Obstructive sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing periodically while you sleep when tissues in your mouth and throat collapse and block your airways. Daytime sleepiness is a characteristic symptom of sleep apnea because the rest you get is not restorative. Oxygen deprivation can also cause cognitive difficulties. Both of these symptoms have the potential to affect your driving ability. However, sleep apnea doesn’t necessarily have to prevent you from driving. Treatment with CPAP can relieve your symptoms and make it safer for you to drive.
Unlike health insurance and life insurance, auto insurers do not ask health questions or get access to your medical records as a condition for obtaining coverage. Therefore, sleep apnea does not have a direct effect on car insurance coverage or premium rates. However, it could be an indirect factor in raising your rates if you have a history of accidents related to drowsy driving as auto insurance companies look primarily at your driving record when determining whether insuring you would be a risk.
Do I Need To Disclose I Have Sleep Apnea To My Insurance Company?
Having sleep apnea may affect your driving privileges as granted by your state. Under certain circumstances, your doctor may be required to report your condition to the Department of Motor Vehicles or the equivalent state government agency. Depending on where you live, this could mean that your driving privileges are restricted or revoked altogether. However, it is only if your doctor believes that your driving may pose a risk to yourself or others that he or she has to report your diagnosis. If your sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure through a P10 CPAP mask and your symptoms are under control, there may be no need to make the report.
Furthermore, there is no legal requirement that your auto insurer be informed of your sleep apnea diagnosis. Neither you nor your doctor has to disclose it to the insurance company, and even if your doctor does have to report it to the DMV, the department does not have to share the information with your insurer.
Finding Quality Coverage for My Needs
The level of car insurance coverage that you obtain is up to you. However, if you are concerned about the possibility of causing an accident because of your sleep apnea, you may want to find a policy that provides more comprehensive coverage to avoid personal financial liability for any damage that you cause. This sort of robust policy may come at the cost of a higher premium rate, especially if you have a history of past accidents. Therefore, you should contact several different insurance companies for quotes. Compare the rates for each and choose the one that offers you the best coverage at the lowest price. Comprehensive coverage may offer you peace of mind, but remember that as long as your symptoms are well-controlled, your risk of causing an accident may not be any greater than the average driver’s.
Finding the CPAP equipment that works best for you is important to control your symptoms most effectively. You may have to shop around and look at ResMed Airfit N30i nasal cradle mask reviews before you make your decision, at which point you can make your purchase online.
