The Complacency Problem: You're Not in the 1990s Anymore
Too many drivers still operate on outdated assumptions about car insurance. Advice that might have been valid 20 years ago can now land you with an IN10 conviction for driving uninsured.
This Isn't About Being Pedantic
It's about protecting your licence, your finances, and your freedom to drive. The landscape has fundamentally changed. What seemed like common sense in the past can now result in serious criminal penalties.
7 Dangerous Myths That Lead to IN10 Convictions
Each of these assumptions seems logical. Each one can destroy your driving record.
Myth: "Fully comp covers any car."
Reality: Only 2% of comprehensive policies include DOC cover in 2025.
Most comprehensive policies do not include Driving Other Cars cover. Even if you're fully comp, unless your insurance certificate explicitly states you have DOC, you don't have it. According to Confused.com, this assumption is now "legally and financially dangerous."
Myth: "I'm 23, but that's close enough."
Reality: Most insurers impose a strict 25+ age limit.
Being 23 means you're not covered, regardless of your driving record. Admiral, Aviva, and most other insurers require you to be over 25. If you're under 25, you can safely assume you do not have DOC rights on any policy.
Myth: "My partner's car counts as 'other'."
Reality: DOC excludes vehicles owned by your spouse or household members.
DOC clauses nearly always exclude vehicles owned by your spouse or someone in your household. Even if your partner has their own insurance, DOC won't protect you unless you're a named driver. Admiral explicitly states that if the car "belongs to your partner" then you're not covered by DOC.
Myth: "If police stop me, I can sort it with my insurer later."
Reality: Police can seize the car on the spot.
You won't get the chance to "sort it later." An ANPR check showing invalid insurance triggers instant impoundment. If your DOC cover doesn't apply, the car is treated as uninsured. During Operation Drive Insured, over 3,000 vehicles were seized for DOC-related violations.
Myth: "DOC fixes an uninsured vehicle."
Reality: DOC only covers the driver, not the vehicle.
This is a catastrophic misunderstanding. DOC only covers the driver for third-party liabilities. It does not replace insurance on the other car. If the car itself isn't insured by its owner, it's illegal to drive, period. DOC does not magically insure an uninsured vehicle.
Myth: "Third-party means their car is covered, right?"
Reality: Third-party cover only protects others, not the car you're driving.
If you crash it, you pay. Your DOC won't pay for that car's repairs. Their insurer won't pay either, unless you're a named driver. LV= warns that "the other owner cannot claim on their insurance for any damage you cause unless you're a named driver."
Myth: "I can use DOC for regular car-sharing."
Reality: DOC is emergency-only or infrequent use.
Using DOC to commute, run errands regularly, or swap cars within your household is a breach of the cover. AXA emphasizes that DOC was "designed to only be used in emergencies." Insurers can and will reject claims for regular use.
These Are Not Theoretical Risks
People are being fined, penalized, and issued IN10 convictions for violating DOC conditions. The danger is real, and it comes from false confidence.
£300
Fixed penalty fine
6-8 Points
On your licence
IN10
Conviction code
Seized
Vehicle impounded
The IN10 Nightmare
An IN10 conviction for driving without insurance stays on your licence for 4 years. It doesn't just mean points and fines—it can make you virtually uninsurable. The average cost of insurance after an IN10 conviction is £2,368 per year, and many insurers simply won't cover drivers with recent IN10s at all.
Police are actively impounding vehicles and insurers are refusing claims. This happens to ordinary people who thought they were covered.
What You Need To Do Right Now
Assume nothing. Check everything. Don't trust your memory—trust your paperwork.
Immediate Action Checklist
✅ Check Right Now:
🛡️ Safe Alternatives:
🔑 Golden Rule
Don't drive any car unless you know you're covered and the other car is insured.
Stop repeating myths. Start reading your documents.