What can invalidate car insurance?

You must have valid insurance to be able to drive a car, so it’s important that you don’t do anything that could cause it to be cancelled (invalidated). If this happens, it could make it more difficult for you to get car insurance in the future and possibly increase the cost of your premium too.

Key points:

• Make sure your car has a valid MOT certificate

• You must be honest about who is the main driver of the car

• Ensure all of your details are up to date, such as your name and address

• You can be fined and prosecuted if you drive without valid insurance

What invalidates car insurance?

There are all sorts of things that could invalidate your car insurance, many are obvious but some less so. Here are a few of the main reasons your insurance could get cancelled.

You don’t have an MOT certificate

If your car doesn’t have a valid MOT, not only can it not be driven on the road, it can’t be insured either. You can avoid this from happening by ensuring your vehicle is regularly serviced and maintained, and your car is booked in for an MOT before the previous certificate runs out.

You’re named as the main driver but you’re not

This is known as ‘fronting’, and can be classed as fraud. Any named drivers on the policy must not be the sole driver of the car, or the person that uses it the most. 

You haven’t declared an accident

If you’ve been involved in an accident, even if you haven’t made a claim, you must tell your insurer.

You haven’t told your insurer about any modifications

Modifications can make a car more desirable to steal, more expensive to repair or may have been done badly and caused damage to the car. If you have any modifications done after taking out a policy, you’ll need to let your insurer know.

Your details aren’t up to date

It’s vital that things like your name, address and location where the car is kept overnight are correct. If you move house or change your name, you should call your insurer straightaway to update the details they have on file.

What are the legal implications of invalid car insurance?

It’s illegal to drive a car on the road or in a public place without valid insurance. If you’re caught you could be fined £300 and given six penalty points, and if the case goes to court you could even be disqualified from driving. 

How to check if my car insurance is valid?

The quickest way to check if your car insurance is valid is by using the Check Your Vehicle tool on the Motor Insurers’ Bureau website. Alternatively just give your insurer a call.

What should I do if my car insurance is invalid?

You will need to arrange a new car insurance policy as soon as possible. Take a look at the two different levels of Comprehensive cover on offer with John Lewis Money.

This article is for promotional or information purposes only. You must not rely on it as advice.