- Your license may be revoked if you are caught driving without car insurance in the United Kingdom.Condu?¡ì?¡êo nocturna image by Egitaniense from Fotolia.com
After passing your driving test and buying a new car, the next thing you should aim to do is insure your car before you start driving in the United Kingdom. Driving your car or allowing it to be driven on a public road without insurance is a criminal offense and may result in one or more forms of punishment. The UK's Department for Transport, or DfT, along with the police and auto insurance industry continually collaborate to find ways to prevent uninsured driving, which cost innocent drivers an estimated £300 million every year. - Driving without car insurance is considered an absolute offense. If you are convicted of this offense, you could be fined up to £5,000. Additionally, when conducting roadside spot checks, the police have the power to issue an on-the-spot fine of £200, and up to eight penalty points, to offending motorists. Regular police checks lead to the conviction of an estimated 300,000 uninsured British drivers each year. To avoid being a statistic, there are two types of car insurance for you to buy--comprehensive car insurance and third party, fire and theft insurance, which is compulsory but provides only third party protection in case of a road accident.
- After receiving a police or court fine for driving without car insurance, you will usually also receive six to eight penalty points, which will be endorsed on your driver's license. You will be required to send both parts of your UK driver's license--the photo card and paper counterpart--to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, or DVLA, for endorsement. Penalty points last for six years on a license.
- If you caught driving without car insurance, the police may decide to send you to a magistrate court. Depending on the severity of the incident resulting to your court appearance, the magistrate can order an immediate disqualification from driving, resulting in your license being revoked. You will be required to surrender your driver's license immediately after the ban is imposed. Receiving too many penalty points can also be problematic, especially since incurring more than six points also results in an automatic disqualification.
- Among other powers bestowed on the British police is the power to seize and, where appropriate, destroy confiscated uninsured vehicles that are not claimed within a set time limit. This is regardless of the age or condition of the car being driven without insurance. To regain possession of your vehicle, you will be required to pay the fixed penalty and present a valid auto insurance certificate before they can release your vehicle to you.
previous post
next post