Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 14:29

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - John F

In today's Times Law Reports there is a judgement from the European Court of Justice that the owner must insure an off road car in a member state of the EU if capable of being driven. (In Portugal, it seems driveable SORN cars must be insured, unlike here)

In Portugal, the son took his mother's off road car from her back yard and crashed it, killing himself and two passengers. The Portuguese equivalent of the Insurer's Bureau, having paid compensation, apparently has the right of subrogation against the uninsured car's owner, even if they knew nothing about it and the car was taken without permission! So if any Brits have an 'off the road' car at their Algarve property thinking it doesn't need insurance and it gets stolen and kills someone, they could be ruined!

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 15:58

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - oldroverboy.

The son of a friend of mine took his fathers 3.0 litre car without permission and rolled it. (wrote it off)

Son grounded after court case, father had very expensive bills to pay for car and property damage. luckily nobody hurt. Insurance company would not pay.

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 16:36

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - skidpan

In today's Times Law Reports there is a judgement from the European Court of Justice that the owner must insure an off road car in a member state of the EU if capable of being driven.

My Caterham will go on SORN tomorrow for the winter but I would not dream of cancelling the insurance. I know its unlikely but what would happen if it were stolen or the garage burned down, or a meteorite hit the garage, I actually know what would happen, i would be about £15000 out of pocket.

The son of a friend of mine took his fathers 3.0 litre car without permission and rolled it. (wrote it off)

Son grounded after court case, father had very expensive bills to pay for car and property damage. luckily nobody hurt. Insurance company would not pay.

Regardless of SORN if the car was not insured for the son to drive why should the insurance pay.

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 18:17

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - John F

Regardless of SORN if the car was not insured for the son to drive why should the insurance pay.

Father not liable for son, methinks. If son a 'man of straw' and not worth suing, then presumably the Insurer's Bureau would pay for third party damage. Need legal opinion here!

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 19:31

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - oldroverboy.

Regardless of SORN if the car was not insured for the son to drive why should the insurance pay.

Father not liable for son, methinks. If son a 'man of straw' and not worth suing, then presumably the Insurer's Bureau would pay for third party damage. Need legal opinion here!

Father able to pay, easiest target to go for..... son losing out anyways...

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 19:40

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - Bromptonaut

The Portuguese equivalent of the Insurer's Bureau, having paid compensation, apparently has the right of subrogation against the uninsured car's owner, even if they knew nothing about it and the car was taken without permission! So if any Brits have an 'off the road' car at their Algarve property thinking it doesn't need insurance and it gets stolen and kills someone, they could be ruined!

I've a feeling similar 'bum biter' exits in UK, certainly to extent that owners insurer is in claim hierarchy in 'taken without consent' case.

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Wed 31 Oct 2018 16:00

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - Ethan Edwards

If you are worried about a car left at your Portugese holiday home. Why not simply disable it? Remove the dizzy cap and lock it away or take a wheel off. No unauthorised driving will occur then.

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Wed 31 Oct 2018 23:53

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - focussed

There is no such thing as SORN in Europe - all vehicles capable of being driven on public roads have to be insured 24/7/365 to at least minimum legal third party level.

And it's difficult to convince an insurance agent in europe that a vehicle is impossible to be driven on the road - simply removing a distributor cap won't do it.

Anybody is insured to drive anything if it's insured in europe - even the thief who nicks your car is covered, whether he's got a licence or not, because the car is insured, not the driver.

This includes tractors, ride-on lawn mowers- which may be included in your house insurance, and anything that has an engine that can carry a person.

About time the UK insurance industry was compelled to wake up I reckon.

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Thu 1 Nov 2018 06:27

Cars SORN'ed in Portugal..and possibly elsewhere? - Require insurance - oldroverboy.