UK MOT - Insurance issue

[heinkeljb]

Sorry the title does not quite cover what I wanted to comment on.

The UK has recently changed the MOT test rules to allow for pre-1960 vehicles to be exempted from a yearly MOT. There are some requirements to have an MOT if you are selling the vehicle or you wish to get one anyway.

The issue is this:- How are insurance companies going to decide that your vehicle is roadworthy and therefore be prepared to insure it? If for instance, you have a crash in your pre-1960 vehicle and the insurance assessor says " I don't think the vehicle was road worthy before the crash" - The insurance company can invalidate your insurance, then you are looking at no only the cost of the crash to your own vehicle, but also any third party claims are now your direct responsibility. The police at this point would also be interested in you as you were technically driving with out insurance - a criminal offence!

A related scenario could affect people with more modern cars. If your car has plastic panels which cover parts of the car e.g. plastic under trays. The MOT man is not allowed to take them off to check on the condition of things under there. So they make a statement on the MOT certificate which says in effect "not checked under panels". So now covered up by the under tray, your vehicle has scummed to the dreaded tin worm. Not pointed out to you, so you have no knowledge there is something to fix. In a crash, rust in you chassis is deemed to have contributed to the crash: - invalid insurance etc, etc.

Any thoughts people?

John

[AustHaflinger]

Thankfully in the Australian Capital Territory where I live (is like the District of Columbia in the USA) there is no annual equivalent of MOT - only on first registration or re-registration. The point you raise is valid and we have the same issues but in reality is not an issue unless your insurance companies do things differently. The same issue applies with vehicles that have an annual MOT - the vehicle may be roadworthy on the day it is tested but what about the day after, the week after, the month after etc etc it is the responsibility of the owner to see the car remains roadworthy and the same applies with a vehicle that does not get an annual MOT.

If there is a claim and the insurance company refuses the claim they have to prove that the vehicle is unroadworthy and the area of unroadworthyness has to relate the cause of the accident - now that doesn't help you if you have to go to court to win your claim - the stress and hassle is often not worth it but often throwing the onus on the insurance to show proof is often enough. I do not know about the UK but here consumer laws are pretty robust and we do have an insurance Ombudsman that can arbitrate such issues.

I assume you have specialist classic car insurers - if they are like ours they understand the circumstances of older vehicles and normally offer cover.

Good luck - payout on insurance policies is always a bit of a gamble.

Garry

[woodman]

Hi All, just a quick reply to the MOT exemption of pre 1960's vehicles, firstly, I can't understand the DVLA's decision on why they have done this ( mind you the DVLA is a law unto its self ) secondly, you can still have pre 1960's vehicles MOT'd if you wish to and thirdly, I do agree with Garry that most classic insurance companies will understand the circumstances of older vehicles. Regards woodman

[heinkeljb]

All valid points.

UK insurance companies are getting more strict on being informed about things like modifications and those are even down to the fitting of winter tyres (which are a definite safety improvement in cold / wet weather).
So for all that I agree insurance companies will know about the majority of classic car's roadworthyness, I can see insurance being squeezed into high priced policies provided by only a very few companies. We already have areas in the UK where certain companies will not quote for insurance even on modern cars.

I know you are allowed to have your car MOT'ed if you want, but personalty I think most people would not bother unless they are forced into having it done and I can see insurance companies doing the enforcing before they will quote for insurance.

John