Will You Need Motor Insurance For Your Lawnmower?

You are no doubt aware that it is a legal requirement to arrange third party car insurance on your car unless it has been declared SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) and kept off the road. However, due to an EU ruling, it may be that people that own lawnmowers that you have to sit on will need to be suitably insured even if they are only used on private land. At the moment such lawnmowers only need motor insurance if they are driven on public roads or public places here in the UK.

You may be required to arrange motor insurance to cover your sit-on lawnmower even if you only use it to cut the lawn in your back garden

AN EU ruling may mean that you need to insure your sit-on lawnmower

The reason for this potential change is due to someone claiming against a tractor driver following an accident in Slovenia. Apparently, an individual was injured as a result of a tractor trailer hitting a ladder resulting in them falling off the ladder.

The court in the EU felt that all motorized vehicles should have suitable insurance including those that are being used on private land. This ruling is currently being considered by the Department of Transport and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in conjunction with the European Commission.

However, it is not only motorized lawnmowers that may need motor insurance. What about the likes of mobility scooters that are used by those people that are disabled? At the moment, although some people do arrange the likes of third party cover, there is no legal requirement for people to arrange motor insurance on such vehicles even if they are used on public roads perhaps when someone goes to do some shopping.

There are also vehicles like quad bikes that only need to be insured when driven on public roads. Will they need to be suitably insured at all times?

If you are a golfer and use a golf buggy at your local golf course, will you need to arrange motor insurance? Presently, there is no legal requirement to insure such vehicles on golf courses.

It will be interesting to see what is eventually decided. We will, of course, endeavor to keep you updated.