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Motorists could be driving around with no car insurance without even realising, due to a little-known MOT issue. According to experts at Halfords, the number of 'ghost' MOTs has increased, with the number of incidents doubling.

'Ghost' MOTs are basically fake MOTs. It means a pass certificate has been issued to a vehicle, despite no inspection taking place. The problem can be devastating, with car insurance claims likely to be rejected if a vehicle is involved in a collision but is found to have a fake MOT.

New figures show the number of cases has doubled from 976 to 1,809 in just 12 months. However, motoring experts at Halfords have suggested that the figures only 'scratch the surface' with more cases likely in a major blow.

Andy Turbefield, MOT expert and Head of Quality at Halfords, explained: "Ghost MOTs are a clear example of rogue garages and MOT Testers taking advantage of the system. The only way to be 100% sure an MOT has been conducted is to do another one, via the DVSA Appeal process. This difficulty in spotting if a car has had a 'ghost' MOT means the official figures likely only scratch the surface.

"However, the impact on motorists can be huge in terms of safety - MOTs check key safety components like tyres and brakes. It's a matter of time until someone is killed. The reality is that we may have already had accidents and deaths as a result of 'ghost' MOTs and we simply don't know."

Car insurance policies usually requires a valid MOT test for the agreement to be fully valid. Driving without an MOT typically invalidates the policy, meaning road users are not covered for if they are involved in any accidents.

Andy stressed that road users can undergo a series of tips for reducing the risk or spotting when they may have been a victim of 'ghost' MOT. He urged road users to do checks themselves after the MOT - for example, measuring tyre tread to see if the garage has flagged any issues.

Andy told motorists to always be cautious of the MOT history on a second-hand car, with an unusually clean MOT history on an older vehicle likely to raise red flags.

He also urged road users to be wary of a quick turnaround on the MOT assessment. He explained that a proper MOT should take 40-50 minutes. It means garages that tell drivers to come back in half an hour to collect their car is a clear warning.

He also urged road users to use established, trusted garages as it was highly unlikely that a reputable garage or chain of garages would risk their whole business for the sake of making a quick buck.