Advice
Is my car insured? How to find out for free
In this guide we go through how to find out if your car is insured or not for free.
Words by: Nimisha Jain
Published on 25 November 2025 | 0 min read
All drivers are required to have third party insurance to legally drive in the UK. It ensures you’re covered in case of accidents or damages.
If you’re caught driving without a car insurance, you can get a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points, and in some cases, even have your car seized. So, it’s important to know whether your car has the proper insurance or not to drive stress-free. It’s easy to forget when your car was last insured and if you’ve got the right policy in place or not, so the best thing to do is check as soon as possible so you can be on the right side of the law.
If you’re caught driving without a car insurance, you can get a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points, and in some cases, even have your car seized. So, it’s important to know whether your car has the proper insurance or not to drive stress-free. It’s easy to forget when your car was last insured and if you’ve got the right policy in place or not, so the best thing to do is check as soon as possible so you can be on the right side of the law.
Is my car insured?
You can find out if your car is insured or not by using the Motor Insurers' Bureau’s (MIB) free online service. The MIB holds a national register of all insured vehicles in the UK which is used by the DVLA and the police to enforce motor insurance law.
Head to the MIB’s online service, select ‘personal check’, and enter your car’s registration number. If your car shows a policy, then it means your car is insured; if an insurance policy doesn’t come up, you should declare your car as SORN until you’ve got a valid and active insurance policy in place. If the MIB register doesn’t show an insurance policy, but you believe you do have one in place, you should contact your insurance provider. If you’ve just bought a new car insurance, it can take a couple of days for the MIB’s register to be updated, so if you can’t see your insurance policy online yet, you should check again in a couple of days.
Head to the MIB’s online service, select ‘personal check’, and enter your car’s registration number. If your car shows a policy, then it means your car is insured; if an insurance policy doesn’t come up, you should declare your car as SORN until you’ve got a valid and active insurance policy in place. If the MIB register doesn’t show an insurance policy, but you believe you do have one in place, you should contact your insurance provider. If you’ve just bought a new car insurance, it can take a couple of days for the MIB’s register to be updated, so if you can’t see your insurance policy online yet, you should check again in a couple of days.
Can I check if someone else’s car is insured or not?
Yes, you can use MIB’s online service to check if someone else’s car is insured or not. Head to MIB and select ‘third party check’.
You should only use this to check someone else’s insurance policy if you’ve been involved in an accident with the other person’s car. It costs £10 to use this service. You’ll need the car’s registration and the date of the accident to check the other vehicle’s insurance policy. Once you’ve provided the details and made the payment, you’ll be able to access the policy number, name of insurer and the claims contact details to help you progress a claim. Note: it’s an offence to wrongfully obtain this information without a reasonable cause so you should only use this service if you’ve been in a motoring accident.
You should only use this to check someone else’s insurance policy if you’ve been involved in an accident with the other person’s car. It costs £10 to use this service. You’ll need the car’s registration and the date of the accident to check the other vehicle’s insurance policy. Once you’ve provided the details and made the payment, you’ll be able to access the policy number, name of insurer and the claims contact details to help you progress a claim. Note: it’s an offence to wrongfully obtain this information without a reasonable cause so you should only use this service if you’ve been in a motoring accident.
When is my car insurance due?
As the vehicle owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your car insurance policy gets renewed on time.
You can find out when your car insurance is due to be renewed, by checking your insurance policy documents – you may have a physical or a digital copy so it’s worth checking in both places. In case you can’t find the documents, you should: 1. Wait for a renewal reminder – most insurance companies send you a letter and/or an email a few weeks before your current policy expires. This should include the date your policy is due to be renewed. 2. Contact the insurance provider – if you think your policy is due to be renewed soon, you should contact the insurance company yourself to find out the exact date Unless it's temporary car insurance, your policy will probably renew annually and may be set to auto-renew. Check your policy to decide if you want to continue with it before renewal.
You can find out when your car insurance is due to be renewed, by checking your insurance policy documents – you may have a physical or a digital copy so it’s worth checking in both places. In case you can’t find the documents, you should: 1. Wait for a renewal reminder – most insurance companies send you a letter and/or an email a few weeks before your current policy expires. This should include the date your policy is due to be renewed. 2. Contact the insurance provider – if you think your policy is due to be renewed soon, you should contact the insurance company yourself to find out the exact date Unless it's temporary car insurance, your policy will probably renew annually and may be set to auto-renew. Check your policy to decide if you want to continue with it before renewal.
What insurance group is my car?
Insurance companies use insurance groups to help calculate the premium costs for your car insurance. Every car model is assigned to one of 50 groups - group 1 being the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive - based on factors like the cost and time required for repairs, the price of new parts, the car's performance, and its security features.
Read our guide to find out which insurance group your car is.
Read our guide to find out which insurance group your car is.
What is the Continuous Insurance Enforcement law?
According to the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) law, all registered vehicles in the UK must be covered by a valid insurance policy at all times, except if they’re declared as SORN. This law was implemented to combat the high number of uninsured motorists on the UK roads. The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) and the DVLA monitor compliance by comparing their records. If a car is found to be uninsured and not SORNed, the registered keeper may get an advisory letter, a fixed penalty of up to £100, or even risk having their vehicle clamped, seized, or destroyed.
Car insurance tips:
To avoid getting any fines and penalty points on your licence, we recommend you:
• Set a renewal alert: Schedule a calendar reminder for your policy's expiration date to ensure you renew your policy on time or shop around for another before the policy expires • Organise your documents: File all your important documents, including your insurance paperwork securely and in an accessible place for easy reference • Know your insurance coverage: Carefully review and understand the specific terms, limits, and exclusions of your insurance policy • Update your insurance records: Promptly update your policy details with any changes to your personal information, address, or vehicle specifications If you’re looking for an insurance policy for your car, you can get a quote on Autotrader.
• Set a renewal alert: Schedule a calendar reminder for your policy's expiration date to ensure you renew your policy on time or shop around for another before the policy expires • Organise your documents: File all your important documents, including your insurance paperwork securely and in an accessible place for easy reference • Know your insurance coverage: Carefully review and understand the specific terms, limits, and exclusions of your insurance policy • Update your insurance records: Promptly update your policy details with any changes to your personal information, address, or vehicle specifications If you’re looking for an insurance policy for your car, you can get a quote on Autotrader.