You need your insurer's name to renew, make a claim or cancel a policy, and it is easy to lose track of, especially when policies are bought through a comparison site or a broker and renew automatically. The Motor Insurance Database (MID) can confirm that your car is insured, but it will not tell you who with. Here is how to find out.
1. Check your email and documents
Search your email for "certificate of motor insurance", "policy schedule", "renewal" or "cover note". Insurers send the certificate and schedule when you buy and about three weeks before each renewal. The certificate names the insurer, the policy number, the car's registration and the dates of cover.
If you bought through a broker or a price comparison site, the email may come from the broker. The certificate still names the insurer underwriting the policy, and the broker can tell you who it is.
2. Look at your bank statements
A monthly direct debit or a yearly card payment shows the name of the insurer, the broker or the finance company that collects the premium. That company can confirm whose policy it is.
3. Check the car is insured on askMID
askMID, the free online check of the MID, confirms whether a vehicle you own or drive is insured. It does not show the insurer's name, but it tells you whether there is a policy to look for, and whether it has run out. Our car insurance check guide explains how to use it and what the result means.
4. Call the likely insurers
If you have narrowed it down to a few names, call them with your registration, name and postcode. They can search for a policy and tell you if it is theirs.
After an accident: finding the other driver's insurer
If you were involved in an accident and the other driver did not give their insurance details, askMID has a free service for people involved in an accident: enter the other vehicle's registration and the date of the accident, and it can give you the insurer's name and policy number so you can claim. If the other driver failed to stop, report it to the police within 24 hours.
When is my car insurance due?
The renewal date is on your certificate and policy schedule, and most insurers send a renewal notice about three weeks before. Many policies renew automatically, so put the date in your calendar a month ahead and compare quotes before the renewal goes through. Tax and MOT have their own dates; our MOT due date check and car tax check show those by registration.
What if I can't find a policy at all?
If askMID shows the car as not insured, do not drive it. Driving without insurance can bring a £300 fixed penalty and 6 points, or an unlimited fine and a ban in court, and the car can be seized. A car that is not insured and not driven must be declared off the road (SORN); see continuous insurance enforcement.
Key points
- Your certificate of motor insurance names the insurer; search your email for it first.
- askMID confirms a car is insured but does not name the insurer, except after an accident.
- Bank statements show who collects the premium.
- Keep a note of your renewal date, since many policies renew automatically.