Although your lawnmower may be insured against theft and accidental damage under your home contents insurance, it is unlikely that it is insured as a vehicle, as there is currently no requirement for them to be insured as such unless they are being used on public roads. For the majority of people, a ride on lawnmower will only be used on private land, much like quad bikes, golf carts and children’s electric cars, so there is no need for them to be insured. This could all change very soon, however, as the government seeks input from the public regarding changes set to be imposed by the EU that require all powered vehicles to carry insurance, whether or not they are being used solely on private land.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The change in law stems from the case of Slovenian Damijan Vnuk, who was injured after falling from a ladder that was hit by a reversing tractor trailer. He was unable to claim compensation as the vehicle had no insurance, being used as an agricultural vehicle on private land. Motor insurers refused to touch the claim, but the European Court of Justice ruled that the incident should have been covered by motor insurance. The change in law seeks to provide coverage for those injured by vehicles that do not have insurance, such as lawnmowers, quad bikes and even mobility scooters on both public and private land.
The Department for Transport is looking into the implementation of the new rules and how full coverage might be achieved and monitored if it decides that all powered vehicles need to be insured, whether used on the road or off. Of course, when Britain leaves the EU we will no longer be required to abide by this new law, but due to uncertainty around the timetable of the Brexit process it is likely that the UK will see some form of the law enacted, even if it is just for a short time.
Currently, quad bike insurance is available from specialist insurers, and this is only required if the vehicle is used on the road. Many mainstream insurers do not cover these vehicles due to the high risk involved, so there is no wide-ranging protocol for offering insurance for these vehicles. Lawn mowers are not required to be insured at present, so there is even less of a precedent for insurance underwriters to work with when calculating risks and premiums. Mobility scooters, dodgems, golf carts and even forklift trucks are just a handful of the other vehicles that will be affected by the change in regulations.
Consumers should not worry just yet; the consultation phase is still in effect and as the law can be ignored once Britain formally withdraws from the EU there is no reason to plan too far ahead. Insurance companies will be thinking hard about how to provide insurance for ride on lawnmowers and other affected vehicles, as they will need to offer this for at least a short time. Until the consultation period has finished and the DfT has looked at the responses, there is no way of knowing whether the government will look to keep the requirement within the British Constitution after Britain has left the EU, so for now it is best to wait and see what happens. Owners of ride on lawnmowers would do well to keep themselves updated with the changing situation, in order to not fall foul of any change that comes in this year. Not having insurance might get you out of cutting the grass for one weekend, but it’s an excuse that can’t be used forever.