accident with no mot, will insurance pay out?
accident with no mot, will insurance pay out?
Author
Discussion

vicki66

Original Poster:

15 posts

171 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
I really dont need telling off, I feel bad & stupid enough already.
I got my 4 year old 207 from my 87 & 86 year old parents, its only done £15,000 miles and it was imaculate, I loved itfrown
Ok I have been driving for 20+ years never had an accident until 4 months ago, now I have had 2.
The first accident was caused by a scrap lorry losing a 3x2 foot sheet of metal on a dual carrage way or someone threw it off the bridge, who knows. I had no choice but to drive over it as the ulternative would have been to drive under the artic lorry I was overtaking. The insurance paid out £2,000 to fix the car and I got it back after 4 weeks, I thought due to the damage that it would have been re- MOTed- no.
I have only done about 200 miles since I got it back as I have been working away much of that time.
Yesterday I drove into the back of someone on an exit of a roundabout because a padestrian walked out infront of her, my fault.
I informed the insurance company and all was ok, untill I found my MOT certificate it expired 14 days ago. The engineer came out today to look at the car, he thinks its boarder line write off.
I was a sniveling mess and I explained about the MOT, he said he would put my case forward and hope that they would over look it as the car was imaculate, low milage and seemed perfectly road worthy and that human error caused accident not any problems with the car.
My insurance is with Ageas Insurance LTD
Can some one tell me, who knows for sure, if they will pay out? There is a lot of conflicting views out there, and I want to stop worrying.
thanks in advance
Vicki

Meoricin

2,880 posts

190 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
vicki66 said:
I really dont need telling off, I feel bad & stupid enough already.
I got my 4 year old 207 from my 87 & 86 year old parents, its only done £15,000 miles and it was imaculate, I loved itfrown
Ok I have been driving for 20+ years never had an accident until 4 months ago, now I have had 2.
The first accident was caused by a scrap lorry losing a 3x2 foot sheet of metal on a dual carrage way or someone threw it off the bridge, who knows. I had no choice but to drive over it as the ulternative would have been to drive under the artic lorry I was overtaking. The insurance paid out £2,000 to fix the car and I got it back after 4 weeks, I thought due to the damage that it would have been re- MOTed- no.
I have only done about 200 miles since I got it back as I have been working away much of that time.
Yesterday I drove into the back of someone on an exit of a roundabout because a padestrian walked out infront of her, my fault.
I informed the insurance company and all was ok, untill I found my MOT certificate it expired 14 days ago. The engineer came out today to look at the car, he thinks its boarder line write off.
I was a sniveling mess and I explained about the MOT, he said he would put my case forward and hope that they would over look it as the car was imaculate, low milage and seemed perfectly road worthy and that human error caused accident not any problems with the car.
My insurance is with Ageas Insurance LTD
Can some one tell me, who knows for sure, if they will pay out? There is a lot of conflicting views out there, and I want to stop worrying.
thanks in advance
Vicki
What does your policy document say?

PurpleMoonlight

22,362 posts

178 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
They have to cover the losses to the third party.

They may not cover your losses.

ooo000ooo

2,631 posts

215 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
I had a car burnt out a few years back, the assessor took into account the general state of the car, any receipts i had to prove the car was road worthy (i had replaced the gear box a week before and serviced it the day before) even though it wasn't mot'd. The insurance knocked a percentage off the value then paid out within the week.
They actually paid out more than i'd paid for the car a few months earlier smile

Best to read the small print on your policy in case it specifically states that the car has to be mot'd!

SHutchinson

2,257 posts

205 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
Strange first post.

Have you spoken to your insurers?

Oh. 'Region: C of E'?

biggrin

vicki66

Original Poster:

15 posts

171 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
It says
" You must do all you can to protect your car and keep it in a roadworthy condition. If you do not do this your right to claim under your policy may be affected.
Also it says
"Maintain your car in roadworthy condition and ensure you have a valid MOT certificate where appropriate"
So maybe I am a dumb blonde but I dont know.
thanks
Vx

Big News

1,937 posts

200 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
SHutchinson said:
'Region: C of E'?

vicki66

Original Poster:

15 posts

171 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
LOL! Duh see, dumb blonde I must me I thought it a little strange asking for my religion (ha ha)

falkster

4,258 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
I think the fact it's only 4 years old you'll be fine with maybe a nominal reduction in your pay out.
I had a friend that had an old 405 that was stolen and dumped but when it was found the assessor noticed the cambelt had gone so looked like a false claim. The MOT had also ran out the week prior. He was paid out in full.

98elise

31,111 posts

182 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
If the car is written off then they are likely to reduce the pre-accident value. Not having an MOT does not make you car unroadworthy, it just means you didn't get the required annual check done.

Laird

26,140 posts

235 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
vicki66 said:
It says
" You must do all you can to protect your car and keep it in a roadworthy condition. If you do not do this your right to claim under your policy may be affected.
Also it says
"Maintain your car in roadworthy condition and ensure you have a valid MOT certificate where appropriate"
So maybe I am a dumb blonde but I dont know.
thanks
Vx
Bottom line is that having no MOT gives your insurer an easy get out clause. By the conditions of your insurance, your policy is void if you have no valid MOT.

As someone noted above, the third party's (person you hit) insurers will claim from your own insurer, but you might be unable to claim for your own losses.

Best contact them first thing in the morning and be as honest as possible.

Good luck.

Laird

26,140 posts

235 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
98elise said:
If the car is written off then they are likely to reduce the pre-accident value. Not having an MOT does not make you car unroadworthy, it just means you didn't get the required annual check done.
Wrong.

rottie102

4,033 posts

205 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
Why did you tell them about it? Nobody would check.

Laird

26,140 posts

235 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
rottie102 said:
Why did you tell them about it? Nobody would check.
Very naive to assume that.

vikingaero

12,128 posts

190 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
Those who say that a insurance is void if there is no MOT are WRONG and talking the usual pub lore bullox.

A car can be perfectly roadworthy without a MOT. Indeed there are only a handful of Insurers who state that a MOT is required as part of the terms of the Policy. And indeed some Insurers have tried to blag it and refused to pay out where a car that was subject to a claim had no MOT.

Unfortunately for the Insurers, many people have taken their Insurers to the Financial Ombudsman. The FOS has time and time again upheld complaints that the requirement for a MOT is not reason to refuse a payout where the condition of the vehicle has no bearing on the accident. However the Insurer is at liberty to lower the payout to the value of a vehicle without a MOT.

vicki66

Original Poster:

15 posts

171 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
The engineer asked for it in advance. They could find out on the data base, I thought if I was honest it would be bettersmile

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

267 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
Laird said:
98elise said:
If the car is written off then they are likely to reduce the pre-accident value. Not having an MOT does not make you car unroadworthy, it just means you didn't get the required annual check done.
Wrong.
Yes, you are wrong and 98elise is correct.

saaby93

32,038 posts

199 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
vicki66 said:
The engineer asked for it in advance. They could find out on the data base, I thought if I was honest it would be bettersmile
Should be ok
They need to replace you car with an equivalent or offer you the cash to buy the same up to the value you said the car was worth when you took out the policy.
They could try to find an equivalent without an MOT, but its hardly worth their bother. Have you checked localy or autotrader for a replacement?



vicki66

Original Poster:

15 posts

171 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
This is great! you guys can sort out all my problems, but dont argue, I just want to stop worrying.
So do I talk to the insurance company, pleed my defence, cry a little or let the engineer explain it all to them?:X

Laird

26,140 posts

235 months

Tuesday 25th October 2011
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
Yes, you are wrong and 98elise is correct.
On what grounds may I ask?