'MOT Black Hole' Leaves Motorists Driving Illegally

October 30, 2009

Over six million* British drivers have forgotten about their cars annual MOT check up according to new nationwide research by car insurance company Zurich Connect.

CARDIFF, WALES, October 30, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- With no national reminder service, and an increasingly hectic lifestyle, more than a third of car owners own up to leaving the job for up to three weeks with nearly 20 per cent admitting that they've forgotten about their car's MOT for as long as three months.

Having an MOT (Ministry of Transport) certificate is a legal requirement for all cars on the road and shows that the vehicle is in a roadworthy state at the time of the test. Without it motorists cannot tax their car. As MOT records will be on the national police database, drivers could be stopped for failure to have one, possibly leading to a motoring conviction.

Mike Quinton, Managing Director at Zurich Connect in the UK said: "People who wouldn't dream of deliberately flouting the law are merrily letting their cars' MOT renewal sail past. Not having a valid MOT means your car could be a danger to yourself, your passengers and other road users."

The 'MOT black hole' is just one of the reasons motorists could land in trouble with the police or their insurers, say Zurich Connect. Others include:

Failing to maintain your vehicle in a roadworthy condition
Modifying your car beyond the manufacturer specification and not telling your insurance company
Non-disclosure of previous claims or convictions of any driver on the car insurance application
Convictions for vehicle related offences ranging from driving without a tax certificate to driving without due care and attention, reckless driving and drink driving
Fronting - where the main driver of the car pretends to be an occasional driver
Fraudulently staging an accident

For more information or interviews with Zurich Connect spokesman Keith Lewis (ISDN is available), please contact Launch Group:

Katrina Brady
020 7758 3933
katrinab@launchgroup.co.uk

Chris Seymour
020 7758 3626
chriss@launchgroup.co.uk

Notes to Editors
* Based on 31,167,000 cars on UK roads (SMMT Annual totals of cars on UK roads, 2008)

Zurich Connect

Zurich Connect offers a range of quality, competitively priced home and motor insurance products. For more information about Zurich Connect or to get a quote please visit http://www.zurich-connect.co.uk or call 0800 015 9283.

Zurich Connect is the European direct insurance brand from the Zurich Financial Services Group and is available in Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK and provides home, motor, and in some countries, personal liability insurance direct to consumers via the internet or over the phone.

In the UK, Zurich Connect is underwritten by Zurich Insurance plc which is part of the Zurich Group. Zurich Group is an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries.

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