As many classic vehicle owners start to think about preparing their pride and joy for the autumn and winter months ahead, specialist insurance broker Footman James highlights the importance of having the correct paperwork.
Depending on what classic you’ve got and how old it is, the ‘laying-up’ list can be endless, whether you are putting your classic to bed for the winter, or preparing the way for restoration work.
Whatever the case, amid the stripping down and the ordering of parts, make sure you don’t overlook the paperwork and put your classic at risk.
Laid-up insurance may be the most cost-effective way of providing adequate cover for any vehicle that’s not due to go anywhere under its own steam for a while, yet Footman James, reminds enthusiasts that they still need to complete a statutory off road notification (SORN), surrender their tax disc and re-apply for a new one at a later date.
Andy Fairchild, managing director of Footman James explained: “Under the continuous insurance ruling it is an offence to own a vehicle without having valid motor insurance – this includes while a vehicle is off the road undergoing restoration or repair works.
“Laid-up policies can be extremely good value, with premiums starting from as little as £40, and cover provided for any number of vehicles up to a total value of £50,000 per policy.”
Yet Mr Fairchild reminds owners: “In the excitement of making such savings don’t overlook the necessity to complete a SORN application which is also a legal requirement if you don’t intend to renew your road tax.
“Of course, classic owners can retain their existing on-road policy, particularly if they are only planning to take their pride and joy off the road for a couple of months over the winter. The important thing is to ensure you have the correct cover and renew prior to the renewal date.” concluded Mr Fairchild.
The government is clamping down on uninsured and untaxed vehicles, and has a motor insurance database – a nationwide bureau to cross-reference car registrations with insurance details, to which the police have immediate access. This means that a car stored away without SORN or valid tax disc is detectable.
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