Have you received a letter?

Find out what to do if you’ve received an insurance advisory letter.

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What is an insurance advisory letter?

Insurance advisory letters (IAL) are sent by MIB and the DVLA every month to vehicle keepers whose vehicles do not show as having a live insurance policy in Navigate, the central record of all insured vehicles in the UK. The letter is simply an advisory that asks you to take prompt action to make sure your vehicle is insured. It isn't a notice of legal action or a fine, and it won’t appear on your permanent record.

What to do if you've received an insurance advisory letter

The first thing you need to do is a free online check to see how your vehicle is showing in Navigate since the letter was sent. If it shows as insured, you don’t need to do anything. If it shows as uninsured, you’ll need to take action to purchase or fix your insurance.

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A person sitting on a sofa using a laptop while talking on a phone, with a child nearby.
A person sitting on a sofa using a laptop while talking on a phone, with a child nearby.

Other reasons you may have received a letter

There are a number of reasons why you may have received an insurance advisory letter, even if you do have a policy. These situations still require you to take action.

You have a temporary insurance policy

Sometimes insurers won’t log a temporary policy in Navigate, the central record of all insured vehicles in the UK. In most cases it is safer to be continuously insured with a full policy or to declare your car as off the road by making a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) to the DVLA.

You have sold or scrapped your vehicle

Receiving a letter means the DVLA believe that you’re still the owner of the vehicle. You should contact the DVLA directly to change the keeper details.

Your vehicle registration is incorrect

Double check that the vehicle registration listed on your insurance policy documents matches your number plate. Contact your insurer if you notice any inaccuracies.

You recently got a personalised number plate

You’ll need to register the new plate with the DVLA first and then contact your insurer to update or renew your policy.

You aren’t using the vehicle

Even if you aren’t using your vehicle, it must either be insured or declared off road by submitting a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). You can SORN a vehicle that’s parked on private property by contacting the DVLA.

You were a victim of an insurance scam or ghost broker

Ghost brokers are people who sell fake insurance policies. If you’ve been victim of this type of scam, you should report it to the Insurance Fraud Bureau and Report Fraud. Unfortunately, this means you do not have insurance and will need to purchase a new, valid policy

You bought your car insurance very recently

Insurance companies have seven days to upload your policy to the database after purchase. Use Check Your Vehicle to make sure you’re showing as insured after seven days.

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What happens if you don’t do anything after receiving an insurance advisory letter?

The DVLA may pursue enforcement action if you do not take action when you receive an insurance advisory letter. Penalties could include issuing a fine, applying penalty points or a driving conviction to your record, or seizing your vehicle.

Frequently asked questions about insurance advisory letters and fixed penalty notices

Insurance advisory letters (IALs) are sent out as part of the continuous insurance enforcement (CIE) work carried out by MIB and the DVLA to owners of vehicles showing as not insured.

No. The insurance advisory letter (IAL) is purely an advisory, so you won’t be added to any register or database for simply receiving one.

The letter doesn’t stay on your driving record and it won’t directly affect your insurance premium. However, your policy purchase price may increase in the future if you do not take immediate action to rectify your insurance status.

Firstly, you should use Check Your Vehicle to see whether your registration number is showing as insured or not. If it is not showing as insured, you should contact your insurer for help. If it’s showing as insured, there's no further action needed, but you may wish to check your policy details to ensure there are no errors and your policy provides full cover for you, your vehicle and your needs.

You won’t get banned from driving for receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), but you may be subject to further penalties if you do not pay the fine or if you re-offend by driving whilst uninsured in the future.