Insurance to get SORN vehicle to MOT

[boingy]

Hi, first post.

I have a SORN vehicle I want to put back on the road. It has no MOT so I need insurance to get it to the MOT station. I was hoping to find a company on one of the comparison sites that do not automatically void the insurance if no MOT but after too much time reading the small print I've not found such a company, even though they are rumoured to exist!

So I'm hoping someone on here can recommend such a company or, failing that, that someone can recommend an online company that will do temporary (1 day) insurance to get it to the MOT.

[DaveCWK]

Isn't this just most standard insurance policies? I'm sure all mine over the years haven't had any clause that they are only valid if the car has an MOT.

[Sheepshanks]

Normal policies usually say something like the car has to have an MOT if it needs one - the car doesn't need one for the purposes described. Day polcies may vary though if they're reluctant to be used for this purpose.

Other solution is to get the garage to collect it on trade plates.

[Fastdruid]

I sincerely doubt any will care if you are taking a vehicle *to* get an MOT (and even if they tried it I'd expect the ombudsman to rule in your favour).

That clause in the policy is for driving round without an MOT not to cover travel to/from the MOT station. At worst the value may be lower.

I should mention also that my insurance doesn't have a single mention of MOT in there with the exception of legal cover excluding **prosecution** for legal offences to do with the MOT.

[boingy]

DaveCWK said:

Isn't this just most standard insurance policies? I'm sure all mine over the years haven't had any clause that they are only valid if the car has an MOT.

Sadly it seems not.

I never gave this stuff any thought when I SORN'ed it for lockdown. I planned to just keep normal fully comp on it, because it's cheap enough, but the second year I tried to renew it the MOT had expired and the insurance company said they would not cover it without a valid MOT even though it was SORN. I assumed they would be happy to take my money to insure a vehicle that's is locked in a garage but they said no. I found the same result from phoning around a few previous insurers. One insurer even told me that if they issues such a policy it would automatically un-SORN the vehicle, which is clearly nonsense!

So I think I need a more specialist insurance company rather than one that just reads the computer screen. I was hoping someone on here has had a similar experience but found a way to "win".

[Krikkit]

Buy online -> take it to MOT -> don't worry about it.

As noted above the MOT clause is designed so that if you run around without an MOT for months they won't cover you, if you're on the way it won't matter.

[Truckosaurus]

I wonder how many people have cars insured but long term SORNed on the off-chance it gets stolen or the garage burns down.

Would they get a payout as they've not got it MoTed?

[SS2.]

Whether it was enforceable or not, any condition which required a vehicle to have a vaid MOT would almost certainly include the words 'if required'.

On the grounds that a vehicle is exempt from having an MOT when it is being driven to / from a pre-arranged test, then an MOT would not be required for those specific journeys.

[Unreal]

OP - I have a number of Sorned vehicles. I also have a clause in my policy stating that they can only be driven (not stored) under the insurance with a valid MOT.

I face exactly the same issue as you in needing to periodically obtain an MOT. I spoke to the insurer who confirmed that cover would be in place en route to or from a pre booked MOT.

The Police can be uncompromising in the event of a stop and the hassle could be major so I strongly advise you to do what I did, get the advice in writing and carry it with you. All it will take is a phone call.

[boingy]

Truckosaurus said:

I wonder how many people have cars insured but long term SORNed on the off-chance it gets stolen or the garage burns down.

Would they get a payout as they've not got it MoTed?

You'd hope they would, and that was my reason for trying to keep up the insurance but they refused to renew it once the MOT had gone. So if there are people out there with long term insured SORNs I'd love to know which companies they use!

I tried insuring through the meerkats which was initially successful but one day later they cancelled it, which is where I came in on the story. It also raises the spectre of me now having been "refused insurance in the past". Happy days.

The more reckless side of me thinks that I could take out an online policy on the day of the MOT then argue that I believed I was insured on that day, especially as my rural journey to the MOT will be entirely deserted apart from the last 200 metres so the chances of me getting pinged are vanishingly small. But I would like to do it properly if at all possible.

[Cotty]

boingy said:

I never gave this stuff any thought when I SORN'ed it for lockdown. I planned to just keep normal fully comp on it, because it's cheap enough, but the second year I tried to renew it the MOT had expired and the insurance company said they would not cover it without a valid MOT even though it was SORN. I assumed they would be happy to take my money to insure a vehicle that's is locked in a garage but they said no. I found the same result from phoning around a few previous insurers. One insurer even told me that if they issues such a policy it would automatically un-SORN the vehicle, which is clearly nonsense!

So I think I need a more specialist insurance company rather than one that just reads the computer screen. I was hoping someone on here has had a similar experience but found a way to "win".

You could have dropped to Fire and Theft insurance only. You didn't need fully comp or third party insurance as no driving was being done.

Mine is an older car so use https://www.classiclineinsurance.co.uk/ who are used to insuring cars not being driven.
They have a specific section for that https://www.classiclineinsurance.co.uk/laid-up-ins...
They will probably be able to advise how to cover your car between home and the MOT station.

[Cotty]

Truckosaurus said:

I wonder how many people have cars insured but long term SORNed on the off-chance it gets stolen or the garage burns down.

Would they get a payout as they've not got it MoTed?

The correct policy to purchase would cover Fire and Theft only. That would cover the car for the risks you describe. A car on SORN does not need cover to drive on the road. MOT is irrelevant if the car is not driven on the road.

[Mammasaid]

SS2. said:

Whether it was enforceable or not, any condition which required a vehicle to have a vaid MOT would almost certainly include the words 'if required'.

On the grounds that a vehicle is exempt from having an MOT when it is being driven to / from a pre-arranged test, then an MOT would not be required for those specific journeys.

This was brought up not so long ago, the relevant terms from Admiral Insurance state;

"if applicable, make sure your vehicle has a current MOT certificate"

https://eui-pdf-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/...

Therefore, it's not applicable to have a MOT in order to travel to/from a MOT test, therefore you are covered.

[boingy]

Mammasaid said:

SS2. said:

Whether it was enforceable or not, any condition which required a vehicle to have a valid MOT would almost certainly include the words 'if required'.

On the grounds that a vehicle is exempt from having an MOT when it is being driven to / from a pre-arranged test, then an MOT would not be required for those specific journeys.

This was brought up not so long ago, the relevant terms from Admiral Insurance state;

"if applicable, make sure your vehicle has a current MOT certificate"

<snip - newbies not allowed to post links, even in quotes>

Therefore, it's not applicable to have a MOT in order to travel to/from a MOT test, therefore you are covered.

It was Admiral that refused to renew the insurance because of no MOT. The problem with all of these big companies is they don't have anyone who can cope with the more unusual scenarios.

Can you imagine trying to argue the "if applicable" bit with a grumpy plod who has heard it all...

I'll ring round a few of the classic car insurers tomorrow.

The alternative plan is to wait 8 years for it to be MOT exempt.

[swisstoni]

Admiral have a history of some interesting small print in their policies.
I have been avoiding them and the other companies in their group for years.

[Fastdruid]

boingy said:

Mammasaid said:

SS2. said:

Whether it was enforceable or not, any condition which required a vehicle to have a valid MOT would almost certainly include the words 'if required'.

On the grounds that a vehicle is exempt from having an MOT when it is being driven to / from a pre-arranged test, then an MOT would not be required for those specific journeys.

This was brought up not so long ago, the relevant terms from Admiral Insurance state;

"if applicable, make sure your vehicle has a current MOT certificate"

<snip - newbies not allowed to post links, even in quotes>

Therefore, it's not applicable to have a MOT in order to travel to/from a MOT test, therefore you are covered.

It was Admiral that refused to renew the insurance because of no MOT. The problem with all of these big companies is they don't have anyone who can cope with the more unusual scenarios.

Can you imagine trying to argue the "if applicable" bit with a grumpy plod who has heard it all...

I'll ring round a few of the classic car insurers tomorrow.

The alternative plan is to wait 8 years for it to be MOT exempt.

Honestly, you're over thinking this. They won't insure (ie in this case renew) a car that isn't going to be driven for a year. That is a totally different scenario.

Even Admiral will happily insure a car with no MOT if the very first thing you're going to do is MOT it. They're just not wanting to insure a car that isn't going to be driven and will just "sit" for a year (there are "laid up" policies if you want that).

I have insured I don't know how many vehicles where at the time of taking out the insurance they've not had an MOT...but I've taken out the insurance so I *CAN* drive/ride them and get an MOT!

If you really insist on finding an insurer that doesn't mention anything about MOT's then Privilege has absolutely no mention of MOT that I can find, I'm sure there are plenty of others.

As for arguing with grumpy plod it's a legal entitlement to drive to an pre-booked appointment (the pre-booked bit is important) at an MOT station with no tax and no MOT, an MOT isn't required for this hence the insurance is perfectly valid. Reality is though they're going to check MID which is going to flag the car as insured. Tell them you're driving to a pre-booked MOT and they may check you actually have but then they'll wave you on their way.

The only time I've ever worried about insurance on the way to an MOT is if I'm using the riding other bikes/driving other cars part of my policy and then I'm expecting a tug because the car/bike will flag as un-insured[1] and hence I've carried not only the certificate but the V5 as proof of both non-ownership *and* permission.



[1] And before anyone pipes up with it being a requirement for DOC/ROB vehicles to have their own insurance that is policy specific. Mine do not specify that.