Service station – you ask, we answer

Have you got a query about vehicles? Are you distressed over your no claims discount? Or troubled by car tax?

If so, you’ve come to the correct place – each week Service Station will be answering a selection of inquiries asked via the comments section of the motoring weblog and the MoneySuperMarket forum.

My auto was in an accident in December and is nonetheless at the garage undergoing repair (the other driver was at fault) – can I claim back the auto tax for the period my vehicle was off the road if I can prove that it was off road being repaired?

Need to I have declared SORN the moment it was taken away?

Lee Smeaton, January 8, 2015

Hi Lee,

I got this back from DVLA – it looks like, as you thought, you have to declare SORN straight away…

“It may be valuable if we commence by explaining that any entitlement to a refund of unexpired automobile excise licences does not hinge on regardless of whether a vehicle was really employed or not more than a specified period of time. Proof of non-use, no matter how dependable, can’;t, as a result, be accepted by the Agency.

“A refund can only be paid for each complete calendar month unexpired at the date when the licence was surrendered. There is no facility to claim a refund in retrospect on the basis that a vehicle was not utilised.

“Without this safeguard the program for claiming refunds would be open to significant abuse. It is only by administering the scheme strictly that we are capable to preserve fraudulent claims to a minimum. The procedures we use have been in spot for a lot of years and have been extensively accepted, primarily due to the fact they are unambiguous and have been equally and, for that reason, relatively applied to everyone. While I completely sympathise with your circumstances, the law is in truth quite particular on the payment of refunds and there is no discretion offered to the Agency on such matters.”

I was involved in accident over a year ago and wasn’t at fault. I have now changed my insurance organization and wanted to cover my 5 year no claims discount (NCD) but had to prove accident wasn’t my fault.

I have sent a letter to the new insurer more than e-mail but was hit once again from behind ahead of they got the letter – will they nonetheless protect my NCD or have I lost it now?

I really do not know how it all operates. =(

Claire, January 8, 2015

Hi Claire,

As extended as you had been not at fault for either of the accidents and in no way claimed on your insurance coverage your no claims discount (NCD) entitlement shouldn’t be impacted.

However, you will have to declare each accidents when obtaining insurance quotes in future and even though this will not influence your NCD entitlement, it could impact the price tag of your policy, so be certain to shop around for cover at renewal.

I have just bought a new auto and went online to get a quote for it and was quoted a cost, but the insurance organization is now saying the no claims discount (NCD) I have is not acceptable as it was constructed up on an additional auto (which is now sold) and that no claims discount  is only constructed up on the car being insured so i have to begin from scratch!

Is this right? It seems unfair to me.

Nick, January 7, 2015

Hi Nick,

That is not right at all – you develop up your No Claims Discount (NCD) entitlement with each year of claim-free of charge driving and this can then be employed to get a discount on your premium with whatever insurer you pick to go with and what ever car you pick to insure.

The quantity of discount you get can differ based upon the insurer, but what they are telling you is completely wrong.

You you must send a letter of complaint (as per the insurer’s complaints process) and if you are not satisfied with the outcome you ought to take it to the Monetary Ombudsman Service.

Hi,

I’m selecting up an ex-demonstrator auto on the 29th of this month, and as you have told other people I have to tax it myself just before I drive it away. The big query is: will I lose 4 week’s tax or can the garage do something to assist with this? Or am I ideal to wait a couple of days prior to collection, for instance, until the 31^st or the 1^st to pick the vehicle up, can you advise?

Adele, January 9, 2015

Hi Adele,

When you tax a automobile part-way by way of the month, you nonetheless spend for that month in complete – this was the case just before the new tax disc guidelines came into impact but wasn’t broadly recognised as tax was frequently transferred with the sale of the vehicle.

Here’s the official DVLA line on the matter:

“It has been a extended standing feature that vehicle tax is issued from the very first of every month and refunds are issued for only the comprehensive calendar months remaining. This did not modify following the abolition of the tax disc.

Anybody acquiring a car will usually need to tax it. This provides clarity to motorists on what their duty is and protects them from inadvertently driving an untaxed car. It is a requirement under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (as amended) for vehicle tax to commence from the beginning of the month in which it 1st has impact.

As a result, in answer to your question, if you buy the vehicle on 29th January the car will need to be taxed immediately just before it can be utilised on the road. The automobile tax will begin from 1st January.”

Also, as quickly as you are registered as the new owner by way of the V5 certificate, you take duty for taxing the vehicle. So even if you leave the car at the garage, once the ownership has been transferred to you, you have to tax it.

The only way around this is to comprehensive a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) and then tax the automobile when you are ready to drive it. It is worth remembering also that if you don’t declare the automobile off-road, you nevertheless have to have it insured, even if you are not employing it. You can read much more on continuous insurance coverage enforcement (CIE) here.

Got a query? Leave a comment or get in touch via the motoring forum.

Service station – you ask, we answer