Operation Tutelage was established to address the estimated one million vehicles using UK roads each day without insurance and, although this figure has been static for a number of years, it is now starting to increase.  Whilst the idea begun in Thames Valley Police, it’s now used by all police forces.

Notwithstanding the impact of uninsured driving itself, there are proven links between uninsured driving and other types of criminality, many linked to the safety of others, and all with significant socio-economic cost.

We appreciate that the vast majority of people appear as uninsured for unintentional reasons. It was also believed that high numbers of these unintentionally uninsured could be encouraged to rectify the situation via a procedurally “reminder” approach and give them the opportunity to put it right rather than treat them as offenders in these circumstances.

It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a road or in a public place without at least 3rd party insurance. Even if the vehicle itself is insured, if you’re not correctly insured to drive it you could be considered to be driving without insurance and could get penalised.

You could receive a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points if you are caught driving a vehicle that you are not insured to drive. If the case goes to court you could get an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving. The police also have the power to seize, and in some cases destroy, the vehicle that's been driven uninsured.