MSE News: Compulsory car insurance rules come into force today

lisyloo

Do you have to declare the car SORN if it is not in use then? Even if only for a week?

No you don't have to declare SORN if (for example) you go on holiday, providing the car is insured and tax.

mark101

I have no driveway or garage & I have the car parked outside on the road as it needs repairs, when i have the funds to get it repaired it'll then be insured. The car is not driven as it doesn't work, has no insurance but tax. What do I do?

Is the first letter a warning or an actual fine??? This law is pants!

Cheers.

JimmyTheWig

I believe, Mark, that even with the old law you would have needed insurance.
What if, for example, the handbrake failed and it rolled away and hit something?

lisyloo

If it's on the public road it needs to be insured and taxed - that is nothing new.

The risk is that if it rolls away or catches fire then you could be personally sued for the costs if anyone or anything is damaged.

Also there is a risk of being prosecuted and now it's all on computer it's really not hard for anyone to find you i.e. you car is presumably registered at the DVLA, not taxed, not insured and not SORNED. They don't need a policeman to see it, they just need to look at their computer.
I don't know the penalties I'm afraid.

Your legal options are
1) move the car somewhere private (farm?) and SORN it
2) Get some credit to get the car fixed up, or at least get the insurance and tax in the meantime

JimmyTheWig

I presume that Mark's car is currently taxed.
So previously they would have needed a policeman to see it (i.e. it was perfectly allowable for Mark to have kept it off the road in that state) but with the rule change they can do it by computer.

Presumably you don't need insurance if it is SORNed?

mikey72

lisyloo wrote: »

I am pretty sure you have to do a CBT course (the C stands for compulsory) but it's definitely another option.
The downsides are training (CBT), gear, carrying capacity and weather, but those aren't insurmountable issues.
My first moped did 200 miles to the gallon so potentially it can be a really cheap way to get round especially if it's short trips.

Depends


If you have a car licence...

If you obtained your full car licence before 1 February 2001 you are automatically entitled to ride a moped without L-plates (D-plates in Wales).
If you obtained a full car licence after 1 February 2001 you must first complete a CBT course and obtain a DL 196 certificate to validate your entitlement.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/RidingMotorcyclesAndMopeds/DG_10016249

lisyloo

Presumably you don't need insurance if it is SORNed?

Correct - but the OR stands for OFF ROAD and his problem is that it's on the road, so he'd have to find somewhere to put it.
A private driveway is off the public road.

Andy_L

ILW wrote: »

Go for a resticted mileage policy, will probably be cheaper than daily insurance. (which I never even knew existed).

or just get a taxi/hire car

JimmyTheWig

lisyloo wrote: »

Correct - but the OR stands for OFF ROAD and his problem is that it's on the road, so he'd have to find somewhere to put it.
A private driveway is off the public road.

The implication in post #57 was that if he sorned it he'd still need insurance.

lisyloo

Thanks - edited and corrected.
Depending on the value of the car, some people may wish to have insurance to protect them from theft etc. I believe it's called "laid up" cover and it's quite cheap as it doesn't cover the risks associated with driving the car.