Insurance and your LPA
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
An unoccupied house and an undisclosed diagnosis are the two most expensive oversights in this job.
The urgent review
- If the donor has moved into care, tell the insurer immediately — unoccupied property terms apply, often within 30 days.
- Check whether carers working in the home need to be declared, and whether employer's liability is needed for a directly employed carer.
- Cancel or amend motor insurance if the donor has stopped driving; tell the DVLA where a condition affects fitness to drive.
- Review travel and health insurance before any trip.
Disclosure
Non-disclosure voids cover
You must disclose a material change of circumstances, including a diagnosis affecting driving and a change of occupancy. Insurers will decline claims where the attorney knew and did not tell them.
Policies worth checking for value
- Old life policies, endowments and funeral plans the donor may have forgotten.
- Critical illness or income protection policies that may now pay out.
- Payment protection or waiver of premium benefits on existing loans.
- Duplicate cover the donor has been paying twice for.
Common questions
Can I make a claim on the donor's behalf?
Yes, as financial attorney, and you should send the insurer a certified copy of the LPA.
Do I need my own insurance as an attorney?
No. Lay attorneys are not required to be insured or bonded, unlike some deputies.
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This is general information about how Lasting Powers of Attorney work in England and Wales. It is not legal advice about your situation. What we do and do not do.
Published by Estate Advisory Group