Possible claims risks with MOT exempt cars?
Maintaining your car in a roadworthy condition is a legal requirement and is usually a condition of your motor insurance policy too. A successful annual MOT test provides useful independent evidence that the car was examined and at the time of the test was in a roadworthy condition. Together with any maintenance by a service specialist, in addition to routine maintenance that a prudent owner would undertake, that provides useful evidence that the owner/keeper had taken reasonable steps to ensure the car was in a roadworthy condition.

The letter in this week's issue of Classic Car Weekly raises two points: first the likelihood that insurers will demand some kind of evidence from an inspection of the car that it was safe to drive and secondly the scourge of the accident claims chasers may be seen encouraging "their clients" involved in an accident with an MOT exempt classic car to make claims on the basis the car was not roadworthy.



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This week's issue of the popular Classic Car Weekly has a letter from Terry Marriott that raises interesting concerns with MOT exemption.

The Federation for British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) recommends "testing even if it is not legally required". They add "we have ensured that under the new arrangements the option of taking a voluntary test is retained and our advice is to take this opportunity (of an annual test). A list of testing stations experienced in working with historic vehicles is on our website". In a previous NEWS item we suggested that even if your car is MOT exempt, continuing to get a voluntary MOT or a voluntary TABS inspection and report is a prudent step. Personal safety for both the driver and any passenger, together with other road users, is an essential responsibility for any classic car owner. So it's TABS - "test and be safer". More