Driving Without Insurance

You are required to have a minimum level of insurance cover for any vehicle. This means that a minimum of third party insurance must be in place for all vehicles used on the public roads. The penalties for driving without insurance are between 6 and 8 penalty points and a means-tested fine of up to £5000. Sometimes, if you have been convicted of driving without insurance previously, you can be disqualified however, see section entitled “Special Reasons for not losing your entitlement to drive.”

I believed I had insurance in place but the insurance company tell me now that I wasn’t covered, what can I do?

If you were not covered at the time then unfortunately you are guilty of driving without insurance. However sometimes it can be possible to put forward a Special Reasons Argument (see below). This can result in no penalty points being imposed, or no disqualification or a lesser disqualification period.

The car is parked and not being used. Does it have to be insured?

If a car is parked on a road, or in a communal parking area, even though it may not be in use, it is still required to be insured. If you park on a private driveway, it need not be insured.

I let my friend drive my car, believing that he had insurance. I now have received paperwork suggesting I allowed him to drive without insurance and saying I must go to Court. What do I do?

You can be prosecuted for permitting another person to use your vehicle without insurance. The law states it is your responsibility to satisfy yourself that the person has insurance. Many people believe that if a person has fully comprehensive insurance it automatically means they are covered third party to drive another vehicle, but this isn’t always the case. Many other situations car arise which can lead to charges of driving without insurance. Contact us to speak to find out how we can help.

At Levy & Co Solicitors, we have a lot of experience in dealing with all manner of cases: Our areas of expertise are: Police Station Visits, Criminal Law, Football Offences, Dangerous Dogs, Motoring Offences, Coroners Inquests, Military Law, Family Law, and Mental Health cases. We can also assist you with getting Private and Public Funding. We have worked with clients all over the UK and abroad and have offices in Witham, Clacton-On-Sea, Braintree and South Benfleet. We always endeavour to act with compassion and no judgement ensuring you are treated with humility and understanding, no matter what charges you may face.