The Risks Associated with Driving an Uninsured Vehicle

There are a staggering number of motorists who drive without car insurance which is frightening when you consider the risks as well as the fact that driving without cover is a serious offence.
The reasons that uninsured drivers give for not taking out insurance are varied and typically include the following.

• Cost: Many people claim that they simply cannot afford to take out insurance
• Forgetfulness: A large proportion of uninsured drivers simply forget to renew their cover
• Time Constraints: Some uninsured drivers claim that they do not have the time to arrange insurance
• Ignorance: Some people are unaware of the legal requirement to take out insurance
• Wilful Lawbreaking: It is sadly the case that a significant proportion of those driving without insurance simply do not consider insurance necessary

Whatever the reasons people give for not taking our insurance, it is never worth it. Some of the possible results of taking this course of action include the following:

• License penalties: If you are caught driving an uninsured vehicle it could least to 6-8 penalty points being added to your license. Considering that you need only 12 points for your license to be suspended, driving without a license can be a significant step towards getting you ‘off the road’.
• Risk of a fine: Uninsured drivers are routinely fined for what is considered to be a serious driving offence. Fines range from £500 – £1000.
• Exposure to serious liability: If you are uninsured against third party liability you are leaving yourself open to cost recovery attempts by other drivers or their insurers if you are ever involved in an accident.
• Risk of vehicle seizure: In some cases the police may decide to seize your vehicle until you can prove that you have arranged the required insurance. The costs associated with this, coupled with the inconvenience, can be very significant. You will be liable for all transport, administration and storage costs.
• Significantly increased premiums in future: If you have been caught driving without insurance, insurers will henceforth regard you as a very high risk customer. This means that your insurance premiums will rise significantly for at least 3 -5 years. This obviously leads to the ironic situation where an attempt at ‘cost saving’ can eventually lead to much higher costs.
• Risk of a custodial sentence for repeat offenders: It is not unheard of for people who repeatedly flout the law by driving without insurance to be criminally prosecuted and sent to prison.
• Negative impact on others: Uninsured drivers cause insurance premiums for the rest of the driving population to rise by as much as £50 per person. This means that those not paying their way are actually placing a huge financial burden on the rest of society.

It should be very clear from the above that, whatever the perceived, ‘advantages’, it is never a good idea to even consider not being covered by insurance when you take to the road. The perceived ‘saving’ or avoidance of hassle pales in comparison when you consider the extremely negative impact that this choice can have on your life.