MOT/Insurance

[Mike53]

My father in laws car was due an MOT on 7th Jan. Accordingly he booked it in for service & MOT on 5th Jan. However due to snow it was impossible to get the car to the garage in time and the MOT ran out. There is now no way we can drive the car to the MOT station without using the car on the road without an MOT. I think I have heard you are allowed to drive a vehicle without an MOT to an MOT station for the purpose of obtaining an MOT certificate.. Being a cautious individual I decided to check on the insurance. I phoned the insurers who confirmed "unless the car has a valid MOT the insurance is void".

I wonder if anyone is aware of an insurance company who will offer insurance for the trip to the MOT station. If not there does not seem to be any point in allowing the trip to and from the MOT station in order to obtain the MOT.

We have resolved our problem on this occasion by having the vehicle collected by the MOT station.

Mike

 

[wotan]

I believe you have been misinformed, it is perfectly legal to drive a vehicle to the MOT test station, providing the test has been pre-booked, you must go via the most direct route, the vehicle does need to be insured in order to do this.

Wotan

 

[RedHerring]

I concur. You also have to return via the shortest route. It is also one of the few times you are allowed to drive without Tax.
Curiously enough, it does not need to be the nearest MOT station to your home or wherever the car is.
I've toyed/wondered about driving a vehicle from, for instance, south coast ferry to, somewhere like, Staffordshire with a locally pre-booked MOT
I can't find anything illegal about it. But would it be seen as "taking the p**s"?

 

[olly_k]

Regardless of whether it is legal or not I don't think the insurance company is obliged to cover you with a potentially dangerous vehicle on the road!

Anyone expand on this?

 

[Mike53]

Hi All,

Thanks for replies.

I think my original post was misunderstood.

I am of the opinion (corectly or not) that you can drive to and from an MOT test station with a vehicle that does not currently have an MOT certificate.

However I am also of the opinion that if you choose to do so any insurance you think you might have will be invalid due to the vehicle not having an MOT certificate. You would not be prosecuted for not having an MOT certificate but you would be for driving without insurance.

My question was is anyone aware if some insurers will offer cover under these circumstances?

Mike

 

[RedHerring]

Regardless of whether it is legal or not I don't think the insurance company is obliged to cover you with a potentially dangerous vehicle on the road!

Anyone expand on this?

Who, in their right mind, would be taking a dangerous vehicle for an MOT?

 

[wotan]

Regardless of whether it is legal or not I don't think the insurance company is obliged to cover you with a potentially dangerous vehicle on the road!

Anyone expand on this?

How would you know if it was a potentially dangerous vehicle till it was tested?
Brakes, steering, lights, all may well work, but there could be a inherently dangerous fault ready to manifest itself of wich you were unaware.

Wotan

 

[RedHerring]

However I am also of the opinion that if you choose to do so any insurance you think you might have will be invalid due to the vehicle not having an MOT certificate. You would not be prosecuted for not having an MOT certificate but you would be for driving without insurance.

My question was is anyone aware if some insurers will offer cover under these circumstances?

Mike

My previous imsurance was with Bollington MotorTrade, 'cos I was running more than 1 car and it was cheaper than 2 seperate insurances.
Basically it covered me to do work on friends & relatives cars and be covered to drive them on this insurance. I did not need to provide any proof of work carried out, or even premises.
If I was driving a vehicle that had no insurance I merely had to input it onto the MID (Motor Insurance Database) for the period(s) that I was driving it.
Moreover, it states that a vehicle should have an MOT (when needed) in the policy. It also states that the vehicle must be roadworthy.
Two distinctly different things and both reasonably clear.
The MOT is required when needed, and going back & for to the test station is not one of those times.
The roadworthiness of the vehicle is subject to external examination.

 

[RedHerring]

My current insurance has a couple of relative clauses:
1. The insurance will not pay out if the vehicle is used in an unsafe condition.
2. You must do all you can....../ /.....and keep it in a roadworthy condition. If you do not.../ /....your policy may be affected. It then goes on to list the things which you should do all you can:
*
*
* Maintain your car in roadworthy condition and ensure you have a valid MOT, where appropriate.

Not only do we realise that an MOT and roadworthy condition is not mutually inclusive but also the Insures recognise it also.

 

[RedHerring]

Regardless of whether it is legal or not I don't think the insurance company is obliged to cover you with a potentially dangerous vehicle on the road!

Anyone expand on this?

How would you know if it was a potentially dangerous vehicle till it was tested?
Brakes, steering, lights, all may well work, but there could be a inherently dangerous fault ready to manifest itself of wich you were unaware.
.
Wotan

Well that can happen irrespective of having an MOT or not.

Having an MOT does not mean that you have a roadworthy vehicle. Only that it was roadworthy on the day of the test.

 

[TicklyT]

Having an MOT does not mean that you have a roadworthy vehicle. Only that it was roadworthy on the day of the test.

I wouldnt even go that far - I would say something more like 'having an MOT certificate only indicates the tester found no serious defects in the parts of the vehicle that are subject to testing at the time of the test'.

 

[Mike53]

Thanks again for replies,

My father in law in insured through the Post Office and I understand the risk is with Fortis. When I phoned the Post Office and explained the situation they were quite clear that the insurance would be invalid for the trip to the MOT station and back from it in the event of an MOT failure.

In light of this we arranged for the MOT station to collect the vehicle on Monday hich was delivered back yesterday complete with MOT certificate and account for £99. (few odd jobs needed doing).

When next I am speaking to my insurer out of interest I will ask if they would be prepared to cover my vehicle for a trip to/from the MOT test centre.

Mike

 

[wotan]

Mike 53 wrote..When next I am speaking to my insurer out of interest I will ask if they would be prepared to cover my vehicle for a trip to/from the MOT test centre.
Its not a question of asking, it's their legal obligation, the law states it's acceptable, to drive to the MOT station, provided the car is insured.
They are just covering their own backsides, insurance companies are renown for looking for get out excuses.

Wotan

 

[Ronald0]

In future take your vehicle for MOT one month before it expires.

 

[RedHerring]

In future take your vehicle for MOT one month before it expires.

Good tip under normal circumstances. It does not affect the normal anniversary of your MOT if you re-mot any time in the last month.