Is car insurance a legal requirement?

Key takeaways

• Car insurance is required by law under the Road Traffic Act of 1930 and protects drivers financially in case of accidents or theft

• Even if you're not driving your car, it must be insured and taxed if it's parked on a public road, however, it can be uninsured if it is kept on private property like a driveway or garage

• There is a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points for uninsured drivers

Is car insurance mandatory in the UK? 

Yes, it is the law in the United Kingdom to have at least third-party cover in place when driving on any road in the UK under the Road Traffic Act of 1930.  It offers financial protection when unfortunate events happen such as an accident or theft of a vehicle.  

What car insurance do I need to drive in the UK? 

UK law dictates that the minimum cover you can have to be road legal is third-party car insurance. However, this is just one of three types of car insurance you’ll have to choose from:

Do I have to insure my car if I'm not driving it? 

If you aren’t driving your car but are keeping it on a public road you’ll still need to insure it.

If the car is on a private road, driveway or garage, it doesn't need to be insured. But you must apply for a SORN to declare the vehicle off-road.

What is a SORN?

You can declare your car as off-the-road with a Statutory Off Road Notification, commonly referred to as a SORN. If you do this, you don’t need to pay insurance or tax - however you won’t be able to use your car.

What's the fine for driving an uninsured car? 

The fine for driving without insurance could range between a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points to possible disqualification from driving if the case goes to court. 

The police also have the power to seize your vehicle if you are driving uninsured - it can cost between £100 and £200 to retrieve a car from an impound lot.

If you are stopped on suspicion of no insurance, it is always handy to keep a copy of your insurance policy details on you or in your vehicle for proof.

If the vehicle is insured but you aren’t the policy holder or one of the named drivers insured on the vehicle you can also get a penalty.  

There are various ways uninsured drivers can be identified by the authorities. You can be stopped by police or get caught by traffic cameras that look for non-ULEZ cars, road tax, and insurance.

How can I find out when my insurance expires? 

The terms of your cover including your insurance expiry date will be specified on your insurance policy documents. These would have been emailed or posted to you when you took out your policy.

You can check whether your car is insured for free on the Motor Insurance Database at www.askMID.com - all you need to enter is your vehicle’s registration number. You can also check with the DVLA at gov.uk.