Volvo MOT Insurance???

This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing.

I got a leaflet from Volvo (no sure how they got my address but that's another story), anyway, it states £750 of cover (no excess) for £89.99 pa. premium.

The car has to be <10 years old and <100k miles, with at least 3 months MOT left to run. If the vehicle fails the MOT the insurance will cover the cost of repairs, limited but the list of items covered seems quite comprehensive.

Has anyone got a policy, or maybe claimed?

It seems a fairly good deal to me

Hi

I have twice had such policies on my Volvos, and have never had to claim on them. However, it is like all insurances, a drain on your funds until such time as you need to claim, then it is well worthwhile!

You do need to watch the relationship between servicing and MoT though, make sure you have the MoT done first. A failure point picked up on service will be charged to servicing, not Mot, and thus not MoT insurance!

My advice is to take it out, provided you can afford it, and if you cannot afford it good luck with your next MoT!!!!

exley

[Paul Wildsmith]

I think you have to also have your car serviced by a Volvo dealer - unless you do this anyway, makes it an expensive proposition.

Having read the small print it seems there are a couple of conditions which could affect any claim.

The car has to be regularly serviced "in accordance with the manufacturers service schedule", and within 1000 miles/4 weeks of the due service, though it doesn't actually say it has to be serviced by a Volvo dealer. The MOT and repairs have to be done by a Volvo dealer though, which if the insurance is paying I suppose is ok.

There is a slightly ambiguous clause.
"The insurance does not cover...Any parts which have not actually failed, which are replaced or reported during routine servicing and/or repair of other parts which have failed"

Now what the heck does that mean?

Our 340 had free RAC / Volvo roadside assistance so long as repaired by dealer according to schedule. This was OK whilst reasonably new (and we used the service twice when the immobiliser went faulty), however, as the car got older I noticed they were quite enthusiastic about changing parts at service - not unnaturally this reduces risk of MOT failure / roadside call out, but pushes your service costs up dramatically.

As car got older I noticed less care was taken by dealer in quality of repairs (ie bodywork got scratched when in, would that have hgappend with a shiny new car?), and in the end I stopped going to dealer when minor weaping radiator resulted in complete new rad being fitted for 500 quid. Better value found from independant volvo specialist who maintains it carefully and watches for problems that may arise, not replace everything after x number of years irrespective of wear or care!

They will have done their sums, and will no that less than 10 years old serviced properly you will never fail your MOT.
In conclusion:
I would say have the services for first 10 years but think carefully about insurance.