Do I need car insurance if car off road??

[Mum22]

Hi
My query is do we need to have car insurance if the car is going to be kept in a garage and not used?

My husband is going away for 6mths so the car will be left in the garage with tyres taken off! Allthough it still has full MOT we have declared it SORN and the insurance is due to run out next month.

We live on an Army base, so theft should be ruled out! So it would only be fire that could damage it??

What do we do?
Many thanks

[stator]

Legally no, you don't need insurance. But keeping a car off the road for 6 months isn't ideal for the car itself!

[Mum22]

Is it best to take the car of the wheels and put up on ramps, and turn over every few weeks??What should we do with it??

[Sandoval]

Originally Posted by Mum22

Is it best to take the car of the wheels and put up on ramps, and turn over every few weeks??What should we do with it??

Got visions of someone tipping a car upside down every couple of weeks like something in a microwave...

[stator]

Originally Posted by Mum22

Is it best to take the car of the wheels and put up on ramps, and turn over every few weeks??What should we do with it??

That sounds like a plan. Make sure it is cleaned all over as best you can before it is put up, use WD45 on all the moving parts to protect them as best you can. Keep the garage dry and dehumidify it if you can. I'm no expert though, you might find some more tips on the web.

[wwizard]

best to take out third party fire and theft. if you can prove the insurance that it's going to be locked and secure it might bring the
price down of the premiums (unlikely unless it's an expensive car) or add it to house insurance.

insurance would cover theft/fire if the veh is SORN as long as you won't using it on the road.

[slinga]

I spend 6 months here and 6 months there.
In both places my cars are left out in the weather on their wheels, insured in both places but not road taxed in UK.

Never had a problem with the cars.
I do disconect the battery but when re connected both cars have always started first turnover.

[missile]

It is not good for any engine to run for short periods and I would avoid turning it over every two weeks. You might want to disconnect or invest in a trickle charger to maintain the battery in good condition. You might want to change the oil and filter before you garage the car. Jacking it up is good practice, but I would not bother. Make sure you give it a good clean inside and out.

In your situation I would take a (slim) chance and save money on the insurance.

[pixie76]

If it's in a garage for that time you do not need to insure however you should start it and let the engine run on a regular basis.

[Valli]

reading this thread makes me wonder why some enterprising insurance company doesn't have a SORN insurance policy to offer...in other words if the car is declared SORN then just a 'theft and damage' policy?

and it was MY idea and I claim ownership of it!

[Keith]

Originally Posted by pixie76

If it's in a garage for that time you do not need to insure however you should start it and let the engine run on a regular basis.

No you shouldn't. That's the worst thing you can do.

[Hannah_10]

No, you do not need insurance if the car is off the road and SORN'd, but if you're still in doubt see the Unit Welfare Officer because this question does come up regularly as it's not uncommon for a soldier to get a 6 or 12 month posting but retain the quarter.

[Searcher2]

Originally Posted by Valli

reading this thread makes me wonder why some enterprising insurance company doesn't have a SORN insurance policy to offer...in other words if the car is declared SORN then just a 'theft and damage' policy?

and it was MY idea and I claim ownership of it!

It's exactly what I am looking for. Some kind chap tackled me at football last week and I won't be able to drive for between 2-4 months. I am thinking about putting my car in my mum's garage until i can drive again. I am going to send the tax off for refund (SORN it) at the end of this month after it's been serviced and MOTed. My insurance runs out at the end of this month anyway. I was thinking about taking out monthly fire and theft insurance but it doesn't seem that easy to find... so I am thinking about just risking it without. Presumably it won't affect my new quote when I come to drive again in a couple of months with regards to protected no claims?

[withabix]

Originally Posted by missile

or invest in a trickle charger to maintain the battery in good condition.

You might need the insurance then for when the build-up of hydrogen in the garage explodes.....

[Shropshire Lad]

You dont need legally need insurance if it's parked in your garage and I shouldn't worry about it going on fire. If you just disconnect the battery that will disengage all the electrics on the car but also the radio so make sure you have the code to hand.
You can I'm sure (they do for haulage insurance) get a laid up policy which is designed for this so try your local independant broker and see what they say eh as it wont cost you nowt for a quote.
It's not a bad idea to reconnect the battery and start it every month or so and I shouldnt worry about taking the tyres off,they will be fine.
If you park it with the handbrake off and chock the wheels to stop it rolling then that will stop the handbrake from sticking to the drums which is usually the worst that happens and I really wouldnt worry about spraying around with wd40 and the like and change the oil when you first put it back on the road and you'll be fine girl.
I have a mondeo at home which is laid up for months and months at a time and it starts fine with a charged battery.
Just so you can make your own mind up on my advice I'm not a mechanic but have been involved with lorries and worked on them since I was a nipper so no qualifications but hands on experience if you like.

God bless the forces and their families.