C-Section - how long before you can drive with Insurance?

[PurpleLostPrincess]

My DSIL had a c-section on Thursday morning (and had a beautiful boy named Jack!). Anyway, she is coming home tomorrow and we were talking and apparently insurance companies sometimes stipulate that you're not covered for a certain amount of weeks. She is with Direct Line and I have tried to look at their general terms & conditions online but can't find anything - has anybody got any experience of this at all? I'm trying to make things easier for her so she's not stuck on the phone for too long as she already has 2 DS's to look after! I appreciate she will have to speak with them to find out about her specific policy coverage but any help would be appreciated.

Cheers!

My insurance company said I was OK to drive if I "consulted my GP and the GP said it was OK".
On consulting my GP he just asked " do you feel you are able to drive ?"

So basically it came down to whether I felt able to drive but the insurance company wouldn't have covered me unless I had consulted my GP.

I drove at between 3 and 4 weeks after both my c-sections but only very short distances.

It does vary and as well to talk to them, I'm afraid. Mine was "when a doctor agrees you are fit to drive" rather than a specific number of weeks and that seems to be fairly common.

with my sister it was 6 weeks, after both of her c-sections

I was told 6 weeks, though I didn;t drive at the time lol

in the UK I was told 6 weeks by my insurer. Here in Aus was driving after three weeks as long as GP gave me the all clear - but I had to contact my insurer to ask.

Having said that - i was only driving short distances after 3 weeks.

I am sure it varies according to your insurer - why not give them a call.

your insurer can only ask you not to drive if your doctor, and hence the DVLA, ask you not to. If a doctor tells you not to drive, you should inform the DVLA.

It's worth ringing the insurer to ask them, but because of discrimination laws etc, they can only refuse you to be allowed to drive if the DVLA say so.

Can you tell i work in insurance. God i'm boring myself now.

It's also worth your DSIL waiting to see how she gets on after a week or so post-op. With my 1st c-s I was fit to drive after 3 weeks and the Dr said fine, so I did. With my 2nd one however, it took me the whole six weeks to even walk properly again and I definitely would not have felt 'fit' to drive. I drove 7 weeks after in the end.

I am with Direct Line. They said as long as my GP said I was fit to drive I would be insured.I saw her at 3 weeks and she asked me if I felt ok to drive. I drove home from the appointment!

Thanks guys, I'll update her. I'm sure this will put her mind at rest - somebody told her it would be 8 weeks!!

Cheers again...