New insurance law on SORN vehicles - has anyone had to sell?

[Notshortnottall]

I have a van which we use for racing. Over the winter months I have no use for it so it's put on a SORN and kept off-road.

Now, due to the new rule surrounding a car that is SORN'd - it must be insured I am reliably informed?

I've just had a renewal through and my insurance on the van has more than doubled to £1400+ for no reason (claims, points etc.). I've done all the usual ringing aruond and cannot find a price cheaper than my renewal, meaning it's looking like I'll have to get shut of the van.

I have 2 concerns over this:

1. I'm effectively being taken to the cleaners and forced (in my mind anyway - might just be my angry head venting) to sell up.

2. Insurance runs out in early March - what happens if I cannot sell before then and the car is uninsured? I'll either have to lose a hell of a lot of money just to get shut at a bargain price, or pay an exhorbitant amount to renew the policy - even if just for a brief period until it sells.

Have I missed something here?

[deltashad]

Surely they can't make you insure a vehicle which is residing on private property?

Please tell me this is not true...

[SystemParanoia]

put the van in another name and ignore all the letter's

[Ozzie Osmond]

Wrong way round. Must be either,

• Taxed and insured, or
• SORNed

[Risotto]

It's simple. If it's taxed, it must be insured. If it's SORN'd, it doesn't need to be insured.

Edited by Risotto on Friday 24th February 13:50

[LukeBird]

If it is SORNd it doesn't need to be insured.
What you mustn't do now is let the lax lapse and just not use the vehicle; regardless if it is taxed or untaxed (note, not SORNd), it must be insured.

More info here.

[S1_RS]

As already stated you have it the wrong way round.

From the MIB-

Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE)
As part of Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), it is now a legal requirement for registered vehicle keepers to insure their vehicle(s) at all times.

You don’t have to be driving to be caught. It is an offence to keep a vehicle without insurance unless you have notified DVLA that your vehicle is being kept off the road by means of a Statutory off Road Notice (SORN).

[GreigM]

No need to insure if it is on SORN, whoever told you that is mistaken.

The change was that you used to be able to let the insurance lapse on a car which still had tax, and so long as it wasn't used on the road then there was no issue. Now if it has tax it MUST have insurance at all times, otherwise you must cash-in the tax and declare it sorn.

[BorkFactor]

If there is tax, it must be insured.

If the tax lapses, and you are not insured, it must be declared SORN.

I went through all this very recently when I took my car off the road, no tax + SORN + no insurance = all is well

[Notshortnottall]

Phew - many thanks for putting me right on this.

Was getting very concerned then! Your input is greatly appreciated.

MODS - TOPIC CAN NOW BE CLOSED

[saaby93]

S1_RS said:

As already stated you have it the wrong way round.

From the MIB-

Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE)
As part of Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), it is now a legal requirement for registered vehicle keepers to insure their vehicle(s) at all times.

That is so misleading. I had someone ask me about it the other day. The envelope from DVLA annual reminder about SORN or tax had that on it. The guy was convinced that he now has to insure continuously even if it's SORN out the back.
He checked the website which said just about the same - maybe that is from the website