If you are caught driving without insurance, you may face serious consequences that can have a serious impact on your future behind the wheel. Although not an arrestable offence, driving without insurance is taken very seriously, and the police are unlikely to be lenient in their penalisation.

For this reason, if you are the owner or driver of a vehicle, you need to be acutely aware of how to avoid driving without insurance as well as the consequences should this happen. According to the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), in 50% of investigations, driving without insurance could have been easily prevented without basic human error, and Harewood Law believes that understanding exactly what will happen should you make this mistake can drastically reduce this margin.

Is it illegal to drive without insurance?

It is illegal to drive on a UK road without insurance. You need to have at least third party insurance on a vehicle to be able to legally drive it.

If a car is insured but you are not a named driver on the vehicle’s insurance, or you don’t have third party insurance, it is also illegal to drive it in public.

Do you need to insure a car if it’s not being driven?

You don’t need insurance if it is not on the road and is declared as a SORN (Statutory Of the Road Notification).

However, most of the time, you still need to insure your car if it’s not being driven, and if it is parked on public land, it must be insured. Public land includes your driveway and front garden. Unless you have a gate or wall between your car and other vehicles with no public access, it is considered to be on public land.

This is because other insured vehicles would still be able to make contact with it.

Can you accidentally drive without insurance?

There is no legal excuse for driving without insurance, even if it’s accidental. For this reason, you need to make sure you keep on top of your insurance policy, and insure your car as soon as you purchase it.

If you have just bought a car, check to see if the garage offers temporary insurance that covers the drive home, and then sort your insurance once the car is in your possession, before you drive it anywhere else.

Do the police know if your car is uninsured?

Yes. The police have Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras that can immediately tell them if your car is insured. Consider that you yourself are able to identify the insurance status of your vehicle using only your number plate. Police can do this as you are driving past them using sophisticated technology.

If your car is sitting in your driveway uninsured, then it is unlikely that the police will know, but this doesn’t mean that it is legal.

What happens if you get caught driving without insurance?

If you are caught driving without insurance and the police pull you over, you will be asked to provide proof of insurance within 7 days of being stopped. If your insurance had expired at the time you were stopped, or you’re unable to provide evidence that your vehicle is insured, you will be penalised.

The consequences of driving without insurance depend on your case, and you will be informed of further action and your penalty as soon as possible.

What are the consequences for driving without insurance?

The consequences for driving without insurance depend on the circumstances for you being pulled over. For example, police may impose a lighter sentence if you are pulled over because your number plate was flagged by ANPR cameras and driving without insurance was a simple human error.

However, the consequences would be more severe if you were pulled over for another offence such as speeding or dangerous driving, and your car was found to be uninsured alongside this.

If you are caught driving without insurance, you could face:

• Fines: You could face fines of up to £1000 for driving without insurance. If the case goes to court, this could increase without limit

• Penalty points: Penalty points on your licence are another common penalty for driving without insurance. Police are within their right to grant 6 penalty points that will stay on your driving record for up to 11 years.

• Driving ban: In more serious cases where you are taken to court, you may face a driving ban of undetermined length.

• Removal of your vehicle: If you’re pulled over for driving without insurance and fail to provide proof of insurance within 7 working days, the police have the right to seize and destroy your vehicle.

Can you be arrested for driving without insurance?

In the UK, you can’t be arrested for driving without insurance, but it is still illegal to do so. You will not get a criminal record for driving without insurance, but it will remain on your driving record permanently.

Should you report someone for driving without insurance?

Yes. If you know of someone driving without insurance, you should report this immediately to the police. 

They will require the following information:

• The vehicle’s registration number, make, model and colour

• Where you last saw the vehicle being driven without insurance

You can make this report online and it will be dealt with swiftly.

If you’ve been caught driving without insurance, contact Harewood Law Our expert criminal defence lawyers specialise in road traffic offenses and work tirelessly to assist you during this time.

Our aim is to give every person a chance to fight for justice, as the law allows. We make sure you have the most experienced criminal defence team in your corner to build a robust defence, and provide legal advice throughout the duration of your case.

Contact us today, we work on both privately funded and serious Legal Aid cases across Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Keighley and across West Yorkshire and the UK.

0333 3448377 | info@harewoodlaw.com