Untaxed cars- are they still insured?

[Kos]

I am getting pretty fed-up with the DVLA- I have reported an untaxed vehicle to them 3 times now that is still being driven on the road.
I thought that if a car was not taxed it could not be insured?
If so, then I'll let the police get involved.

[alan-r]

report it to the police

[gouldc]

Not true - you can insure an untaxed car, you just can't tax a car without insurance. However, in my experience, an untaxed car generally does not have an MOT either, and probably is uninsured (they usually only try to take a policy out after they have had an accident, but we normally catch these idiots out).

Also, failing to tax a car, and then using it, also DOES NOT invalidate insurance (although I believe the fine is up to �5000 is the car is declared SORN and then driven on the road).

Sadly, the DVLA don't follow up on this a lot, despite having a grass the scumbag line on their website - equally, the police are generally not that interested as they have better things to do (eating doughnuts, pulling you for doing 32 in a 30 zone, arresting people for beating up burglars, etc, etc).

[123everton]

I got hit by an untaxed car years ago and got paid out by his insurance so I think it may still be insured 3rd party, but if they have'nt taxed it it's unlikely to be insured.
In work we were talking about drunk drivers and one of the lads was saying that a drunk driver's insurance is void and any claim against them has to go through the M.I.B, I disagreed with him as i thought it would be rather odd to inconvenience the victim in such a manner.

[paraffin]

Any untaxed vehicle cannot legally be driven on a public road, with certain exceptions i.e. a test drive using trade plates.

The offence is technically one of failing to pay excise, hence the reason why it's administered by DVLA.

However, Police are empowered to issue notices to offending vehicles and driver/user details, if obtained, are passed to DVLA for any further action etc.

Hope this helps?

[New Judge]

You can check whether a vehicle appears on the Motor Insurers' Database here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVe hicle/Motorinsurance/DG_071948