Free Traffic Legal Advice

Just asking hopefully a quick question, if a named driver on a car insurance policy lends the vehicle to someone who isn't insured and it gets impounded, where does that leave the policy holder with regard to getting the vehicle back, especially if the insurance doesn't cover bailing out the vehicle. also policyholder unaware of the lend of the vehicle.

Well its the policy holders car and he needs to get it back, its been impounded through no fault of his own, he didn't lend the car to anyone.

The police force that seized it should have instructions on their website explaining how the registered keeper can get the vehicle back if it has been seized because it was being driven without insurance. I'm assuming that is the only reason why it was seized and it hasn't also been used in other criminal activity, and that it is roadworthy, taxed, and MOT'd.  He needs to move quickly though, there's quite a short timescale before police are entitled to sell or destroy a seized vehicle.

Just as an example this is the Met Police information for London.  https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/vr/vehicle-recovery/seized-vehicles/ But he needs to follow the instructions of whichever police force has his car.

The owner/registered keeper has to pay the seizure and storage fees but not any fines that might be imposed on the uninsured driver.

He needs to check his insurance policy as they don't all cover drving a vehicle that is being recovered after police seizure. It's possible to buy short term insurance policies specifically to cover this situation.

How does this work in a point of law though, my car is currently parked outside my house and its insured, taxed and MOT'd. If my mate takes it (with my permission or otherwise) who isn't insured and parks it back where it was before (or anywhere else for that matter) then I'm guessing its insured again under my policy.

So how is it then when the uninsured driver parks the car after getting stopped are the police able to impound it as an uninsured car, surely once the driver has exited the car it becomes insured again.

Quote from: stamfordman on Yesterday at 04:12:53 pm

If it's his car and he has the paperwork he can get the car on payment of fees and presumably fines.

His insurance  states that it doesn't cover getting cars out of the pound. That's his problem although he's done nothing wrong.

I don't understand - all the police are interested in is an owner with insurance to release the car.