Can I insure a car without a licence?

On first thought, the concept of owning a car that needs insurance may seem slightly odd if you don’t have a licence. But no matter the reason you’re unable to currently drive, that doesn’t mean that any car you own should go unprotected. 

In this blog, we take a look at the reasons why you might not have a licence and how you can still get your vehicle insured even if you’re not driving it.

What is the UK law for insuring your car without a licence?

If you have never had a driving licence issued to you before, it is not legally possible for you to get car insurance for a car that you plan on driving. 

This is because you won’t be able to give your insurance provider a driving licence number, which is required for purchasing car insurance, plus it is illegal to drive a car without a licence in the UK.

However, car insurance for unlicenced drivers isn’t completely black and white. If you are not planning on driving your vehicle and just want to protect it as an asset you own, you may still be able to insure it. 

Reasons you can get insurance without a licence

Many providers check your licence with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and will reject your insurance application if you don’t have a valid licence, but there are exceptions. The main ones are:

You can’t drive the car due to health reasons
You currently have a driving ban or suspended licence (the insurance for this will only be for the vehicle itself, not for you driving it)  
The car was inherited 
The car is being kept after you gave up driving 
If you are disabled and are driven by someone else

If you are getting your licence renewed, we would recommend sorting out important paperwork and forms to do with your insurance before you are without your licence as this can take two to three weeks. 

If you do have a change of circumstances that leads to you losing or handing over your licence, make sure you inform your insurance provider as soon as possible. 

Can learner drivers get insurance without a provisional licence? 

In short, no. Learner driver insurance needs to be purchased with your provisional driving licence number so, to get the appropriate insurance, you’ll need to have a UK provisional licence. 

A small exception for some insurance companies will be a policy that starts at 16 and 11 months old, so you can insure the car on the driveway before a 17th birthday. 

You will need to ask your specific provider in order to see if they can accommodate to this. 

Will not having a licence make insurance more expensive?

Insurance providers tend to base the rate on your driving record from the last three to five years, so if you haven’t been driving in this period of time, you won’t have that driving record. This can classify you as ‘higher risk’, which may raise the price of insurance. 

If you don’t have a licence due to a previous conviction, again, this may raise your rate.

There are a plethora of other reasons you may have a ‘coverage gap’ or don’t have a license, so it’s best to be upfront about this with your possible provider. 

Insurers base their premiums on predicted risk factors and the cost of insurance will depend on why you haven’t had your licence so that the insurance company can factor that into the premium.

Luckily, with an insurer broker like Adrian Flux, insuring your car without a licence doesn’t have to be a bank-breaking affair. 

Insuring your car with Adrian Flux

Adrian Flux is a specialist car insurance broker who can tailor your insurance to your needs, taking into consideration all the factors that may have led to you not having a driving licence. 

We understand that insuring your vehicle is important, whether you have a licence or not, so we will work hard to get you a fair deal that accommodates your specific situation. 

The best deals are usually available over the phone, so call 0800 369 8590 for a quick and easy quote or book a callback at a time that suits you.