The law in UK is very clear about motorists. For driving a Toyota, Honda, BMW or any other make of vehicle on the roads of the United Kingdom, you should have motor insurance or auto insurance. In fact, the law is not special for the country but is the same in almost all parts of the world. Since you are driving a machine that is capable of causing damage to life and property and if you are its owner, then you also have to own up the responsibility of damages that might be caused by it. When any damage happens, the mandatory car insurance also known as third party liability insurance helps you with the necessary payout. You are saved from paying anything from your pocket.
Legal requirements for vehicles
It is not insurance alone that has to accompany the vehicles plying on the UK roads. There are some other requirements too that have to be fulfilled. All vehicles have to be duly registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and vehicle tax has to be updated. In case your vehicle needs a MOT certificate, which too has to be in place. Only after fulfilling all the requirements you are legally entitled to drive a vehicle on the road.
Your responsibilities when you are in an accident
By taking up car insurance, you are obligated to discharge specified responsibilities when you are involved in an accident. When you are involved in an accident, you have to give you name, address and vehicle registration number to the insurance company. In case the vehicle does not belong to you, you should give the owner’s name and address to the insurance company.
The accident has to be reported to the Police within 24 hours of the occurrence if it has not been done at the time when it happened. It is not only that you should inform the insurance company about the accident only if you make claim, it has to be informed even if no claim is made.
Get yourself insured too
The law is very specific about the warranty insurance cover that is available for third party insurance. However, it is not enough to get the vehicle insured. Drivers too have to be insured. You should be insured to drive a vehicle failing which you will be highly penalised. You could land up paying £ 300 fixed fine besides being loaded with 6 penalty points. If the case moves to the court, the fine could be unlimited and in extreme cases, you can even be disqualified from driving. The police is empowered even to seize and destroy the vehicle if need be.
When can vehicles be exempted from insurance?
If the vehicle is kept off the road for some time, then it can be exempted from the purview of insurance. Known as Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) that is used to inform DVLA that the vehicle is off the road for a specified period, helps you not pay tax till the time it returns on the roads and is kept out of the ambit of insurance till that time.
