Everything you need to know about MOTs, insurance and car tax…

Car insurance protects you in case of accidents, theft, or other damage to your own or someone else's car. It’s also a legal requirement for driving.

If you’re caught driving without insurance, you could gain up to eight points on your licence (out of a maximum of 12), face an unlimited fine, or even be temporarily banned from driving – so, it’s really important to make sure you’re covered!

If you're an Allianz Car Insurance Customer, you can check when your next payment is due here.

Car insurance can vary in price based on different factors, including the type of car you’re trying to insure. All cars in the UK are grouped into numbered categories from 1 to 50 (50 being the most expensive category to insure). If you’re in the market for a new car, it’s worth checking out what category it falls into, so you don’t get stung with any unexpected costs.

Your car model will also be taken into consideration when your insurer calculates your premium. Your premium is the amount you payto an insurance company to keep your policy active - think of it as a fee for transferring the risk to them.

Other things that can affect the price of insuring your car are:

• ●      Age of your car.
• ●      Safety features installed.
• ●      Driving history.
• ●      Your age.
• ●      Mileage.

We provide a range of insurance options, so you know you’re getting the best policy to suit your needs!

In the UK, every vehicle has to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), often called car tax. This tax goes towards keeping our roads in good shape by helping to fund repairs, upgrades, and safety improvements across the country.

The amount of tax you need to pay depends on the model of your car, its emissions and when it was first registered in the UK.

Key dates to bear in mind when it comes to car tax are 1st April 2017 and 1st April 2021. This is because vehicles registered before and after these dates are subject to different car tax rules. Make sure you’re clued up on what rate you should be paying.

If you’re planning on buying a brand-new vehicle, you’ll need to pay car tax based on the new system that came into place from April 2021. Remember, electric vehicles are no longer exempt from paying car tax as of April 2025.

Just like us, cars need regular health check-ups.  MOT stands for Ministry of Transport test, and is essentially your car’s annual health check, to make sure the important parts of your vehicle are in working order and in line with current legal standards.

Remember, if your car is more than three years old, it's a legal requirement to have it checked once a year by an approved MOT test centre.

Making sure your car is up to date on its MOT is very important for the following reasons:

•  It’s against the law to drive without a valid MOT - your MOT certificate proves your car meets safety standards and that you won’t be putting yourself or others at risk.
• If you don't have a valid MOT certificate, you could get fined up to £1,000.
• Your car insurance won’t be valid without an MOT, so you won’t be covered in the event of an accident.
• If your insurance is invalid, you could also get a fine and points on your licence.

To avoid any MOT related fines, our guide is here to make sure you’re clued up on whether your car is in need of an MOT. You can also and sign up to get MOT reminders.

There are different set prices for MOTs on motorbikes, cars, and vans. The maximum fee for a car is currently £54.85 and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.  However, it’s worth shopping around, as many garages will offer an MOT test for a lot less.

A full breakdown of the prices can be found on the Government website.

When does your MOT run out?

Your MOT lasts for a year and like your car tax and insurance, there’s no period where you can drive without a valid certificate.

A handy tip is that you can renew your MOT up to one month (minus a day) before it runs out, but still keep the same renewal date so you’re not out of pocket. This means you can get ahead of the game and make sure there’s no possibility you’re driving without a valid MOT.

It’s against the law to drive on UK roads if you don’t have all three of these things. If you’re caught driving a vehicle without any one of them, you risk facing the following:

• Fines.
• Points on your licence.
• Your vehicle being seized.
• In serious cases, prosecution.

If you’re no longer using your car or keeping it on a public road, and want to stop paying for insurance, you need to officially declare it ‘off the road’ with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), which you can do on GOV.uk.

All vehicles must have valid car tax, but it can be free of charge when:

• Your car has a SORN to its pre-arranged MOT.
• Exemption because of disability.
• You can drive without an MOT only when:
• Travelling to or from a garage for repairs.
• Taking the car for a pre-arranged MOT.
• Your car’s under 3 years old and is exempt.
• It’s been over 40 years since your car was first built or registered.

There are no exceptions for driving without insurance. You can stop your insurance once declaring your car as off road with a SORN.

You can tax your vehicle online at GOV.UK using a reference number from:

• A vehicle tax reminder or ‘last chance’ letter from the DVLA.
• Your vehicle log book (V5C), as long as it’s in your name.
• The green ‘new keeper’ slip in a log book of the vehicle you’ve just bought.

If you don’t have any of these, you can apply for a new log book and tax your vehicle at the same time.

One way of making sure you’re not left driving illegally without insurance, is by opting in to an auto-renew insurance service. This gives you peace of mind that you’ll stay covered, and you’ll never have to worry about renewing it.

Your provider will send you the details of your new price and cover about three weeks before renewal, so you’ll have time to make changes or opt out if you decide not to renew.

 Check out Allianz Car Insurance to make sure you’re covered for car damages and staying protected on the road.