Sign up for MOT reminders! Cautionary tale!

Nobbie1967

decbel wrote: »

One thing interesting about lack of MOT is whether it invalidates our insurance.

Its a topic that comes up regularly on the motoring pages.

Unless lack of MOT is specifically noted in your policy then I would say no. I've yet to see a policy that does.

At the very worst perhaps your insurance could be downgraded to third party. After all, you are entitled to drive the vehicle for a pre-booked MOT. How would you legally get there. Being trailored simply isn't practical.

Even with a brand, new fresh MOT you can still be pulled and fined 100 yards out of the test station.

Extremely unlikely mind.

I had plod call at my house last week to inform me that my car parked around the corner had no MOT (apparently some curtain twitcher had reported it). I said it hadn't moved since it lapsed the previous week, but he advised me to put it on the drive in case the insurance was invalidated by the lack of MOT. I was sceptical, but when I checked my policy, the requirement for an MOt was there under the General Conditions of my LV policy. Learn something new every day.

Mercdriver

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

I had plod call at my house last week to inform me that my car parked around the corner had no MOT (apparently some curtain twitcher had reported it). I said it hadn't moved since it lapsed the previous week, but he advised me to put it on the drive in case the insurance was invalidated by the lack of MOT. I was sceptical, but when I checked my policy, the requirement for an MOt was there under the General Conditions of my LV policy. Learn something new every day.

but your car is in use in a public place if it is parked in a public place.

AdrianC

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

I had plod call at my house last week to inform me that my car parked around the corner had no MOT (apparently some curtain twitcher had reported it). I said it hadn't moved since it lapsed the previous week, but he advised me to put it on the drive in case the insurance was invalidated by the lack of MOT. I was sceptical, but when I checked my policy, the requirement for an MOt was there under the General Conditions of my LV policy. Learn something new every day.

He was right that if your car was parked on the road, it needs an MOT.
But as for your insurance claim... I'm glad you named the insurer, because it makes it easy to check.
https://secure.lv.com/car/1/viewPDF/LV_MOTOR_DOCUMENT_OF_INSURANCE

Section 13 General conditions
We’ll provide cover under this policy if you and anyone else covered by this insurance meet all the terms and conditions in this document of car insurance and those shown on your schedule.

1. Care of your car
...
You should ensure your car is kept in a roadworthy condition and you must have a valid Department for Transport Test Certificate (MOT) if one is needed by law.
You must give us access to examine your car and if asked, send us evidence of a valid MOT and/or evidence your car was regularly maintained and kept in a good condition.

No, nothing about invaliding insurance there. Just that you should (well, yes), and you need to send it if asked.

And that's it.

So, no - it doesn't say "No MOT - invalid insurance". That doesn't mean you can park an un-MOTed car on the road, though...

And, if you're going to say "Well, it's implicit" - one of the other clauses in that section says...

Alarms, immobilisers and tracking devices must always be on and working when your car is left unattended. Your schedule shows any security requirements specific to your policy. If these requirements aren’t met, this insurance won’t be valid and we won’t pay a claim.

With THAT bit so explicit, they would not stand a hope of saying "Well, it was implicit" on the roadworthy/MOT clause.

decbel

Thing is lack of MOT doesn't seem to bring much damage with it.

As I understand it there are no penalty points if caught without one on the road.

I believe the fine could in theory be up to £1000 but in reality £100 and possibly a producer to get one done pass or fail within so many days.

That Dominic fella on morning consumer programmes on the BBC also spouted that stuff about lack of MOT invalidating insurance.

dggar

AdrianC wrote: »

..........
No, nothing about invaliding insurance there. Just that you should (well, yes), and you need to send it if asked.

.

and you must have a valid Department for Transport Test Certificate (MOT) if one is needed by law.



Really?

Savvy_Sue

bigadaj wrote: »

Have you come up with a solution for the first point, presume your other hand is suitably abashed?

Well, it's just another reminder that just because I've said something clearly to t'other half, it really doesn't mean he's heard it / remembered it / acted on it.

Of course I'm not entirely blameless in this. I saw the invoice from the service in February, we discussed the 'advisory' points on it ... and I just did not notice the lack of MOT certificate!

Savvy_Sue

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

I had plod call at my house last week to inform me that my car parked around the corner had no MOT (apparently some curtain twitcher had reported it). I said it hadn't moved since it lapsed the previous week, but he advised me to put it on the drive in case the insurance was invalidated by the lack of MOT.

Well, that's a tricky one, isn't it? Because since you're only supposed to drive the car to an MOT appointment, how are you supposed to move it onto your drive?

I must admit, not quite believing that we DIDN'T have an MOT, I gave DH a lift the morning after I'd not been able to set up the reminder. While I was driving, I had him search the paperwork in the car. The correct reaction to him waking me up to say the train was canceled and could I give him a lift would have been "sorry love, I don't think we've got a valid MOT", but I wasn't awake enough for that one. Also I really did think there might be some mistake and the certificate just hadn't been registered properly.

I made him get the train home though, when the original plan had been to pick him up. :-) For half a minute I think he thought it would be OK to drive it over the weekend. I was astonished - he used to work in insurance, he KNOWS it might invalidate insurance. (I'm just happy to work on the assumption that even if it doesn't technically invalidate insurance, not having an MOT will lead to a host of complications with insurance and I've got better things to do with my life than argue the toss over that.)

konark

decbel wrote: »

Even with a brand, new fresh MOT you can still be pulled and fined 100 yards out of the test station.

.

I always thought that an MOT was a valid defence against such a situation on the day of issue only.

wgl2014

konark wrote: »

I always thought that an MOT was a valid defence against such a situation on the day of issue only.

Defence against what exactly?

I think the previous post refers to the fact that an MOT shows the vehicle was upto standard when the test was done, you could drive off and if something were to break almost immediately you could be stopped and fined (bulb blown etc)

bigadaj

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Well, it's just another reminder that just because I've said something clearly to t'other half, it really doesn't mean he's heard it / remembered it / acted on it.

Of course I'm not entirely blameless in this. I saw the invoice from the service in February, we discussed the 'advisory' points on it ... and I just did not notice the lack of MOT certificate!

It's a male evolutionary adaptation, when the female is communicating then appear to take notice or it will lead to conflict, though information imparted is often not recorded. To be fair to him then only a limited amount of the communication is often of use, rather than updates on to soaps, what the neighbours cats been up to etc etc.

No excuse for a bloke forgetting an mot though, just mention it to his male friends next time you see them, large amounts of hilarity at his expense.