Anytime you want to drive a car, you’ll need the right insurance in place. There are really no ifs or buts here.
Some people believe there is a little leeway if you’re just taking a car to its annual MOT appointment. But that’s not really true.
Typically, you need a valid MOT to tax and insure your car. But, you also need car insurance to drive your car to its MOT appointment. Sounds like a Catch-22? It doesn’t have to be.
So what happens if you need to take a car to its testing appointment but don’t have the right insurance in place? Let’s look at a few scenarios where temporary car insurance could help you get an MOT.
You’re taking your friend’s car to a pre-arranged MOT appointment
Let’s say your friend has finally managed to book that dream holiday abroad. But, her MOT appointment is due to take place while she’s away. She has asked you to take her car to its annual MOT appointment.
You’ve agreed and she’s even promised to bring you some limoncello back from the Amalfi Coast to say thanks. It’s a win-win situation, as far as you’re concerned.
But to drive her car to its MOT appointment, you will most likely need a temporary car insurance policy. That’s because your friend’s car insurance most likely won’t extend to you.
Also, even if you have your own car insurance, it probably won’t cover you driving other people’s cars – except in an emergency. Or, if it does, it’s likely it’ll only be on a third-party basis. This is where temporary car insurance comes in.
A temporary car insurance policy like Zixty offers comprehensive cover. There are some important differences between comprehensive cover offered by temporary car insurance and fully comprehensive cover offered by annual policies. As is always the case, you need to check the details before buying.
In general, however, a temporary car insurance policy can last as little as an hour and can help you get your friend’s car to its MOT.
You’ve just bought the car and you want to MOT it
If you’ve just bought a new car and it doesn’t have insurance in place, you’ll need to arrange a policy before you can pick it up.
But maybe its MOT is due to expire in a couple of weeks and your favourite mechanic’s only available appointment is tomorrow. If you want to MOT your new purchase asap and haven’t had time to look into an annual policy yet, then a temporary car insurance policy might be the answer.
With Zixty, you can arrange a policy in minutes by downloading the app and filling out a few details about yourself.
A temporary car insurance policy can last anywhere between an hour and a few weeks, giving you the cover you need to MOT and tax your car while you shop around for the perfect annual policy.
You’ve decided not to renew your annual policy but its MOT is due soon
If you’ve decided not to renew your annual policy and it’s due to lapse in the next few days, you may want to consider temporary car insurance while you’re looking for a new policy.
Whether you’re planning on driving the car to its MOT appointment or leaving it parked on your driveway, it must be insured or you’re breaking the law.
But, if you haven’t, you might want to arrange a temporary car insurance policy to tide you over until you choose your new annual insurance provider. It’ll give you the cover you need to drive your car while you explore your options.
Your MOT has expired and you don’t have car insurance in place
If your MOT has expired and you don’t have car insurance in place, many temporary car insurance providers, including Zixty, won’t be able to offer you a policy.
But you can’t legally drive your car to the testing centre without a car insurance policy in place. It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation.
Still, there are some specialist insurers who may be able to offer you a policy to take your car to its MOT appointment. And some providers could offer you a policy if you call to explain your circumstances and get a quote. Just keep in mind that typically a policy for a car without an MOT is likely to be more expensive.
Letting your MOT expire can be a costly and time-consuming mistake. It’s a good idea to set up a free MOT reminder through the gov.uk website. That way, you’ll be sent an email or text message a month before your MOT is due to remind you to book an appointment.
Car insurance to get an MOT with Zixty
There are a few circumstances where you might need temporary car insurance to get an MOT.
Whether you’re doing a friend a favour or shopping around for the perfect annual car insurance policy, Zixty’s flexible cover can help you in a pinch. You can get the cover you need when you need it with policies that can be arranged in minutes.
Plus if you enable our free Zixty Miles add-on, we’ll even carbon offset all your journeys up to 100 miles a day while you’re a customer, and plant a tree every time you take out a policy with us. How’s that for a nice little extra?
So if you need to get a car to its annual MOT appointment, give Zixty a go and do your bit for the planet while you’re at it.
