Waiting for an NCT? Your car insurance may be downgraded

Woman told she wasn’t covered for breakdown assist due to out-of-date cert

HAVING an invalid NCT certificate on your car may affect, and possibly cancel, your insurance policy.

In one case discovered by the MoS a woman who had a recently out-of-date NCT was only told her fully comprehensive policy had been downgraded when she called for roadside assistance.

And a phone survey of insurance hotlines this week proved there was significant uncertainty on the issue – with very few able to say that not having an NCT would not affect the payment of a claim.

The news has led consumer advocates to call for ministerial intervention into the ongoing delays in getting an NCT test nationwide.

Margaret Whitaker was waiting for a test date for her 2007 Nissan Note when her car broke down on the side of the road. She rang her insurance company, i ts4women.ie, but was told she was not insured for breakdown assistance because she did not have a valid NCT disc.

‘It was one of the first questions they asked me. I couldn’t believe it,’ said the Dublin woman, who is in her 60s.

‘I was basically only covered on a third-party basis, despite having a fully comprehensive policy. But my worry is I am not insured now. If I drive that car, which I will, and I have a crash, I am not insured. It’s not clear to people. I didn’t know I wasn’t covered.’

An MoS investigation found that, while motorists are still insured to drive a car without an NCT certificate, payment of a claim could not be guaranteed.

When this was raised with the Road Safety Authority, under whose remit the NCT falls, spokesman Brian Farrell insisted that, based on a conversation he had had with one insurance agent, there was no issue.

AA Ireland said that although drivers are still insured without an NCT, it could not guarantee that it would pay out on a claim.

Despite this being pointed out to the RSA, Mr Farrell insisted that the NCT certificate ‘has nothing to do with motor insurance’. He added that, based on his conversation with the AA’s Conor Faughnan, having an outdated NCT does ‘not invalidate your insurance’.

Mr Faughnan could not be reached for comment. The MoS also asked some of the top insurers, as a consumer, how an invalid NCT certificate would affect a policy.

Liberty Insurance said: ‘It can invalidate the insurance because if it is not roadworthy then… you shouldn’t be driving a vehicle that wouldn’t be roadworthy.’

No Nonsense said: ‘Yes, you are insured, but if you have an accident they may question it.’

Meanwhile, its4women.ie confirmed what it had already told Ms Whitaker – with no NCT you are still insured to drive, but it’s third party only.

The issue is a significant one considering the backlogs at NCT centres. This newspaper recently reported how motorists are being charged for their NCT test despite a ‘four weeks or free’ pledge.

This week, to add further confusion, Mr Farrell added that the free test clause is at ‘our discretion’ and ‘not [an] obligation’.

Responding to this week’s revelations, Dermot Jewell of the Consumers’ Association of Ireland, said: ‘It’s a very, very significant consideration for all motorists that in the absence of an NCT, regardless of having paid the money, they are not covered, potentially.

‘It’s of incredible importance and this now needs to be considered at ministerial level.’

In a statement this week, Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said: ‘The RSA is the body charged with carrying out the National Car Test and, as stated by them, the NCT has nothing to do with motor insurance. If your car does not have an NCT that does not invalidate your insurance.’

He added: ‘The RSA has put measures in place to deal with an increase in demand for NCTs on foot of driving without an NCT becoming a fixed-charge offence last December. Customers are currently getting a test appointment, on average, within three weeks, with the vast majority getting their appointments within four weeks. Retest appointments are, on average booked within six days.’

‘It’s not clear. I didn’t know I wasn’t covered’ ‘This must be considered at ministerial level’