Driving Law

Driving Without Insurance

For all RTA enquiries please call us now on : 0207 061 3690

The law states that a person must not use a motor vehicle on a road or other public place unless they have a valid insurance policy.

Many people get caught out with insurance offences because they think their fully comprehensive insurance policy covers them to drive a vehicle owned by another person with their permission. However, a lot of fully comprehensive insurance policies do not actually have this type of cover.

It is also an offence to allow a person to drive your vehicle if they do not have insurance covering them for your vehicle.

Social and Business Purposes

An insurance policy often refers to use for “social, domestic and pleasure purposes” and, for example, this won’t cover a businessman travelling to meet a client or for an employee using their own vehicle to make a delivery for the company.

Defences

There are very few defences for driving without insurance. The only real defence is to argue that either you were not driving or that you thought you were insured.

Special Reasons Arguments

If you were driving under the genuine misapprehension that you were insured at the time you may have a case of Special Reasons. If the court accepts your “special reasons” argument they have the discretion not to impose penalty points.

Punishment

6-8 Penalty Points, a Discretionary Disqualification and a fine up to £5000.