Australia’s first independence and mobility insurance specialist, Blue Badge Insurance is celebrating five years providing comprehensive insurance for vehicles converted for a driver or passenger with disability.

Proudly servicing a wide range of Australians, the Newcastle-based company started insuring wheelchairs and mobility scooters in 2014. Then it added motor insurance in 2016, covering WAVs, disability converted cars and cars that regularly use a disability parking permit.

CEO Nik Witcombe, who is also a board member of Assistive Technology Suppliers Australia (ATSA), said:

“We built Blue Badge Insurance on a commitment to positively discriminate for people living with disability. For example, we provide comprehensive car insurance discounts of up to 25% to disability parking permit holders because we know they’re statistically safer drivers. We also know insurance can be a hassle, especially for WAV’s; that’s why we try to make the process as easy as possible.”

Specialised vehicles need specialised insurance As an industry specialist insurer, there are several things Blue Badge does differently, such as:

•Up to 25% off car insurance for disability parking permit users

•A ‘new for old’ replacement of your vehicle’s disability conversion for up to five years ($75,000 limit)

•Coverage of up to $5,000 for any assistive technology, like wheelchairs, in the vehicle at the time of a claimable incident

•Documents that clearly separate the insurance premium for conversions from the insurance premium for the vehicle, to allow costs to be claimed back from funding bodies like the NDIS

•Free car hire (up to $150 a day) in case of theft, allowing a customer to hire a replacement WAV if this unfortunate event arises

• Insurance coverage included for support workers and other carers who drive its policy holders’ vehicles. Over its half-decade in the industry Blue Badge has insured thousands of WAV’s and converted vehicles. Today it insures over $100 million worth of these vehicles and has a close working relationship with all key vehicle convertors.

The company’s long-standing industry connections are something its customers benefit greatly from, both from an insurance pricing perspective and in enjoying fast and fair claims process.

Making the difficult, easy “Our inhouse customer service and claims team has years of combined experience as disability insurance specialists. We all work towards one goal, to make the difficult easy. We know insurance can be boring and frustrating and our customers have more important things to spend their time on,” Witcombe said.

“If you call our team and want to ensure your Kia Carnival conversion, unlike mainstream insurers they know exactly what you’re talking about.” The team is familiar with the disability space and the equipment people with disability need to go about their days. They constantly look to keep abreast of industry changes and regularly engage with assistive technology suppliers to understand the latest in vehicle conversions, hand controls wheelchairs and other mobility equipment.

“While WAV’s are our largest segment, we are seeing significant growth in the number of people insuring their wheelchairs. Originally, we insured mainly mobility scooters, but wheelchairs are rapidly catching up. We insure any wheelchair up to a maximum value of $50,000, including scripted powerchairs as well as manual chairs and propulsion devices like Smart Drive and E-motion.

“Whether it be a converted car, wheelchair or mobility scooter you don’t have to explain yourself over and over to us. Every day the Blue Badge team speaks to scores of Australians living with disability, so we can understand your situation and your needs,” Witcombe said. Call Blue Badge Insurance for a quick quote today on: 1300 304 802 or go to: www.bluebadgeinsurance. com.au/insurance  

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