It might sound like a simple question, but do you actually know if your car is insured right now? While most people assume they’re covered, lapses in payments, expired policies, or admin errors can leave you unknowingly uninsured — and that comes with serious consequences.
Why Car Insurance Matters
Driving without insurance is illegal. But under the UK’s Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) rules, simply owning a car that’s not insured — even if it never leaves your driveway — can still get you into trouble.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works alongside the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to monitor which vehicles have valid insurance. Their systems automatically flag any car that appears on DVLA records but isn’t listed as insured on the MID. This includes vehicles where a policy was cancelled because the owner missed a payment.
Gone are the days when police had to check paper insurance certificates. Now they can instantly see if a vehicle is insured using real-time databases. You could be pulled over or even have your car seized on the spot.
What Happens If You’re Not Insured?
If your car is flagged as uninsured, you may receive a letter from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) called an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL). This gives you a limited window to either:
- Insure the vehicle immediately
- Declare the vehicle as off-road (see SORN below)
Ignore the letter, and you risk prosecution, a fine, and having your car clamped, seized, or destroyed.
How To Check If Your Car Is Insured
If you’re unsure whether your car is currently insured, the easiest way to check is through the official MIB website. It’s free and takes less than a minute.
Just enter your vehicle’s registration number, accept the terms and conditions and you’ll find out straight away if it’s showing as insured on the national database.
If the result shows your car is not insured, you must either:
- Get it insured immediately, or
- Declare it SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
What Is SORN?
If your car isn’t being driven or parked on public roads, you can register it as off the road using a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). This tells the DVLA you’re not using the vehicle and don’t need to insure or tax it.
But remember: you cannot drive or park a SORN vehicle on public roads. Doing so is a criminal offence and can result in fines and vehicle seizure.
Final Checks
For peace of mind:
- Visit MIB.org.uk and check your insurance status
- Set a reminder of your policy’s expiry date
- Ensure your payments are up to date, especially if you pay monthly
Even a simple mistake or missed direct debit can void your insurance. That’s why it’s worth checking now — before a letter arrives or worse, your car is taken away.