Free confidential consultation
0161 383 8855Charged with no insurance? You may avoid penalty points altogether.
If you genuinely believed you were insured, a special reasons argument can persuade the court not to endorse your licence at all. Free confidential consultation, callback within 1 working hour.
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Privately funded representation. Legal aid is not available for this type of case.
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Confidential and free of charge. No obligation to instruct us. We call you back within 1 working hour — Monday to Friday.
Six to eight points is enough to end a new driver’s licence
Driving without insurance is a strict liability offence under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It carries 6 to 8 penalty points or a discretionary disqualification, plus a fine — and for anyone within two years of passing their test, 6 points means revocation.
Vehicle seizure is common, and the recovery and storage costs mount daily. Insurance premiums after a conviction for this offence rise more sharply than for almost any other.
Believing you were insured can stop the points being imposed
There are only two factual defences to this charge: that you were in fact insured, or that you were not the driver. But that is not where the argument ends — even where you are technically guilty, the court can decline to endorse your licence at all.
This is the special reasons argument, and it is the most valuable thing on this page. A genuine and honest belief that you were insured may amount to a special reason if that belief was based on reasonable grounds. Where magistrates find special reasons, they have a discretion to impose no penalty points and no disqualification whatsoever.
Where special reasons commonly succeed
- You relied on someone else to arrange the policy and were misled into believing cover was in place
- A young driver told by a parent that they had been added to the parent’s policy as a named driver
- Cover lapsed without your knowledge, or the purpose of the journey fell outside the policy terms
- An administrative error by the insurer, where a policy existed but was recorded incorrectly
- The statutory employment defence: the vehicle was not yours, you were using it for work, and you had no reason to believe there was no cover
- Asking the insurer to confirm cover was in force at the time, even where the policy was later cancelled
- You were not the driver, or the vehicle was used without your consent
Assuming a policy auto-renewed will not usually be enough on its own, unless you can show you had opted in and a payment had been made. Relying reasonably on another person, however, frequently succeeds. The distinction is fine and it is worth getting right.
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Which of these describes your situation?
No insurance cases turn on why the cover was missing. Tell us what happened and we will tell you which argument fits.
Not sure which applies to you? That is exactly what the free consultation is for.
From your first call to your court date
No call centres, no scripts. You speak to a motoring solicitor about your own case.
We call you back within 1 working hour.
Call us or send your details. We review what has happened, explain where you stand and set out your realistic options. No charge and no obligation.
Charge sheet, court date, licence, any documents the police gave you. This is where the procedural issues that matter usually surface.
We agree the fee in writing before any work starts. You know the figure and it does not change.
We open your file, take your full statement and prepare your case for the first hearing.
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My case was very complex but they fought long and hard. No ban, and I kept my licence with no penalty points.
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The solicitor reviewing your case
Alexander
Director · Solicitor · Higher Court Advocate
- Director of the firm
- Qualified Solicitor
- Higher Court Advocate
- 20+ years in motoring law
- Crown Court jury trial advocate
Alexander is a Director of the firm, a qualified Solicitor and Higher Court Advocate, and has specialised in motoring law for over 20 years. For much of that time he was an advocate in the Crown Court, acting for clients in jury trials, and he has acted in some of the most serious road traffic cases there are. That work built a detailed knowledge of evidence, statute and case law — and, critically in this area, of disclosure and procedure, and how to use them to a client’s advantage in court.
Knowing evidence, procedure and disclosure inside out is what turns a set of personal circumstances into an argument a bench will accept. Alexander has spent his career in courtrooms where precisely that distinction decides the outcome.
He also understands the value of being approachable. He takes the time to guide clients through proceedings and explain each step, so that the process itself stops being one more thing to worry about.
Alexander is not the only solicitor here. Our motoring team handles cases across England and Wales, so your matter is never waiting on one person’s diary. Whoever acts for you, road traffic law is their specialism.
Find out whether special reasons apply to you
The difference between six points and none is often a single well-evidenced argument. The consultation is free and confidential, and it will tell you quickly whether yours is worth running.
- Free, confidential and with no obligation to instruct us
- You speak to a motoring solicitor, not a call handler
- An honest view of your options — including when there isn’t one
- A fixed fee agreed before any work begins
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Or call 0161 383 8855 nowRequest your free consultation
Confidential and free of charge. No obligation to instruct us. We call you back within 1 working hour — Monday to Friday.
Why a technical offence needs a technical approach
This looks like a simple charge and it is not. Special reasons arguments turn on fine distinctions that a general practitioner rarely has cause to learn.
Motoring law is all we do
Not one department among twelve. The procedural detail these cases turn on is our day job, not an occasional file.
Specialist advocates
The solicitor who reviews your case is the one who knows how these arguments are run in the magistrates’ court.
You get a real person
Direct contact with the solicitor handling your matter. No call centre, no ticket number.
Fixed fee, agreed upfront
You know the cost before any work starts. No hourly billing and no invoice that grows.
No insurance: your questions
I genuinely thought I was insured. Does that matter?
It may matter a great deal. A genuine and honest belief that you were insured can amount to a special reason if it was based on reasonable grounds — for example where you relied on another person to arrange cover and were misled. Where the court finds special reasons, it has a discretion to impose no penalty points and no disqualification at all.
Is believing my policy auto-renewed enough?
Usually not on its own. Courts tend to expect drivers to check. It can succeed where you can show you had actively opted in to auto-renewal and that a payment had been taken, which is why the documentary evidence matters so much here.
I was driving my employer’s vehicle. Am I liable?
Possibly not. Section 143 provides a statutory defence where the vehicle did not belong to you and was not held under a hire or loan agreement, you were using it in the course of your employment, and you did not know and had no reason to believe there was no policy in force. All three limbs need evidencing, and we can advise on how best to do that.
How many points will I get?
Between 6 and 8, or the court may impose a discretionary disqualification instead. For anyone within two years of passing their test, 6 points triggers revocation of the licence under the New Drivers Act, which is why special reasons arguments matter so much for newly qualified drivers.
They have seized my vehicle. Can I get it back?
Usually yes, on production of valid insurance and payment of the recovery and storage charges. Those charges accrue daily, so acting quickly is worth real money here. We can advise on the fastest route in your circumstances.
How quickly will you get back to me?
Within 1 working hour, Monday to Friday. If you contact us outside those hours, leave your details on the form and you will hear from us at the start of the next working day.
What does it cost?
We work on a fixed fee agreed with you in advance, covering our advice, the preparation of your evidence and our representation at court. You know the figure before any work starts and it does not change. Legal aid is not available for this work.
Do you cover my area?
We represent clients in magistrates’ courts across England and Wales. Our head office is in Chorley, but where your case is being heard does not restrict who can act for you.
Six points, or none at all
Special reasons arguments have to be raised and evidenced properly. Find out whether yours stands up, free of charge.
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