How do I check if my car is insured?
Key takeaways
You can check if your car is insured for free using the Motor Insurance Database
You must insure your car unless it has been declared off road with a SORN
Driving without insurance can mean a £300 fixed penalty, six points, higher future premiums and your car being seized
How can I check if my car is insured?
It’s quick and easy to find out if your car is insured – simply use Navigate's free Check Your Vehicle service via the Motor Insurance Database (MID) or the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB). Enter your car's registration number and you'll be able to see if your vehicle is on the insured list.
Navigate is the UK’s central record of motor insurance, holding information on every car on the road, and it’s also used by the police to identify uninsured vehicles.
Am I legally required to have car insurance?
Yes, all cars on UK roads must be insured with at least third-party cover. If you’re a car owner, this is your legal responsibility. Car insurance policies usually last for 12 months and need to be renewed continuously, even if your vehicle is not being used, unless your car has been declared off the road.
💡 Top tip: If you are not using your car and you don’t want to pay for insurance, you can officially declare the vehicle ‘off the road’ via a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN).
How do I find out who my car is insured with?
If you purchased your car insurance through MoneySuperMarket, you can find your policy information by logging into our website or app and navigating to your dashboard. You can also check:
Your email inbox for “car insurance”, “policy documents” or your registration number
Your bank or credit card statements for payments to an insurer
Your insurer’s app, if you have one
Any printed policy documents you were sent
If you find the insurer but not the policy number, contact the insurer directly.
How do I check if my car is taxed and has an MOT?
You can check if a car has an MOT on this government website. To see if your car is up to date with its road tax you can use the government vehicle tax tool.
You’ll just need to enter your registration number and you will be shown all the relevant details about your car.
🚩 You can be fined and have your vehicle seized if your car is not correctly taxed or does not have an up-to-date MOT.
What happens if I drive without insurance?
Driving without insurance can lead to a £300 fixed penalty and six penalty points. If the case goes to court, you could get an unlimited fine or be disqualified from driving. The police can also seize a vehicle being driven without insurance and, in some cases, have it destroyed.
This can also make your car insurance more expensive in future, as insurers may see you as a higher risk if you have penalty points or a conviction for driving uninsured.
📣 Did you know? The Motor Insurers’ Bureau says there are around 335,000 uninsured drivers on UK roads on any given day. Uninsured driving costs the UK around £1 billion a year.
Is it legal to have an uninsured car if nobody drives it?
If nobody drives your car you can leave it uninsured under the following conditions:
the car is parked off-road on private property
you have applied for a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN)
If you don't have a SORN you can be fined for not having car insurance and your vehicle could be clamped, impounded or destroyed. This is true even if the car is never driven and kept in your garage or on your driveway.
If you keep an uninsured vehicle without a SORN, GOV.UK says you could:
be fined £100
have your vehicle wheel-clamped, impounded or destroyed
be taken to court, where you could get a maximum fine of £1,000
To retrieve your car you will need to pay for a car insurance policy alongside any fines.
What is Continuous Insurance Enforcement?
Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) is a UK law that was introduced in 2011 to clamp down on uninsured drivers. Before it came into effect, only uninsured drivers using their cars on the road were breaking the law, but now even stationary vehicles must be insured unless they have been declared off the road.
CIE is enforced by two UK government organisations, The Motor Insurance Database (MID) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), who collaborate to identify vehicles that are uninsured.
Under Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) rules, the registered keeper is responsible for keeping the vehicle insured unless it has a SORN.
What is an Insurance Advisory Letter?
An Insurance Advisory Letter is an official notification that according to the records of the Motor Insurance Database or DVLA your car is not insured.
You should not ignore this letter. To avoid fines and other penalties, you will need to do one of the following:
Arrange valid car insurance
Check whether your insurer has updated the Motor Insurance Database
Make a SORN if the car is not being used
Contact your insurer if you think there has been a mistake
Will I be penalised for not having car insurance if I’m the registered keeper but not the main driver?
Yes, the registered keeper is responsible for making sure the car is insured or declared off road. This still applies if someone else usually drives the car.
💡 Top tip: You must tell your insurer if the registered keeper of the car is not the main driver. Giving incomplete information about who is driving the car can invalidate your insurance.
Why might my car show as uninsured when I have cover?
Your car may show as uninsured if your policy has only just started or if your details have not updated on the Motor Insurance Database yet. It could also happen if:
Your insurer has entered the wrong registration number
You recently changed your car
You recently changed insurer
Your policy was cancelled or did not renew
Your payment failed
You bought a policy from a fraudulent provider
Contact your insurer if you think your car should be showing as insured, and don't drive until you are sure you have valid cover.
What should I do if my car has been impounded for no insurance?
Contact the police or impound lot and arrange valid insurance before trying to collect your car. You may need specialist impounded car insurance, as some standard car insurance policies will not cover a vehicle that has already been seized.
You will usually also need to provide proof of insurance, proof of identity and proof that you own the vehicle.
How can I avoid a car insurance penalty?
To steer clear of car insurance penalties, make sure your car is always insured (or declared off road) and notify the DVLA of any changes in vehicle ownership.
You can also reduce the risk of a penalty by:
Checking your renewal date
Setting reminders before your policy ends
Making sure your direct debit or card payment has gone through
Checking your car appears on the Motor Insurance Database
Telling your insurer if you change car, address or registration number
Declaring your car off road if you do not want to insure it
How can I get cheaper car insurance?
While car insurance is a necessary expense, there are several strategies to help reduce the cost:
Increase the voluntary excess
Opting for a higher voluntary excess can lower your premiums, but ensure it's an amount you can afford to pay in the event of a claim.
Choose for bundle insurance
Insurance isn’t just limited to cars, so you can use the same car insurance provider for other things, like your home or travel insurance. Sometimes, insurers will give you a discount if you select them as a provider for more than one type of insurance. Or, opting for multi-car insurance, if you have more than one vehicle registered at the same address, can also give you some discount.
Keep your mileage low
The less you drive, the lower your risk of making a claim to insurance providers. If your annual mileage is under 6,500 miles a year, you could be eligible to opt for low-mileage car insurance to keep the cost down. It’s crucial to be honest about your expected mileage, as you could end up paying more for the extra miles you use above your threshold.
Annual payments
Paying your insurance premium annually can save you money by avoiding the interest rates that are often charged on monthly payments
Consider advanced driving courses
Taking advanced driving courses can demonstrate your commitment to safe driving and may result in lower insurance costs by reducing your risk of an accident.
Where can I get cheap car insurance?
Save money by shopping around and comparing policies on MoneySuperMarket to make sure you’re getting the best-suited car insurance deal for your circumstances. Just pop in a few details about yourself and your car and we’ll put together quotes to match your requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any car insurance exemptions?
Yes, there are a few exemptions to the car insurance requirement.
You will not have to pay for car insurance if you have officially declared your car to be off the road via a SORN informing the DVLA. When you do this, you’ll automatically receive a refund of your road tax for any full remaining calendar months that will go unused.
Other exemptions include stolen cars, scrapped cars, or cars that are in the process of changing owners or are registered as ‘in trade’ with the DVLA.
Can I drive my car if it does not show on the Motor Insurance Database?
No, not unless you are sure you have valid insurance. The Motor Insurance Database may take time to update, so your car not appearing immediately does not always mean you are uninsured, but you should contact your insurer before driving if anything looks wrong.
Can police check if my car is insured?
Yes, the police can use the Motor Insurance Database to check whether a vehicle appears to be insured. If your car is being driven without valid insurance, police can issue penalties and may seize the vehicle.
Do I need insurance if my car is parked on the road?
Yes, your car needs insurance if it is kept on a public road. If you do not want to insure it, you must declare it off road with a SORN and keep it off public roads.
Do I need insurance if my car is kept on my driveway?
Yes, unless you have declared it off road with a SORN - a car kept on private land does not need insurance if it has a valid SORN and is not being driven. You will need insurance again before driving it on public roads.
Can uninsured driving affect future car insurance prices?
Yes, penalty points or a conviction for driving without insurance can make future car insurance more expensive. Insurers may see you as a higher risk, and you will usually need to declare motoring convictions when applying for cover.
Author
Sara Newell
Commercial Director
Sara Newell is the Commercial Director for Motor & Home Insurance at MoneySuperMarket. With almost 20 years of experience in insurance, Sara has built a reputation as a results-driven leader who...
Reviewer
Mehdi Punjwani
Insurance specialist
Mehdi is a financial writer and editor with over six years of experience in personal finance. He has written for organisations and publications including Equifax, The AA, and USAToday, covering a...
