New law to affect drivers in England, Scotland & Wales

A new law to be rolled out in late-Spring will mean that the registered keeper of a vehicle must have insurance all the time, unless they have formally declared to the DVLA that it is being kept off the road.

Information about the new law has been distributed with all V11 tax renewal forms since March plus there is a guide to the new law and a video available on www.direct.gov.uk/stayinsured

A TV ad campaign, which will be endorsed by the DVLA, will also help tell everyone about the change.

The scheme is being introduced to reduce the numbers of uninsured vehicles on UK roads – one of the highest levels in Western Europe.

The records on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and those held by DVLA will be continually compared to identify keepers of potentially uninsured vehicles. Then letters will be sent to the registered keepers informing them that their vehicles appear to be uninsured. The letter will advise the keeper what they need to do to comply with the law.

Penalties for those who do not comply include a fixed fine of £100, having the vehicle clamped, seized and destroyed, or court prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

Owners can check their vehicle is recorded as ‘insured’ on the MID record using the free service at www.askMID.com

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