Am I still insured if I crash without a warrant?
It’s the stuff of nightmares. The family car is booked in for a Warrant on Tuesday, but you still have to do the Monday school run.
Everything runs to plan until a distracted driver rear-ends you at the lights. Will your insurance still cover the damage?
Don’t worry, your insurance company won’t automatically decline your claim just because your WoF expired.
Key takeaways
- Having an expired WoF does not automatically mean your vehicle insurance claim will be declined.
- A WoF is a legal requirement and confirms that important parts of the vehicle, including safety features, tyres and brakes, meet the required standard.
- If you make a claim without a current WoF, the cause of the accident will be considered.
- A claim could be declined if an issue with the vehicle caused the accident and that issue would have been identified and resolved through a WoF check.
- Examples include bald tyres causing the vehicle to spin out or worn brakes preventing the vehicle from stopping in time.
- Claims involving less obvious vehicle issues are considered on a case-by-case basis, including whether the problem would have been identified during a WoF inspection.
- If the condition of the vehicle had nothing to do with the accident, the expired WoF generally won’t affect your ability to make a claim. This includes situations such as another vehicle damaging your parked car.
The government requires a WoF on cars to keep people and roads safe. It means a certified mechanic has confirmed the vehicle is safe to operate on our roads, including safety features, and mechanical components like tyres and brakes.
While a WoF is a legal requirement, we’ve all been in the position where you simply forgot, or just have to get through another few days before you can get it to the workshop.
When can an expired WoF affect an insurance claim?
If you make a claim on your car, and your insurance company discovers it doesn’t have an active WoF (they can easily find this), they will want to find out:
1. Was the cause of the accident an issue with the car?
2. Would the issue have been resolved by a WoF check?
Your claim could be declined if it’s proved that an issue with the car was the cause of the accident. This could be bald tyres with no tread causing you to spin out, or tattered brakes meaning you couldn’t stop in time to avoid a collision.
These are obvious causes that are easy to pick up. If the issue is something less obvious, your insurance company might determine whether the issue would’ve been picked up by a WoF. If it would’ve, your claim could be declined. These are all reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Am I covered if the accident wasn’t caused by an issue with my car?
Generally, most accidents don’t involve an issue with the car, so it won’t affect the ability to make a claim.
If your car wasn’t being operated at the time of a crash, there’s no reason to deny your claim as the lack of warrant has nothing to do with the damage. If someone else reverses into you and caves in your front bumper while your car is parked, that’s hardly your fault and nothing a warrant would prevent so you won’t be pinged.
Remember not to drive your car if you notice an issue, and fix it as soon as you can. This way if you have an accident and forgot about your WoF, your insurance coverage is still valid.
Frequently asked questions
Does an expired WoF automatically void my car insurance?
No. Having an expired WoF doesn’t automatically mean your claim will be declined. What matters is whether an issue with your vehicle contributed to the accident and whether that issue would have been identified through a WoF check.
Can my claim be declined because my tyres were bald?
It could be. If bald tyres caused you to lose control and contributed to the accident, your claim could be declined because the issue would have been identified during a WoF inspection.
What if it’s unclear whether the vehicle problem would have failed a WoF?
The claim will be considered on a case-by-case basis, including whether the issue would have been identified during a WoF inspection.
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