The number of motorists driving without insurance increased by 16% last year

In 2020, close to 101,000 motorists were caught driving without insurance, up from 87,000 in 2019

  • Over the last two years, drivers have collectively paid out a whopping £11.7 million to release their car after being seized by police forces(1).

  • More than 56,000 cars were destroyed by police forces in 2019 and 2020, with a further 9,000 being auctioned, raising more than £6.2 million.

  • Further research finds a third (33%) of UK drivers have borrowed or driven another car without necessarily having the right insurance in place.

On the up

The number of uninsured drivers on UK roads has increased by 16% according to new data. Police forces report more than 101,000 offences during last year alone.

That’s according to new Freedom of Information data obtained by Confused.com. This reveals that the number of motorists caught driving without the correct insurance increased from 86,914 in 2019, to 100,983 in 2020.  This means those caught could have collectively paid as much as £56 million in fines over the two years. The figure is based on the minimum penalty of £300 for offenders.

Small print

When a driver is caught without the right insurance, the police can issue fines and seize the car in question. In order to release the car, offenders need to show evidence of a valid car insurance policy along with paying a fee.

In 2020, a total of 102,387 cars were seized, up from 96,279 in the previous year. This is both through cars seized after being stopped, but also those found on the road without insurance.

Collectively, £11.7 million was paid by drivers to release their cars. This can be on top of the fines they’ve already paid.

Unreclaimed car can be destroyed. Over the last two years, more than 56,000 cars were scrapped by police forces. Alternatively, they can be sold off at an auction. In 2019 alone, 9,445 of the cars seized were sold raising £6.2 million – an average of £650 profit per car.

Read and renew

Insurance policies are set to automatically renew at the end of their terms so that a driver is never left without cover. So why are so many drivers being caught out?

Research shows that many people cancelled their car insurance throughout the coronavirus pandemic. However, new research has found that 33% of UK drivers have borrowed or driven another car without the correct insurance. Of those, more than half (52%) did so under the assumption that they would be covered. However, close to one in six (16%) knew they didn’t have the right insurance in place.

Almost two in three (64%) made the excuse that they were only making a short trip. Alongside this, 58% took the gamble because the owner of the car was with them.

Driving others’ cars

The study has found that there is confusion over what their insurance covers. Nearly one in six (16%) UK drivers don’t know if their policy allows them to drive other cars. One in seven (14%) don’t know the requirements.

Driving other cars (DOC) isn’t something that is automatically included on comprehensive policies. Some insurance companies do not offer it as an option. Instead, there are some emergency provisions around crashes and medical issues.

To have DOC on their policy there are a few requirements drivers must meet, including:

  • They must be aged 25 or over when the policy starts

  • Their own car insurance policy needs to be a fully comprehensive one

  • The other car must have insurance already

One in eight (12%) wrongly believe you are automatically insured to drive another car if you have comprehensive policy at any age. A further one in eight (13%) believe this to be the case if you have a comprehensive policy and are over the age of 25.

DOCs will only cover for third-party damage, unless they are a named driver on the owner’s policy. In this case, they would be covered for the same level as the policy holder. This seems to be a popular option for the two in three (68%) drivers who drive or have access to another car. Almost half (49%) of these drivers are insured as a named driver, while almost two in five (39%) are insured on their own comprehensive policy.

The Confused.com car insurance price index (Q2 2021) data does suggest that this can reduce premiums. The average premium drops by as much as £204 for having another person on the policy.

In the driving seat

Worryingly, one in two (54%) admit they would still jump behind the wheel of another car without insurance. Almost two in five (38%) claim they would take the risk in an emergency.

Drivers need to understand insurance policies and cover. When it comes to buying or renewing a car insurance policy, having a conviction for driving without insurance is likely to increase your premium. Some insurers will not offer cover at all.

See the full confused.com article here.