Unless you have notified the DVLA that your vehicle is being kept off the road by means of a Statutory off Road Notice (SORN), you are not exempt from having to insure your car.
In line with Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), it is now a legal requirement for the registered keeper of a vehicle to insure it even if it is not being used and/or is parked on private land. The only exemption to this is if it has a SORN.
Please see the websites in Related Information.
It is an offence to use a motor vehicle on a road with no insurance - if you drive without insurance you can be prosecuted.
There are a range of penalties for this offence, the police can issue a fixed penalty notice and penalty points. If the case goes to court you could receive a substantial fine, and even a disqualification from driving. The police have powers to seize and, in appropriate cases, destroy vehicles that have been driven whilst uninsured.
Please also see the link in Related Information.
No, before you drive any motor vehicle on a public road you must have valid insurance. Many providers offer temporary or short-term car insurance which would cover you for circumstances such as this.
You must not drive a motor vehicle until you have insurance.
If you drive an uninsured vehicle on the road you could be prosecuted and your vehicle could be seized.
Money Supermarket provides further information on short term car insurance.
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Very few, if any of the insurance companies sell insurance door to door anymore. If a door to door salesperson offers you car insurance and it is significantly cheaper than any of the other quotes, then beware.
It is not advisable to obtain insurance from a door to door salesperson at all, unless you can verify that they do work for the company and the insurance is valid. You are advised to contact the company yourself to verify the salesperson's details. It is advisable not to use any telephone numbers supplied by the salesperson but to obtain the telephone number yourself.
When you take out car insurance, you will receive an insurance certificate by email or post along with and a pack containing a policy booklet, schedule and possibly other documentation. If the salesperson only gives you a certificate and a schedule then it is possible that it is not a genuine certificate and you will not have any insurance.
For more information about door to door sales and your rights as a consumer, please see the government guidance at GOV.UK - door to door sales
You should report all accidents, convictions and penalty points to your insurance company. The insurance company bases your quote and policy on information provided to them and if that changes it could invalidate your insurance policy, give your insurer the right to cancel your policy or refuse to insure you in the future.
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If you are the registered keeper of a vehicle you must make sure your car is insured or you must make a Statutory off Road Notification (SORN). This means that if your friend is using your vehicle then it can't have a SORN and would therefore have to be taxed and insured. Additionally, any driver would also need valid insurance cover for their use of the vehicle.
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QuestionQ769: Do I have to have my car insured if I don't use it and it is parked on private land? AnswerUnless you have notified the DVLA that your vehicle is being kept off the road by means of a Statutory off Road Notice (SORN), you are not exempt from having to insure your car. In line with Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), it is now a legal requirement for the registered keeper of a vehicle to insure it even if it is not being used and/or is parked on private land. The only exemption to this is if it has a SORN.
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