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Motor trade insurance
MOT testing station insurance is motor trade cover for vehicle testing stations, built around the authorised examiner's liability for vehicles during the test and for the test result. It matters because DVSA rules stop you passing that liability back to the customer.
Part of: Motor trade insurance
In short
An MOT station is run by an authorised examiner, which can be a company, partnership or sole trader, and DVSA holds it responsible for its testers, premises and equipment. Regulation 14 of the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981 makes the examiner responsible for loss or damage to a vehicle in its custody for the test, and DVSA says stations must not display disclaimers of that liability. Insurance usually needs to cover customers' vehicles, liability for test results, premises, equipment, staff and road tests. Cover is subject to the insurer's acceptance and the policy terms.
DVSA's MOT testing guide sets out the roles insurers will ask about:
| Role | What DVSA says |
|---|---|
| Authorised examiner (AE) | The legal entity authorised to carry out MOT testing. It can be a company, partnership or sole trader, and must be in full control of the testing operation. |
| AE designated manager (AEDM) | Each authorisation must have an AEDM, and each vehicle testing station a site manager. One person may hold both roles. |
| Tester | Makes the pass and fail decisions. Must complete at least three hours of training each year and pass the annual assessment, recorded by 31 March. |
The AE is responsible in law for testing meeting the required standard, and for its staff and anyone acting on its behalf. It must keep equipment calibrated, keep calibration records for at least two years, and stop testing with any mandatory item that is out of calibration or malfunctioning, according to Appendix 2 of the guide. Appendix 6 sets the training year as 1 April to 31 March.
Testers need a current full UK driving licence for a class within the test group they test, under section E of the guide. That matters for road tests and for your road risks cover.
Regulation 14 of the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981 makes the authorised examiner responsible for loss of or damage to a vehicle, its equipment or accessories while in its custody for the examination, on the same basis as a paid contract with no express terms about liability. It also covers damage to other property or injury arising from using the vehicle during the examination.
The person presenting the vehicle cannot be required to accept responsibility for, or give an indemnity against, those losses. DVSA's guide says AEs must not display disclaimers of this liability and must not ask any vehicle presenter to sign one. There are limited exceptions, such as damage after the vehicle should have been collected.
For insurance, this means a customers' vehicles section, with a limit set for the most valuable car you test and the total on site at once, is central. See customer vehicles in your care.
DVSA's Appendix 4 on liability for loss or damage gives examples. Damage to a vehicle that can be connected to an examination, such as a smashed brake light, may be the examiner's liability. If an examiner passes a vehicle with defective brakes and it is later involved in a collision that injures someone, the examiner may be liable. DVSA notes that its explanation is not a definitive interpretation and that the courts decide what the regulation means.
Insurers address this through liability cover for testing work, sometimes described as MOT or defective testing cover. Check how your policy defines it, whether it is included or added by extension, and what limit applies.
Customers can challenge results. GOV.UK says a failure can be appealed to DVSA within 14 working days of the test, and a pass within three months if the problem is corrosion related, or 28 days for other problems. Customers should not have repairs made until the appeal is finished. Appeals and complaints are not insurance claims in themselves, but the outcome can be relevant if a customer later makes a claim against you.
Testing equipment is expensive and specialised, and DVSA requires testing to stop if mandatory equipment is not calibrated or is malfunctioning. That makes material damage and business interruption cover worth reviewing, as a fire or flood can stop testing for longer than it takes to repair the building.
Lifts and lifting equipment used in the test bay are also subject to thorough examination. HSE guidance on working under vehicles recommends examining vehicle lifts every six months. Insurers commonly ask whether reports are up to date, and engineering inspection cover can help arrange examinations.
Most MOT stations also service and repair. Insurers rate the whole business, so declare the mix of work. See garage and vehicle repair insurance and combined motor trade insurance.
If you employ testers or other staff you need employers' liability insurance of at least £5 million under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998. The test bay combines pits or lifts, moving vehicles, rolling road brake testers and exhaust emissions, so insurers commonly ask about training and safety controls.
Where a road test is needed, the tester drives a customer's car on a public road, which needs cover under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. DVSA says a tester without a valid licence for the class should not start a test where a road test is likely. Every tester who drives should fit the policy's driver terms; see who can drive on a motor trade policy.
Each outcome depends on the facts, the wording and what was disclosed, which is why the fair presentation duty matters when you describe the business. The motor trade insurance broker guide covers the wider sector.
Apex arranges motor trade insurance for MOT stations, garages and bodyshops, including combined cover for premises, liability, customers' vehicles and road risks. A broker reads your enquiry and comes back with options, with no fee for a quote. We need what the business does, the premises address, who drives (ages, licences, points), turnover, the values of your own stock and customers' vehicles, and claims history. Cover is subject to the insurer's acceptance and the policy terms.
Usually, yes. Regulation 14 of the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981 makes the authorised examiner responsible for loss or damage to a vehicle while in its custody for the test, on the same basis as a paid contract with no express liability terms. A customers' vehicles section is the cover that commonly responds.
No. DVSA's MOT testing guide says authorised examiners must not display disclaimers of their liability for loss or damage in testing stations and must not ask vehicle presenters to sign one. Regulation 14 also stops the customer being required to accept responsibility for losses the examiner is liable for.
DVSA guidance says an examiner may be liable if it passes a vehicle with a defect, such as faulty brakes, that later causes injury or damage. Whether you are liable depends on the facts. Liability cover for testing work is designed for this kind of claim, so check whether your policy includes it and at what limit.
GOV.UK says a failure can be appealed to DVSA within 14 working days of the test, and a pass within three months if the issue is corrosion related (28 days for other problems). Customers should not have repairs done until the appeal has finished, so the vehicle may need to stay as it was tested.
Yes. DVSA's guide says testers need a current full UK driving licence for a vehicle class within the test group they test. A tester without a valid licence for the class should not start a test where a road test is likely. Your road risks cover should also include every tester who drives.
DVSA's MOT testing guide says testers must complete at least three hours of training each year and pass the annual assessment, with both recorded on their profile by 31 March. The training year runs from 1 April to 31 March, and the authorised examiner is responsible for making sure its testers comply.
Tell us what your business does, who drives, your premises and vehicle values. A broker reads every enquiry and comes back with options. No fee for a quote. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Start a motor trade enquiry Request a callbackApex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
