Impounded Car Insurance UK

Named driver impound insurance is commonly used by:

• banned drivers

• provisional licence holders

• international licence holders

• drivers waiting for licence reinstatement

• vehicle owners unable to drive themselves

 

How Quickly Can Cover Start?

Most named driver impound insurance policies can be arranged the same day, with documents emailed shortly after payment so that the vehicle can be collected from the police compound quickly.

 

Is Named Driver Impound Insurance Accepted by Police Compounds?

Yes — provided the policy:

• Specifically covers impounded vehicles.

• meets the minimum insurance period required

In some instances, the police will not release the vehicle unless you have a named driver on the policy. This may be because you are currently banned from driving, or have pending convictions that will result in a driving ban, or you only have an international driving licence but have been in the UK for over 12 months! Whatever the reason, UK Sure can help you with named-driver impound insurance.

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If you hold a non-UK licence, see our International Licence Impound Insurance page.

Banned Drivers

A driver who has been legally disqualified from driving by a court or under UK driving laws. This is also called a driving disqualification or driving ban.

Common reasons include:

• drink driving

• driving without insurance

• excessive penalty points (“totting up”)

• dangerous driving

• drug driving

• serious speeding offences

If a banned driver’s vehicle is impounded, they usually cannot:

• Drive the car themselves

• Obtain standard insurance to collect it.

• Legally remove the vehicle from the police compound

That’s where named driver impound insurance is often used, and where UK Sure can help you.

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International Licence Holders

International licence holders may need named driver impound insurance when they are not legally allowed to drive the vehicle themselves in the UK.

Common reasons include:

• The international licence is no longer valid for UK driving

• The driver has exceeded the period they can legally drive in the UK

• The police require a UK-eligible driver to collect the vehicle

• The vehicle was seized for no insurance or invalid cover

In these situations, a qualified named driver is added to the impound insurance policy so they can legally collect and drive the vehicle out of the compound.

 

Why This Happens

Some overseas licence holders can only drive in the UK for a limited time before needing a UK licence, depending on:

• the country in which the licence was issued in

• residency status

• how long have they been in the UK

 

If the licence is no longer accepted for driving in the UK, the owner cannot legally remove the impounded vehicle themselves.

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If you hold an international licence, see our International Licence Impound Insurance.