able to get mortgage protection cover.I dont think my job is an issue.im a restaurant owner.I am a bit worried about the fact i spent a few days in intensive care when i was diagnosed with type 1, as i had chest discomfort,so i had an angiogram which showed all clear,thank god.so at the time they diagnosed angina and i took medication,since then i havent experienced any discomfort and medication is no longer needed.do u think this will affect my insurance?also my diabetes is excellently controlled with my AIC levels never rising above 6.I feel so healthy,so u can imagine how angry i am been discriminated in this way.

# 51

Posted: 03/07/2006 13:56

FOR : Anonymous Posted: 03/07/2006 11:30

I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT YOU HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR NEWLY DIAGNOSED ILLNESS. YOU TOLD THEM ALL YOU KNEW ABOUT WHEN YOU APPLIED, I'M SURE A DOCTOR FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY, OR YOUR OWN DOCTOR SIGNED OFF ON YOUR HEALTH STATUS.
YOUR NOT CLAIRVOYANT, (I HOPE!) SO YOU HAD NO WAY TO TELL YOU HAD TYPE 1 DIABETES.

IF FOR SOME UNFORSEEN REASON THEY ASKED YOU TO CONFIRM YOUR HEALTH STATUS AT RENEWAL, THEN I BELIEVE YOU WOULD HAVE TO TELL THEM.
THE WHOLE REASON FOR YOU TAKING THE INSURANCE WAS TO COVER ANY EVENTUALITY IN THE FUTURE, IN CASE YOU COULDN'T WORK.
RELAX, AND THANK GOD YOU HAD THEPOLICY BEFORE YOUR DIAGNOSIS!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR HEALTH, AND YOUR NEW HOME LONG MAY YOU ENJOY IT.

# 50

Posted: 03/07/2006 11:36

My daughter (the one who was trying to life assurance for her morgage) has managed to get it. I'm not sure how much she has been 'loaded' but she will be paying 67 euro a month on top of her hefty morgage repayment. She had very healthy test results (having had type 1 for 26 years). She is fit and healthy but despite this the insurance company say they view her condition as very serious. I think it is ignorance and that the ins. companies should endeavour to learn about diabetes, the different treatments etc. in order to be able to fairly judge people with the conditon. Hope this makes sense!

# 49

Posted: 03/07/2006 11:30

Hi, just wondering ... I was diagnosed as Type 1 about 6 months *after* taking out a new mortgage and life assurance. Is it necessary to notify the insurance company now, or does the fact that I didn't have diabetes when I took out the policy mean I don't have to ? I didn't see anything in the policy details to suggest this is necessary.

# 48

Posted: 03/07/2006 10:56

hi paul,
i'm delighted to read that things worked out so well for you. your insurance company is very well known, but many brokers, such as the aa can check the market daily and obtain very good deals for both non diabetic and diabetic drivers.
no one needs the type of stress imposed on them that you had to endure, having to come to terms with diabetes and all it's associated problems is quite enough!
i wish you, and your good wife a long and healthy life together.
good luck and god bless you both.

# 47

Posted: 03/07/2006 10:13

hi felix,
i think we can all imagine how you feel, the diagnosis alone is difficult to take onboard without the refusal of mortgage insureance.
i suggest you contact(and join, a few euros per year)the diabetes federation of ireland,email: info@diabetes.ie: www.diabetes.ie: 01-8363022:and the lo-call helpline, 1850909909.
you will get great support and they have several brokers and insurance companies they can put you in touch with also.
felix, i know you blame the refusals on your diabetes, and perhaps you were told that was the reason. however, many other factors are considered when one applies for such insurance. occupation plays a big factor in premiums and acceptance or not, as an example i applied for similiar insurance back when i was around 30 y/o, a while ago now, LoL! i didn't have diabetes then, nor any other illness either, but i was refused the insurance too. they said they were not required to explain why, but things have changed and now i believe they must. to be fair to that company, they told me it had nothing to do with my health, it was my occupation then.
don't despair, the dfi may be able to help in referring you to their insurance contacts, but please understand, they may not be able to actually get you the insurance.
you don't say if you had the insurance prior to being diagnosed, and that it was now refused, but as i read your post my impression is you just applied for it, perhaps for a newer mortgage?
i'm sure you were advised about other requirements when diagnosed, but just in case, you must inform your car insurance company on diagnosis, don't worry, none discriminate and few, if any apply a loading. again, the idf can definitely help with car insurance by referring you to a broker who will handle things for you. if you drive a company car you must inform their insurance company also.
you must inform your driving licence local authority also, usually they request you return your licence and return the form they send you with new photo's etc, and in both licence and insurance your doctor must sign off on the forms too.
in my own case, i must have twice yearly eye checks because of increased risk of glaucoma, you should have it yearly anyway, even if you don't drive.
i've gone on long enough, please contact the idf and speak with them, they have pretty much all the answers felix.
meanwhile, continued good health.
btw, you don't say if your injecting insulin, but if your type one you likely are, it's important to tell your car insurance all the facts, it won't go against you.
good luck.

# 46

Posted: 03/07/2006 09:51

Hi Myvore,

Thanks for that. I suspected as much. I'm afraid that I can't remember which company it was that upset my wife, but she remembers vaguely that it was one of the larger ones. I got a very good policy with Quinn's Direct. They have been very good and their policy and customer services was excellent and I'd recommend them to any diabetic.

# 45

Posted: 30/06/2006 22:47

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last year at aged 42.My condition is excellently controlled however i've just recently being refused Mortgage Protection cover from 2 different insurance companies. I would appreciate if anyone can offer any advice regarding this situation.

# 44

Posted: 07/06/2006 18:17

excuse all lowercase typing, a disability issue, not laziness etc!

to paul:
paul, all enquiries for insurance in ireland are registered with the insurance bureau , whether motor or life, ilness accident etc.

the story you tell is appaling, i'm disgusted to hear what your wife had to endure such abusiveness, and yourself having to hear of it. it was nothing more than the rantings of an ill educated bigot, period! the law prohibits this kind of discriminatory behaviour and the penalties are real, the company your wife contacted are legally responsible for the actions of it's employees or agents. please, contact the diabetes association and register, not very expensive, and they will support you in making a formal complaint to the insurance ombudsman and anti- discrimination board. also, i personally believe in a "name and shame" policy for companies such as this, if they are named then we, fellow diabetics can write or email the company and register our support for those who receive such disgusting treatment.
please consider my suggestions paul, for all our sakes?
to other posters above, many talk of having informed their car insurance companies and i applaud you, even though it is the law! few (not all) have not talked about informing the licencing authority for their area. obviously, i'm refering to local irish posters here, but i know the same applies elsewhere so don't jump on me if your not resident in ireland and holding an irish licence. i had only obtained a 10 year licence a few months when i was diagnosed with type 2, however, i still had to inform the licencing authority who requested i return my licence and fill out new forms and have a cert from my doctor. they returned my licence, still for the ten years but there is a small "code" now printed after each category. my insurance was not loaded, and in fact it reduced this year! by pure coincidence, not because of diabetes! it is also important to note that diabetics should also have an annual check for glaucoma, and should you develope glaucoma you must inform your licencing authority at once. i understand the doctor may give you a written advisory about having to do this. obviously, you should also inform your insurance. insurance companies are less inclined to have concerns eith diabetics taking oral meds and those, like myself, who are insulin dependent and injecting. certainly, when i had to change to insulin the forms had far more questions for my doctor to answer. incidentally, if your diabetes status changes requiring you inject insulin instead of oral meds you must inform your insurance, it's very important to remain within the law.
also very important to note that the requirements, and conditions applying, are much stricter for those who hold commercial driving licences. i may be wrong, but i believe in the uk at least, they rescind your psv and hgv licence if your insulin dependent. not certain about the situation here.
with regard to liam, like it or not, liam is as entitled to post as everyone else! my experience on this site has shown liam behaves this way consistently on every topic liam posts on. i have no idea if liam is male or female, you can't see the person online. your wasting your time trying to reason with that poster, he/she is deliberately "baiting" other posters, i believe the internet name for such a person is a "TROLL". when you see his/her posts think of the "on/off" switch on your tv or radio and act accordingly, it's the only effective remedy long term.
thank you for reading my post, i apologise if it was unduly long.
oh, to paul again, please consider making public the company involved and make a formal complaint, even without joining the ida, we must stop companies like that from repeating their offensiveness.

# 43

Posted: 07/06/2006 12:43

No we have not but will do. Thank you for the advice.

# 42

Posted: 07/06/2006 12:07

Have you contacted the Diabetes Federation of Ireland - my friend is a member and as far as I know they help people obtain different types of insurance, especially if someone is having difficulty getting it.

# 41

Posted: 07/06/2006 12:02

My daughter has had type 1 diabetes for 26 years. She and her partner are building a house. She is having trouble at the moment trying to get life assurance. Has anyone advice to give us?

# 40

Posted: 20/10/2005 10:29

I'm diabetic and have been for 34 years now. I'm reasonably well controlled but improving it as I go along. When my wife in 2003 was trying to find me car insurance when re-registering over here, she had great fun. One of the insurance companies asked for details of my system (Novopen, 4 injections per day (1 basal)) which she said and she was told "We won't insure him. With that number of injections he must be very badly controlled and will die before he's 50". This kind of stupid, ignorant, discriminatory bigotry by people who have no idea is quite distressing. As for that chap Liam's posts, my wife's aunt was a badly controlled diabetic and she was as bad as his posts suggest. Whoever he's looking after needs to get their control sorted and he needs to find out more about assisting that.

Just my thoughts,

Paul

# 39

Posted: 16/02/2005 10:10

i got life assurance last year. im tyep 1 and very good health also. I got loaded 250% but was told by ERM financial services that this was one of the lowest loadings they had seen.

# 38

Posted: 15/02/2005 21:09

What is the average loading for life assurance? I have type 1, first mortgage, very good health,

# 37

Posted: 25/01/2005 15:13

Anon 10:08 - sounds like your friend suffers from hypoglycemia.

# 36

Posted: 25/01/2005 14:35

Anon - 20/1/2005.
Someone who suffers from hypos definately does not have diabetes.
Hypo = low blood sugars
Diabetes = high blood sugars.

Some diabetics get hypos as a side effect of the treatment, it is not related to the illness itself. A lot of people suffer from low blood sugars, generally improving diet/eating regularly will help avoid it.

But yes there are a lot of people around who suffer from various conditions which would affect their ability to drive but who don't have to supply medical information to their insurance company...

# 35

Posted: 20/01/2005 10:08

I have a friend who has been told that she does NOT have Diabetes but yet she suffers from hypo's. As she has not got Diabetes she can hold a 10 year driving licenece

# 34

Posted: 20/01/2005 09:32

I am a type I diabetic and have been for nearly twenty years now. I am not as good a diabetic as I should be with regards to testing etc but all my check ups are good and I am fit and healthy so far. I am moving to London soon and to be honest this is the first I have heard of crippling Mortgage, car and life insurance policies. Does anyone know what the policies for the above are like in the UK?

# 33

Posted: 20/01/2005 01:39

In response to anon, re broker requiring a doctors letter.

This is a simple matter, you have no choice but to provide the doctors letter, at least if you expect to obtain motor insurance at any point.
you must have filled in a proposol form so your condition is a matter of record now, specifically in the motor insurance industry.
To my knowledge, all proposals for motor insurance are filed with the motor insurance bureau of ireland, a centralised cross reference point to prevent people obtaing insurance by lying perhaps.

One other point you must consider is that if you read the proposal forms of most insurance companies, you are asked if any company or broker imposed any special conditions or premiums on any previous quotes you may have made.

This broker did just that, they made it a condition of qouting you subject to a doctors letter!

If you move on elsewhere and don't inform them, as there is a hint of you at least considering, then you will be failing to disclose information which may affect your premium or even granting you cover, and in the event of an accident, you may well find your insurance policy is null and void.

Think, if the accident leaves an innocent parent of several children permanently injured, or worse, your insurance policy may well not cover that person.

All this is apart from the purely moral responsibility we all have to be truthful of course!!!

Get the letter from your doctor, photocopy it and retain the original, if you need to obtain a quote elsewhere, you have on hand.

Personally, when i informed my insurance company they sent me a specific form to complete and to have my doctor complete also, and there was no loading, and i don't consider it discriminatory to be asked to do this.

# 32

Posted: 19/01/2005 18:43

I think that so long as you are aware of when a hypo may be coming on and are checking reguarly before driving then you should be OK. Make sure that you get the doctor to say that in the letter though.
I am driving on my UK license and I have to fill in a bunch of forms every three years to get the license renewed, but I prefer to do that knowing that they will take the license off me if they think that I'm not able anymore, rather than what they did when I got an Irish license and they never even looked at the forms/ letter from GP and just give you the license regardless.

# 31

Posted: 19/01/2005 16:55

My insurance company (hibernian) didn't ask me to fill out any form. But they did ask for a letter from my doc to say that i am in good health and my diabetes is well controlled which is fair enough as far as I'm concerned. Once i got the letter hibernian were happy and my insurance premium is the same as everybody elses.

# 30

Posted: 17/01/2005 16:27

I was diagnosed with type 1 a few weeks ago. I was dreading a call to my insurance companies, but when I called I found that neither my car or motorcycle insurance will be loaded. I was expecting to have to give up the bike! I need to send a doctors letter to AXA for the car insurance to say I am fit to drive, but I can live with that. So it looks like the Federation has had success in tackling motor insurance discrimination.

# 29

Posted: 12/01/2005 16:46

Well if your insurance broker requires a letter then you don't have much choice. Generally tho', if you diabetes is well controlled and your GP doesn't have any serious concerns then it shouldn't be a problem.