The company has had an “unwritten moral code” up to this point, which has meant it has paid out for faults found during MoT visits for several years already.

The new clause has now made the MoT coverage official and Warranty Direct said it was confident of its benefits, despite the cost. “We know from experience that we can cover any increase in claims costs that may result from this and we are content that this reinforces our objective of providing the most comprehensive cover on the market,” said the company's managing director Duncan McClure Fisher. Any warrantable part, including breakages in engine, transmission and suspension, will be covered under the new wording.