The offence
Section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to use a motor vehicle on a road or public place without a policy of insurance in force covering third-party risks. The offence is one of strict liability — it does not require knowledge that you were uninsured.
Defences and special reasons
- A valid policy was in force, or you reasonably believed on proper grounds that it was
- The vehicle was not being 'used' on a road or public place
- 'Special reasons' not to endorse — for example, a genuine and reasonable belief in cover, or an administrative error by an insurer or employer
Penalties
The offence carries six to eight penalty points, or discretionary disqualification, and an unlimited fine. The vehicle can also be seized. Where death results, separate and far more serious charges may follow.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You can be guilty of the offence even if you did not know you were uninsured, which is why a genuine but mistaken belief may amount to a special reason rather than a full defence.
The offence carries six to eight penalty points, or discretionary disqualification, together with an unlimited fine.
A genuine and reasonable belief that you were insured — for example, where an insurer or employer made an administrative error — can be a special reason that allows the court not to impose penalty points.
Yes. The police have powers to seize a vehicle being used without insurance.