Owners of vehicles including mobility scooters, lawnmowers and golf buggies may soon need to buy motor insurance, following a EU court ruling.
Discussions are taking place between the UK Department for Transport and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) over the possibility that all motorised vehicles may need motor insurance.
The talks have been prompted by a ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union that has implications for the definition of a vehicle.
The ruling clarified a previous EU directive concerning the obligation of member states to ensure motor vehicles are insured and the definition of how vehicles are used.
The ruling was based on a case of a Slovenian farmer who was knocked off a ladder when it was hit by a tractor, and its insurance company refused to pay out on the grounds that the vehicle was not being used as a means of transport but "as a machine or propulsion device".
An ABI spokesperson said: "We continue to work closely with officials at the Department for Transport and with our members to assess the implications of the judgement."
The UK law currently requires vehicles such as lawnmowers to be insured if they are used on a road or other public place.
There is no statutory or legal requirement to insure any mobility scooter, but there is a requirement to register class three scooters - those capable of 4-8 mph, according to specialist provider Blue Badge Mobility Insurance.
Mark Effenberg, chief executive at the firm, said: "The EU's views on insurance for mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs have the potential to generate chaos."
