Overseas insùrance while SORNed (1 Viewer)

[Absolutelyalan]

Im currently between MHs having sold my Mobilvetta a couple of months ago. As I spend a lot of time in France my search for a replacement takes in both the UK and French markets. There are pluses and minuses to both, but there's one thing in particular that has me scratching my head....

I have to look on the previously-enjoyed market. If I buy a UK-registered 'van I can get insurance cover that allows extended overseas use, so no problem there. On one of my visits to the UK I would get it MOTd, serviced etc., so no problem there either.

However, if I'm away from Blighty for say, four months I wouldn't want to tax it for those months. 'So SORN it!' I hear the cry. But the question is, would my insurance cover remain valid if the vehicle is SORNed but being used overseas?

I'd appreciate the views of the many wiser heads than mine on this forum.

 

[Camping Gaza]

I believe if you have no UK tax, then your insurance will be invalid. Overseas or not, and your mot. Some wise head will be along in a bit no doubt to answer your question better than me.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

No.

A basic requirement of pretty much all UK insurers is that the vehicle is kept in a road legal condition. This applies whether you're in the UK or abroad.

No MOT and no tax means it's not road legal.

If the worst happened and you had an accident that's more than enough of a reason for them not to pay out.

Also a vehicle on SORN must remain in the UK for the SORN to be valid so if it did go pear shaped the DVLA would want to have a conversation with you as well. This conversation would centre around the payment method you were going to use to settle the £2500 fine for using a SORNed vehicle on the road.

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[Badknee]

As our road tax is only £160 or so for twelve months I wouldn't bother to be honest.

 

[Absolutelyalan]

Yes, fair point Badknee.

Nicknic, yes I'm aware that if the vehicle is not roadworthy then the insurance is void, hence my comment about returning to the UK to have it MOTd. It was the SORN/road tax issue I wasn't sure about, but I think you guys have settled that for me. Many thanks.

 

[denisejoe]

Nicknic is right your MH needs to be taxed, MOT'd and insured to use abroad. If it's SORNed then it won't be insured anywhere.

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[Minxy]

No.

A basic requirement of pretty much all UK insurers is that the vehicle is kept in a road legal condition. This applies whether you're in the UK or abroad.

No MOT and no tax means it's not road legal.

I think I am right in saying that not having an MOT or tax doesn't invalidate your insurance so long as your vehicle is kept off the road and never driven on it, in the UK, if we wanted to we could SORN our camper for when we're not using it as we keep it on our drive and therefore are not breaking the law. Abroad, however, it has to be fully road legal at all times, ie taxed, insured and MOTed (if applicable).

As with all insurance policies however check the details as they can differ.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I think I am right in saying that not having an MOT or tax doesn't invalidate your insurance so long as your vehicle is kept off the road and never driven on it, in the UK, if we wanted to we could SORN our camper for when we're not using it as we keep it on our drive and therefore are not breaking the law. Abroad, however, it has to be fully road legal at all times, ie taxed, insured and MOTed (if applicable).

As with all insurance policies however check the details as they can differ.

That's the point.

If you take it out of the UK the SORN is invalid therefore the vehicle isn't road legal.

That's not even considering how you get it out of the UK in the first place if you've declared it as SORN.

 

[Minxy]

That's the point.

If you take it out of the UK the SORN is invalid therefore the vehicle isn't road legal.

That's not even considering how you get it out of the UK in the first place if you've declared it as SORN.

I think the point was to SORN it once abroad, not do it before ... still illegal though if the vehicle is to be used on the road and in any case would invalidate insurance even if kept off the road as insurers won't cover it.

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