How to check if a car is insured, who with and until when

Put the number plate into the free Check Your Vehicle service from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). It reads Navigate, the central record of insured vehicles in the UK, and tells you straight away whether a live policy exists.

It will not tell you who the insurer is or when the cover ends. For that you need your own documents, emails or bank records, and this guide shows where to look.

Is my car insured? The free online check

Yes, you can check if a car is insured instantly and for free, as long as it is yours or you have the legal right to drive it. MIB says the free service is only for those vehicles (MIB, Check Your Vehicle).

1. Go to the MIB Check Your Vehicle page and choose the personal check.
2. Accept the terms, type in the registration and read the result: a live policy found, or none.

What the result does and does not prove

An “insured” result only proves a policy is recorded against that registration, not that it is the right policy for you or how you use the car.

MIB’s own checklist for being properly insured lists the details that can leave you uninsured even with a live policy:

• the wrong registration on the policy, for example after a private plate change
• the wrong class of use, such as social-only cover when you now drive between work sites
• a main driver who is not really the main user, which MIB calls fronting and describes as fraud
• undeclared modifications, a new address or a different overnight parking place

Why does my car show as not insured when I have a policy?

The usual reason is timing. MIB says insurers have seven days to add a new policy to the database, so a car bought or renewed this week can show as uninsured (MIB, insurance advisory letters).

MIB lists other causes too:

• the registration on your documents does not match the plate
• you have a new personalised plate that the insurer has not been told about
• you hold a short-term policy, which insurers sometimes do not log on Navigate

If it still shows as uninsured after seven days, call your insurer. Until then, keep your certificate to hand in case the police stop you.

A worked example: the new car on a Saturday

Hannah buys a used hatchback from a dealer in Leeds on a Saturday morning. She arranges cover online the night before and drives home with the certificate in her email. On Monday she runs the MIB check out of curiosity and gets “no live policy found”.

She does not buy a second policy. She checks the registration on her certificate matches the plate and saves the certificate to her phone. By the next weekend the check shows the car as insured. Had it still been missing, she would have called the insurer.

How to find out who my car insurance is with

Your insurer’s name is on your certificate of motor insurance and policy schedule. If you cannot find them, try these:

• Search your email for “certificate of motor insurance”, “policy schedule” or “renewal”.
• Look at your bank statement for a direct debit or a yearly card payment with an insurer or broker name.
• Log in to any insurer app or account you set up when you bought the cover.
• If you bought through a broker, ask them. They will know which insurer carries the risk.

When does my car insurance run out?

The end date is printed on your certificate of motor insurance and your schedule, often labelled the period of insurance. Check the dates on your own documents rather than assuming, because policy lengths vary.

Any renewal documents you have received will show the date too. Under FCA rules announced on 28 May 2021, a renewal quote for home or motor cover should not cost more than the insurer would charge a new customer (FCA). Other insurers may still price you differently, so it can pay to compare before you renew.

Can I check if someone else’s car is insured?

Only with a genuine reason, such as an accident with that vehicle. The free MIB check is for your own car, and misusing it can breach its terms.

After a collision, askMID offers a one-off search of the other vehicle for £10 (askMID, November 2026). askMID says this service moves to a new MIB platform called Check Their Vehicle from Monday 7 December 2026, at the same price. Your insurer or solicitor can also run the check for you.

At the scene you are legally required to exchange insurance details (MIB, after an accident). If the other driver turns out to be uninsured, MIB may be able to handle the claim.

Checks at a glance

What you want to know	Where to look	Cost	What it will not show
Is my car insured right now?	MIB Check Your Vehicle	Free	Insurer name, end date, whether cover suits your use
Who am I insured with?	Certificate, schedule, emails, bank statement	Free	Nothing missing if you have the certificate
When does my cover end?	Certificate or schedule, renewal letter	Free	Whether you will be offered renewal
Is the other car in my accident insured?	askMID one-off search, or your insurer	£10 (askMID, Nov 2026)	Anything if you were not involved
Is the car taxed and does it have an MOT?	DVLA vehicle enquiry service	Free	Insurance status (GOV.UK points you to askMID)

What happens if a car is not insured?

GOV.UK says the police can give a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points for driving a vehicle you are not insured to drive (GOV.UK). If the case goes to court, the fine is unlimited and you can be disqualified. The police can also seize the vehicle and in some cases destroy it.

The offence code is IN10, which carries 6 to 8 points and stays on your record for 4 years from the date of the offence (GOV.UK endorsement codes).

MIB and the DVLA also send monthly advisory letters to keepers of cars that show as uninsured. The letter is not a fine, but ignoring it can lead to DVLA action.

The police can ask to see your insurance certificate. If you cannot show it, you may be asked to take it to a police station within seven days (The Highway Code, annex 3).

Am I insured to drive a friend’s car?

Not automatically. MIB says driving other cars cover is no longer often included as standard, and where it is, it is often third party only and meant for emergencies. It also tends to exclude cars kept at your home and drivers under 25 (MIB, insurance myths).

For a one-off trip you could look at temporary car insurance instead, or be added as a named driver on the owner’s policy. Our round-up of common motoring myths covers a few more assumptions that catch drivers out.

Is it free to check if my car is insured?

Yes. The MIB Check Your Vehicle service is free for cars you own or have the legal right to drive. It confirms whether a live policy is recorded against the registration.

How long does a new policy take to show on the database?

MIB says insurers have seven days to add a new policy. If your car still shows as uninsured after seven days, contact your insurer and keep your certificate with you meanwhile.

Can I find out my insurer from my number plate?

Not through the free MIB check, which only shows whether a policy exists. Look at your certificate, policy emails or bank statement to find the insurer’s name.

What to do next

If the check shows no policy, or your renewal is coming up, you can compare car insurance quotes from a range of UK insurers on Tiger.co.uk. Start on the Tiger.co.uk car insurance page, and check the policy wording before you buy, because cover varies between insurers.

Breakdown cover is not always part of a car policy, so you may want to check that at the same time.