MID Check for Car & Van Insurance: How Long Will Insurance Take to Show on MID?

Driving without insurance is never okay and it is something the police check for regularly. So it’s important to always have proper insurance for the vehicle you are driving, no matter how short the journey. Even if you are just driving a friend’s car for an hour or, you have to be insured (that’s why hourly car insurance is so useful).

You’ve probably heard of MID, and might know that the police check the MID for uninsured cars on the road. Understanding how this works, what AskMID is, and how databases are updated, is key to ensuring your peace of mind when you get behind the wheel of a car, whether you have taken out temporary insurance on it or just started a new annual policy.

If you are wondering about how long your insurance will take to show up on the database, we explain everything you need to know about checking the status of your car insurance right here…

What is AskMID and How to Check It?

AskMID is the site used to check the MID database. It is used to check if a vehicle is insured or not. You can do this by visiting AskMID.com and inputting vehicle details. That’s all there is to a MID check. 

It’s important to remember that the MID database and MID checks rely on up to date information being in the database. So if you have only just purchased a policy and then do a MIDcheck – your insurance isn’t going to have made it onto the database yet. But you can still drive your car! 

As long as you have purchased an insurance policy for the vehicle and have the proof, which is your certificate of insurance and Schedule, you are insured to drive. Waiting to drive until your policy shows up on the MID is completely unnecessary. 

Do the Police Use AskMID?

The police check car insurance of vehicles on the road by checking AskMID. Whilst you may think, “well I certainly can’t drive until I can see that my insurance has been updated on the MID”, this simply is not the case. 

If you have bought a policy and are insured, but the police pull you over as your information hasn’t been updated on the MID yet, there is no need to panic. You can confirm you are in fact fully insured by presenting the officers with your insurance documents. 

And don’t worry, you don’t have to wait around for letters and paperwork confirmation of insurance when you buy with us. You can get insured in under two minutes thanks to our quick and easy quoting process. Once you have your policy all the documents you need are sent straight to your inbox. So if you were to ever be pulled over after the police carry out a MID check, you’d be able to show your email containing your policy confirmation documents hassle free.

Does Temporary Insurance Show on MID?

Yes, when you buy a temporary insurance policy it will show on the MID. When it shows up on the MID will depend on when you purchase the policy, combined with when we send data to the database. 

However, as long as you have supplied all the correct details when applying for your insurance and received confirmation of your policy from the insurer – you can drive irrespective of what AskMID says. 

Having a valid insurance policy on the vehicle you are driving is a non-negotiable, the policy showing up when you check MID is not. 

So whether you want insurance for one day, one week of cover or car insurance for a month, your insurance will show up on the MID. And as soon as you have the cover, you can be on your way.