Do You Need Insurance for a Mobility Scooter?

If you are considering buying a mobility scooter, you probably have all sorts of questions – what type is best for me? What size of scooter do I need? What accessories should I get? If you have just taken delivery of your brand-new scooter, you are certainly thinking of where the first place you will go will be and the benefits to your quality of life that your scooter will bring.

But in either case, there are more mundane but just as important questions that you have to consider as well. Such as “Do you need insurance for a mobility scooter?”

Do Mobility Scooters Need Insurance?

The short answer to this question is No. Unlike cars and other motor vehicles, there is no legal requirement to have insurance for a mobility scooter. There is one rare exception to this rule, which we will cover later.

Nearly all mobility scooters are exempt from requiring insurance. This is different to the situation regarding tax and registration.

Class 2 mobility scooters, which have a maximum speed of no more than four mph and a maximum unladen weight of 113.4kg (250lbs) do not need registering or to pay tax.

Class 3 mobility scooters, with a top speed of up to eight mph and weighing up to 150kg unladen (or 200kg including essential fittings like medical equipment), do need to be registered with the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency and pay tax.

However, neither class of mobility scooter are legally required to have insurance. Neither, for the sake of completeness, do Class 1 mobility vehicles, which are unpowered and manually propelled types such as wheelchairs.

The exception is for mobility scooters or similar vehicles that fall outside the limits of Class 2 and Class 3 and are therefore ‘unclassed’. This may be because they can travel faster than eight mph, be wider than the 0.85m (33.4 inches) limit, have more than one seat, or have a higher unladen weight. But you’re in luck, all of our Pride scooters have been designed to fit within the regulations with a max speed of eight mph.

If such a vehicle has an unladen weight of over 254kg (560lbs) absent any essential equipment, it is legally required to have insurance – if the weight is between 150kg and 245kg, then it needs to be registered and taxed but does not require insurance. Mobility vehicles falling into this ‘unclassed’ category are extremely rare and are usually made and sold as light cars, buggies, or quadricycles.

So long as your mobility scooter is designed, built, and sold to the requirements of Class 2 or Class 3, it will not require insurance.

Should I Insure My Mobility Scooter?

While there is no legal requirement to have insurance for a mobility scooter, doesn’t mean you can’t have it if you want that piece of mind.

Mobility scooter insurance schemes usually cover far more than legal liability. They can include breakdown services, so you can be sure of getting you and your scooter home if it has a failure when out and about. Some insurance schemes can even cover things like punctures and battery failures.

Insurance can also cover your scooter against damage or theft – If the worst does happen and your scooter is lost or damaged, having insurance will mean that you can quickly get your mobility back and will not be out of pocket.

How Much is Mobility Scooter Insurance?

The exact cost of any given mobility scooter insurance policy will vary depending on the insurer, the provisions of the particular policy and your own circumstances. However, typical policies on offer for Class 2 and Class 3 mobility scooters in the UK have premiums of between about £40 and £100 per year.

Buy a Mobility Scooter with Pride Mobility

If you are considering purchasing a mobility scooter, then look no further than Pride Mobility. Our collection comprises models that are suited to all terrains, allowing you to select the best product for you. And you’re in luck, all of our Pride scooters have been designed to fit within the regulations with a max speed of eight mph and under the 150kg weight limit.