How Many Points for Driving Without Insurance?

If you are caught driving without insurance, you could recieve between six and eight points on your licence, along with an unlimited fine. Every driver must have insurance before they can legally drive a motor vehicle on the road. Additionally, if you are allowing someone to drive an uninsured vehicle, you may be charged with the offence.

Read on to learn more about the guidelines and rules around driving with insurance.

Why Do I Need Vehicle Insurance?

Every driver is expected to insure their vehicle to ensure that, if they are involved in an accident, they will be able to resolve the financial implications. The UK government reported that over 23,000 people were seriously injured, and over 95,000 were slightly injured in motoring accidents in 2021. This makes motoring accidents the largest cause of injury in the UK, and this is without taking into consideration the accidents that did not leave anyone injured, but in which cars were still damaged.

Car accidents can be very expensive. Those at fault will be required to pay for any damages caused to the other party’s vehicle, which will be done through their insurance. On top of being illegal, paying for damage to another vehicle due to an accident without insurance would be very costly. While vehicle insurance might seem expensive initially, it does help drivers out in the case of an accident.

What Happens if You Get Caught Driving Without Insurance?

With modern camera technology, the authorities can recognise if your vehicle is not insured. You may be pulled over by the police while you are driving, or receive a visit or notification through the post.

If you are pulled over by the police and you are not insured, a number of things will happen. You will first be asked to present documentation, including your licence and information about your insurance. If you can not do this at the time you are stopped, you will have seven days to do so. However, be aware that you may be stopped again if you continue to drive during this period, and this may affect your chances of disputing the penalty and its severity.

If you believe you do have insurance but have been challenged, there may be an issue with your policy:

• If it has been changed and your insurance company has not taken steps to notify you, you may have grounds to make a defence
• If it has been due a renewal and you have not done so, you may be able to make a ‘special reasons’ plea. However, this may be much more difficult to prove

Driving a vehicle that you are not insured to drive will result in a minimum fixed penalty fine of £300 and six points on your licence.

The police may also seize the vehicle or destroy it in extreme circumstances. Being prosecuted for a driving offence may result in insurance companies charging you more for vehicle insurance in the future, and you may have to deal with a separate prosecution for an accident or any injuries caused.

What Must I Be Insured For?

The most basic form of vehicle insurance is third-party insurance, which covers car repairs and the basic legal requirements for being able to drive. You may also be able to get a fire and theft inclusive plan. Comprehensive car insurance is the next step up from this and is more expensive, offering different benefits depending on what your provider offers. Either of these insurance policies will allow you to drive your vehicle.

Some comprehensive car insurance plans offer driving other cars (DOC) cover which will allow you to to drive other similar cars. Do not assume that your comprehensive insurance allows for this - check before you drive another vehicle for which you are not insured. The owner of the other vehicle will also be prosecuted if they allow you to drive their vehicle without the right insurance.

DOC cover also applies to vehicles that you are test driving. If you do this without the correct insurance, you will be prosecuted if caught. Some car dealerships or sellers may have a policy already in place for this, but you should check before doing anything. There are temporary insurance options for this if you do not want to spend more money on a comprehensive plan. These temporary options can sometimes be applied to short trips, too.

If you are planning to drive other types of road vehicle, such as vans, trucks or lorries, you will be required to get insurance specific to these. This is because these vehicles can be more dangerous than regular cars in different ways.

What Should I Do When Prosecuted for Driving Without Insurance?

Sometimes, it is best to simply pay your fine and accept your points. Disputing driving claims can be difficult when the police have a lot of solid evidence against you. Additionally, if you dispute the prosecution and fail, your penalty could be increased.

However, if you believe you have been unfairly prosecuted, you should speak to a solicitor as soon as possible. The expert motoring offences solicitors at JMW have dealt with many driving without insurance cases and can provide you with an award-winning service. We will be able to assess your situation and guide you throughout the whole process, helping you to gather evidence, representing you in court and explaining any confusing elements along the way. You should not attempt to mount a defence against a motoring offence prosecution without the help of a legal expert as it is a complex area of law and you may suffer even further.

It is essential that you speak to us as soon as possible. To do so, call 0800 804 8159 now, or fill out an online enquiry form and we will return your contact.