Car insurance?

mess0804

Sorry if it sounds stupid, I have a few years since I live in UK but never been interested in this. I don't understand how the car insurance works here :mad: I saw that anyone who has a car is required to have insurance. What I don't know is if it's illegal to drive someone's car? if my cousin has a car and one night he gets drunk and I want to get him home it's illegal to drive his car? I don't know where to read about the rules here: I have heared about named drivers but what are the legal requirements? Is it illegal for me to drive once in a year someones car?

I hope it's not a very stupid question and someone has 5 minutes to make me understand

medders2604

You need to be insured to drive the car, that can either be by being added to the policy as a named driver or some policies cover for any driver aged over 25 I believe but yes you do need to have insurance even if you are driving 100 metres up the road.

mess0804

So it's illegal to drive any other car than mine (or a car of a family member that has put me as a named driver)?
It all started from a chat that I had with friends: so if one of them gets drunk I can not drive his car, he just has to leave it there?
what can happen? will the police stop me? Can I get a fine or what? Or only if an accident happens is a problem?

Antispam

I believe its illegal to drive a car or have a car on a public highway that doesn't have insurance. However even if you dont have a car and want to drive someone else's as long as you have the car owners permission and is named on there car insurance policy you can drive it if you have a valid licence/road tax and MOT certificate just like any other car

dacouch

The earlier message is slightly incorrect, there are some policies that cover any driver over 17 for instance some fleet and motor trade policies.

To be covered to drive on a car you either need to be the Policy Holder, a named driver, driving any any driver policy (Assuming you are over the age the policy specified). Alternatively some policies cover the policy holder only to drive other peoples cars for third party only subject to some conditions.

The UK is starting to clamp down on uninsured drivers. The police have access to a computer system called the Motor Insurance Database that advises them if a car is insured, who it is insured by, the car details and who is covered to drive. This is often linked to a camera in their car which is an ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition). This is linked to the Motor Insurance Database and reads number plates as they go by. It will alert the police if a car passes that is uninsured, has no car tax, no registered owner, no mot or the vehicle is flagged up as being of interest eg suspected drug dealers car.

If the car flags up on this it is highly likely they will pull the car over and perform further investigations. The police now have the power to impound a car immediately if they belieive it to be uninsured etc. The vehicle iis then towed away at the owners expense (Around £150) and then stored at a cost of around £10 a day. They will release the car if the owner can proof they are insured and have the relevant documents or they sign the vehicle over to someone else who can provide insurance details etc. If this is not done in approx 14 days they crush the car (Irrespective of the value).

They will also convict the driver for driving without insurance (IN10) which will get normally 6 points a fine of around £350 and the outside chance of a driving ban.

So if you do borrow your friends car and are stopped by the police it is very very likely they will realise you are not insured to drive it (Unless you are covered as per above) and seize the car and convict you of driving without insurance.

Driving without Insurance is becoming very socially unacceptable in this country and the police are now very good at catching people due to the technology most traffic cars use. So if you do borrow your friends car its is very important you are covered to drive.

As far as the police are concerned if your friend is drunk you should leave the car there and get a taxi or a lift home.