When it’s time to scrap your car, the process is quite simple; just a bit of prior knowledge can ensure everything goes smoothly.
Keeping your car on the road without an active insurance policy is illegal, even if the vehicle is not drivable and has been stationary for a while. Until the scrap company comes to pick it up, the car remains your responsibility. However, once they take it away, they assume responsibility.
The wisest strategy would be to refrain from cancelling the insurance policy until the scrap company has collected the car.
If the car is kept on your premises, there’s no legal obligation for you to insure it, regardless of whether it’s operational or not. This applies no matter where on your property the vehicle is located – be it openly parked on your driveway or hidden in your garage.
While unrelated to insurance, it’s advisable to inform the DVLA that your vehicle is no longer on the road – a procedure known as a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) – which is a straightforward and quick online process (you just input the 11-digit number from your vehicle’s logbook and it becomes effective immediately).
This ensures you won’t have to pay vehicle tax while your car is off the road, and you’ll receive a refund for any months you’ve prepaid for.