askMID Explained: How to Check Your Insurance on the MID
27 February 2025 | 
Phil Evans
The Motor Insurance Database (MID) was the official record of insured vehicles in the UK, and askMID was the website where you could check your car’s insurance status against this database. However, as of April 2024 Navigate, run by The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), is the new home of data on insured vehicles in the UK. You can still visit askMID, you’ll just be redirected to Navigate if you want to run a MID check.
Since driving without insurance is illegal, the police frequently use the MID and Navigate to identify uninsured vehicles. If you’re planning to drive – even just for 5 minutes – you must always have valid cover in place. Our temporary car insurance offering can help ensure you’re always comprehensively covered, whether you’re between policies, borrowing a vehicle, or driving your new car home.
Understanding how askMID and Navigate work, how the database is updated, and how to check your policy status on askMID can provide peace of mind when driving. Find out everything you need to know here…
What is askMID?
askMID was the public-facing tool for checking the Motor Insurance Database (MID). This service is now managed by the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), and has been replaced by Navigate. Ask MID (now Navigate) allows you to confirm whether your car is correctly listed as insured, by running a quick check online.
How Does askMID Work?
- When you purchase car insurance, your policy details are uploaded to the MID (now the MIB, and Navigate).
- Your insurer or broker (such as ourselves) is responsible for updating the database.
- We update the MID twice a day, every day, all year long. Ensuring short-term policies appear as quickly as possible.
- Checks can then be run to see whether a vehicle is insured or not, based on the information in the database system.
Important: The MID does not update instantly. If you’ve just bought insurance, your details may take up to 48 hours to appear, or longer if your insurer doesn’t update the MID (Navigate) regularly. However, as long as you’ve received your insurance documents, you are legally covered to drive, and you don’t need to wait for the MID to update.
How to Check Your Insurance on askMID
Checking your car’s insurance status is free and easy, despite the name change from ask MID to Navigate, the process remains the same
- Visit the askMID website, where you’ll be directed to Navigate to run a check.
- Enter your vehicle’s registration number.
- Confirm your insurance status.
Key Things to Remember
- If your policy doesn’t show up immediately, you’re still covered as long as your insurance has started and you have your certificate of insurance, which is proof you’re insured.
- Short-term insurance may not appear straight away, but it’s still valid.
- If your policy hasn’t appeared after a few days, check with your insurer to ensure the details were entered correctly, not providing the correct details could invalidate your policy.
If you’ve used a non-FCA-approved provider, and you’re not showing up as insured, there’s a risk you may have been scammed by a ghost broker, and haven’t been insured at all. Only purchase insurance from businesses regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Can You Check Someone Else’s Insurance on askMID?
You can’t freely check another person’s insurance status. However, if you’ve been involved in an accident, you can use the askMID Other Vehicle Look Up Service (£10 per request) to confirm if another driver is insured.
You’ll need to provide:
- Your contact details and vehicle registration.
- The third party’s registration number.
- Details of the incident (date, time, location, etc.).
Why Being on the MID Matters
The Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) law means all vehicles must be insured unless declared SORN. If your car isn’t listed on the MID, you may receive an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL) from the DVLA, warning you to insure the vehicle or face penalties. The DVLA and MIB compare databases to find uninsured vehicles constantly, so even if your car isn’t being driven, uninsured cars can still be identified. If it’s not SORN it has to be insured, with at least third-party cover.
Consequences of Not Appearing on the MID
If you aren’t appearing on the MID but are insured and have proof of that, you don’t need to worry about penalties. But remember if your policy is taking over 48 hours to show up, check your details are correct and that you’ve bought from a legitimate provider.
We send your certificate of insurance and all your policy documentation straight to your inbox when you purchase a policy, so you don’t need to worry about not appearing on the MID straight away, as you’ll be able to prove your insured if ever stopped by the police.
However, if you’re not on the MID and are identified to be driving uninsured, you could face:
- A £300 fine.
- Your car being clamped, impounded, or destroyed.
- 6 points on your licence
- A court prosecution – which could lead to a driving ban and unlimited fines
- Much higher insurance premiums in the future
Do the Police Use askMID?
Yes, the police and DVLA rely on askMID, MIB, Navigate, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to track uninsured vehicles. However, if you’re stopped by the police and your insurance hasn’t appeared on the MID yet, you can show them your certificate of insurance as proof of cover.
Does Temporary Insurance Show on askMID?
Yes, temporary insurance policies do appear on the MID, but not immediately.
- Short-term insurance, like hourly cover, may not show up instantly due to the MID’s update schedule, and the policy duration may lapse before the MID has been updated, but this doesn’t mean you’re uninsured to drive.
- As long as you have confirmation from your insurer via your certificate of insurance, you are legally insured.
- We update the MID twice daily, ensuring minimal delays, and that as many temporary policies as possible show up there.
Whether you need insurance for a day, a week, or a month, your policy will (eventually) show up on the MID, even though it might be temporary.
How Long Does askMID Take to Update?
The MID doesn’t update in real time. Generally, it takes 24-48 hours for a new policy to appear.
At GoShorty, we update the MID twice daily, all year long. Unlike many insurers who update once daily or less, we minimise gaps in database records thanks to our frequent updates, which benefits our short-term insurance customers.
Reminder: If you’ve purchased cover, you’re insured to drive—no need to wait for MID confirmation.
Car Insured But Not Showing on MID? Here’s What to Do
If your insurance isn’t appearing on askMID, don’t panic. Follow these steps:
- Confirm your policy has started – If it’s due to start tomorrow, it won’t show today.
- Check your registration details – Incorrect information can stop your policy from appearing.
- Contact your insurer – They can verify your cover and correct any errors.
If you have confirmation your policy has started from a trusted provider or broker, like ourselves, then you’re fine to get on the road – you don’t need to wait for a MID update.
Does askMID Update on Weekends?
Yes, the MID updates every day, including weekends. However, individual insurers may only update on weekdays. We make updates seven days a week, every day of the year.
askMID and its newer counterparts MIB and Navigate are essential tools for checking vehicle insurance, but you don’t need to wait for them to update before driving. If you’ve received your documents from GoShorty, you’re insured—simple as that.
Whether you need insurance for an hour, a day, or a month, we offer flexible short-term cover with instant confirmation. Get a quote today and hit the road with confidence.
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