Overview
You must have motor insurance to drive your vehicle on UK roads.Third party insurance is the legal minimum. This means you’re covered if you have an accident causing damage or injury to any other person, vehicle, animal or property. It doesn’t cover any other costs like repair to your own vehicle.
If you’re in an accident
If you have an accident causing damage or injury you must give the following to anyone with ‘reasonable grounds for requiring them,’ for example an insurance company:
- your name and address
- the vehicle registration number
You also need to give the owner’s name and address if the vehicle isn’t yours.
You must report the accident to the police within 24 hours if you don’t give your details at the time of the accident.
You must also report the accident to your insurance company, even if you’re not planning to make a claim.
Accidents with uninsured motorists
You should tell the police if you have an accident with someone who’s not insured.Your insurance company will also be able to give you more advice.
Compensation for victims of uninsured or hit and run drivers
You may be able to claim compensation from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) if you’ve been injured or your property has been damaged because of an uninsured or ‘hit and run’ driver.
Contact the MIB directly for more information - eg to find out what you can claim for, the deadlines for claiming and how to claim LINK: http://www.mib.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/085DE28C-9F25-4C0C-AE09-500245D5D547/0/MIB_A5_Claim_Guide_Booklet.pdf
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau
www.mib.org.uk
01908 830001
Find out about call charges
The Motor Insurers' Bureau
Linford Wood House
6 - 12 Capital Drive
Linford Wood
Milton Keynes
MK14 6XT
Driving abroad
Driving in the European Union (EU)
All UK vehicle insurance provides the minimum third party cover to drive in other EU countries.Driving in other countries
Outside the EU, a ‘green card’ proves that your insurance covers the minimum cover in the country you’re driving in. Ask your insurance company if they can issue you with one.Uninsured vehicles
Rules in England, Wales and Scotland
You must have motor insurance for your vehicle if you use it on roads and in public places. You do not need to insure your vehicle if it is kept off the road and declared as off the road (SORN). This rule is called ‘continuous insurance enforcement’.
If not, you could:
- get a fixed penalty of £100
- have your vehicle wheel-clamped, impounded or destroyed
- face a court prosecution, with a possible maximum fine of £1,000
You will also still have to pay for your insurance on top of any fines received.
Motor traders - exceptions
If a vehicle is between registered keepers or registered as ‘in trade’ with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), it is excluded from continuous insurance enforcement.Vehicles you keep for your own use are not excluded.
Driving without insurance
It’s illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least 3rd party insurance.Even if the vehicle itself is insured, if you’re not correctly insured to drive it you could get penalized.
Penalties for uninsured drivers:
The police could give you a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points if you’re caught driving a vehicle you’re not insured to drive.If the case goes to court you could get:
- a maximum fine of £5,000
- disqualified from driving
The police also have the power to seize, and in some cases, destroy the vehicle that’s being driven uninsured.
