Sorn and insurance?

[Geodude]

Read in MCN that sorning your bike over winter could void insurance? Anybody know if there is any truth in this? Sorry if its a daft question, ive just never heard of this before and it did make me wonder.

MCN
Motorcyclists storing their bike for winter could be unwittingly invalidating their insurance if they declare it off road to the DVLA.
MCN reader Alan Charlton, 64, was told his underwriter would no longer insure his Kawasaki ZZR1400 after he completed a Statutory Off-Road Notification.
To be covered against theft, broker Swinton said he needed ‘laid-up’ insurance from another underwriter.
Charlton, from Harrogate, North Yorks, said: “I hadn’t known it wasn’t covered until I mentioned it was SORN.”
Swinton said: ‘Bikers should always double check with their insurance provider that they will still be covered when they declare their vehicle off the road.
‘In Mr Charlton's case cover was maintained until it was due for renewal.'

Link to mcn article

[NTECUK]

Ring or better e mail your insurer to confirm.
You need an answer in writing

[Geodude]

If its right then i wonder how many over winter sorned bikes are uninsured without the owner knowing.

In the past I have SORN'd a bike and had it covered by my house insurance by adding it to the house policy while it was stored in my garage. Now I just leave it insured 12/12 as I found the insurance return on the riding policy was only pennies over what it cost for the storage insurance but I will add that my premium for road insurance is very low[£150]. I would imagine if you have a premium over £500 for road insurance it would be beneficial to change over for 6 months.

[Geodude]

So if you sorn your bike over winter because of snow etc and you cant ride and want to save a few months tax (because your tight) you need laid up insurance even if you have 12/12 insurance which maybe void because of sorn?

Yes. But some companies allow you to add this for a nominal fee or sometimes free. It was new to me also, so I would recommend to check your insurer. Thanks for posting this though. I think you're right, that people may have no clue about this.

[TamSV]

A quick check of a few policy documents confirmed my initial suspicion that this is a load of twaddle.

I suspect they're getting confused about the "roadworthiness" clause that most policies have.

If anyone can find a policy wording where a Sorn'd vehicle is excluded I'd be very interested to see it. Anything's possible but I'd be very surprised if such a condition exists.

[Bibio]

i dont think you do need laid up insurance and insurance companies are getting confused. there is plenty information about continuous insurance and SORN (no need for insurance if SORN'd) but i have found none that say your insurance can still run if on SORN.

i think the insurance companies are at it. if you SORN a vehicle and the insurance company cancel the insurance you loose that years no claims as they are stating you need laid up insurance. i think to comply with insurance your vehicle has to be road worthy e.g. an MOT.

[flymo]

sounds like confusion, my policy states nothing of the sort. It must be roadworthy if driven on a public road yes, but not 'on the road'. It is true that you are no longer able to keep an uninsured registered vehicle unless it has been declared SORN, at the minimum it must have 'laid up' insurance. It must obviously be kept off the public road and must not be driven.

[Littlepeahead]

When I broke my arm I rang the insurance company and didn't tell them I'd broken it in a bike accident. Instead I said I 'might need an operation' and if so I wasn't going to ride for 6 months and I would SORN the bike. They said that SORN'd bikes required a different policy, which may cost more and also there would be an admin fee. So in the end I didn't tell them, and as it happened Mr LPH's bike got written off a few weeks later so he needed the SV on the road.