It is estimated that approximately one million vehicles in the United Kingdom alone are currently without proper insurance. Driving such a vehicle is always a risk because, in the event of police pulling you over, the chances are that you will receive some sort of a penalty.
In fact, even if the vehicle is insured, the driver can still get penalized if they are not insured to drive it.
So what is the penalty for driving without insurance? Well, that can depend on a variety of factors. To help you inform yourself, here’s a short overview of what to expect.
The basics
If you want to legally drive on any public road, you need to have third-party insurance at the very least. In other words, you need the most basic form of insurance. However, if the place where you’re driving is not accessible to the public, this requirement is not mandatory.
Naturally, you are welcome to opt for a more extensive package that protects you from, for example, theft, but having a basic level of insurance is a must because it means that you will be covered if you cause a more serious accident that involves injuries or damage.
That being said, you may be eligible for a claim even if you’re driving without insurance, if you’re not at fault, of course
The police
The police have cameras that recognize your plate numbers, so they’ll know immediately whether or not you’re insured when they stop you. If they say you’re not insured and you think they are mistaken, you will have seven days to show them a valid insurance certificate. Remember, it has to be valid at the moment they stop you.
You may also be deemed not guilty if your insurance company fails to notify you about any significant changes in your insurance policy. In this case, it’s good to seek legal aid to help you prove all of that.
The penalties
Now we come to the punishments. Driving without insurance carries a penalty of at least 300 GBP and six penalty points, but things don’t necessarily end there.
If the police conclude that you’ve committed a more serious offence, they may take the case to court. Should that happen, the offender can receive an unlimited fine and can be forbidden to drive altogether. This usually happens if the driver tries to trick the police by giving false information, drives without ever having passed their driving test, etc.
Furthermore, the police can seize your vehicle even if you’re not the person who owns it, and in some cases that can also destroy it. Considering all of that, driving around without valid insurance doesn’t seem to be advisable.
The consequences
Keep in mind that should you commit this kind of offence, you may be required to pay higher insurance premiums later down the road when you decide to insure your car properly. You will not have a criminal record on sites like lookupinmate.org, but an IN10 endorsement will be attached to your license for four years. We hope you understand what we have explained in this article.
