Many drivers ask whether a one-day insurance policy is enough to release a car from an impound. The idea sounds appealing — pay for a single day, drive the car home, and sort out proper cover later. In reality, most impounds will not accept standard one-day insurance policies, because they rarely meet the specific legal requirements for release. The policy needs to be designed for impounded vehicles and recognised by the police as valid for that purpose.

Why most one-day policies are rejected

Normal short-term insurance sold online is intended for temporary use of a car that isn’t impounded. These policies often exclude any situation where the vehicle is held by the police or another authority. Even if a one-day certificate looks official, the pound staff will check the insurer’s details. Normal short-term insurance sold online is intended for temporary use of a car that isn’t impounded. These policies often exclude any situation where the vehicle is held by the police or another authority. Even if a one-day certificate looks official, the pound staff will check the insurer’s details. If the policy isn’t registered as covering impounded vehicles, the release will be refused — and storage charges will continue to apply until valid insurance is provided.

Police and pound staff use the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to verify cover. One-day policies may not appear on that database in time — updates can take up to 24 hours — and that delay alone can stop the release from going ahead.

What type of policy you actually need

To release an impounded car, the insurance must specifically state that it covers vehicles held in a police or authority pound. These are known as impound-specific policies. They are usually available for 30 days and provide full cover for driving the vehicle legally on public roads afterwards. Shorter cover, even for one day, is rarely accepted because the law requires proof that the car will remain insured after leaving the pound.

Insurance certificate wording

The certificate should clearly show:

• the vehicle registration number;
• the policyholder’s name and address;
• the policy dates and duration;
• confirmation that the policy includes use for release from a police or authority impound.

If the wording isn’t clear, pound staff have authority to refuse the release. It’s better to double-check with the broker before paying than to risk turning up with an invalid certificate.

Why a one-day policy may still appear online

Comparison websites sometimes show one-day or two-day policies for convenience, but they are designed for test drives or borrowing a friend’s car — not for impound release. The difference is small but important: impound-specific policies meet stricter legal standards and appear promptly on the MID, which satisfies the police that the car can be driven away legally.

How long an impound policy should last

Most impound insurance is issued for 30 days because it must remain active long enough for the vehicle to be re-insured, taxed and added to the MID. During that period, the driver can either continue using it or switch to an annual policy once things are in order. Cancelling too early can leave the car uninsured again, risking another seizure.

Final point

A standard one-day policy is almost never accepted for releasing an impounded vehicle. The pound needs a certificate that specifically mentions impound use and provides valid ongoing cover. Paying a little extra for the correct type of policy saves the frustration of being turned away — and ensures the car leaves the compound legally, without risk of another impound hours later.

Check here for more useful information about impounded cars!

Please note: impound rules, collection windows and fee structures are set locally and can change at any time. Details on this site offer a broad outline only and are not guaranteed to match the requirements of any individual pound or authority.