Buying your first car is an exhilarating experience. You’ve found the ideal car, haggled over the price, handed over the cash and received the keys. The only thing left is to drive it home, right?
Well, no. This is where many first-time car owners fall foul of the law: they forget, or don’t realize, that it’s illegal to drive without insurance and that despite all the excitement of handing over the money, they need to arrange their insurance before they go for a drive.
More people get caught out by this insurance gap than you might imagine. You’ve just bought the car, you want to drive it home, and you think you’ll sort out the insurance first thing when you get home. Unfortunately, though, you can’t.
Why You Can’t Just Drive Home Without Cover
The law is very clear here: without insurance, you can’t drive on public roads. There are no exceptions because you’ve just bought your car and simply need to get it home. There’s no ‘get out of jail free’ card if you’re caught without insurance by a traffic police person or an automatic number plate recognition camera (ANPR).
You may think you’re covered by the insurance for the seller. However, this almost never applies when buying a vehicle from a private seller. If you’re buying your first car from a dealer, it’s possible that you think you’ll still be covered by their insurance too — but that usually only lasts until payment has been made. So, that plan won’t help you either.
You might think you’re covered by your existing insurance policy for your other vehicle. However, even that won’t work unless you first arrange to have your new vehicle added to your existing policy.
The Problem With Most Policies Being Conventional Ones
Most insurance policies are not designed for instant insurance coverage. You’ll typically have to go through the process of providing details, waiting for quotes, then comparing policy options before you can even pay for the cover that you choose.
This can take time.
If you’re buying your new car from a private seller and you want to drive it home on the same day, this waiting period is going to be a problem. This is where 24 hour car insurance comes in. This policy is designed for people who need instant insurance coverage rather than at some unspecified period of time in the future. You’ll be able to obtain swift cover in a matter of minutes. You’ll be able to drive your new car home legally insured, and sort out a more permanent policy once your car is parked in your garage.
What If You Take The Risk Anyway?
For many first-time car owners, the only solution seems to be to take a chance and just drive without insurance anyway. They figure it’s a short drive and they’ll just pick up a policy on the other end. However, this is a risk you definitely don’t want to take.
There are some hefty penalties if you’re caught driving without insurance. A fixed penalty will set you back £300 and cost you six points on your license. If your case ends up in court, you could face an unlimited fine and even a complete driving ban.
However, even worse than being caught by a policeman is what happens if you’re involved in an accident — even if it’s not your fault! It won’t matter who hits you, but you’ll be personally liable for all damages and injuries. That could run into thousands.
And this is how most drivers get caught out: you don’t have to be involved in an accident at all to get penalized. There are so many ANPR cameras around these days that the odds are good that if you drive through one without insurance, you’ll be getting a letter from the police. The ANPR cameras are now integrated with the insurance database.
How To Do This Properly
Instead of taking the risk, the right way to handle your insurance is to arrange it before you pick up your vehicle. If you’re dealing with a private seller, you should arrange a temporary policy before setting off to meet the seller. Most companies that issue 24 hour policies have online platforms that you can use to apply.
If you’re buying from a dealer, the odds are good that they will have trade plates that will allow you to drive your new vehicle while waiting on your permanent policy. It should not be an issue.
Once you’ve finally made it back home (because it’s bound to be one of the most exciting drives of your life), you can then relax and take your time shopping for a long-term policy.
But in that first ten-minute drive between getting your first car and arriving home again, it seems that temporary cover is the best and easiest solution available.
Excitement Is Not An Acceptable Reason For Skipping Cover
It’s easy to get caught up in excitement when it comes to buying your first car, and forget about things like arranging your car insurance! New car owners should remember to arrange proper cover before taking their first drive. Skipping these steps could lead to severe consequences if something does happen on the road — even just a minor bump or accident.
Taking ten minutes to arrange cover before you drive off isn’t a hassle—it’s just part of being a responsible car owner. And once it’s done, you can actually enjoy that drive home without worrying about what happens if you see blue lights in your mirror.
