When a car is sitting in a police pound, one of the most common questions is whether someone else — perhaps a partner, friend, or relative — can take out the insurance needed to release it. The answer depends on who owns the vehicle, who’s collecting it, and how the policy is worded. Pounds apply strict rules about insurance certificates, so getting this wrong can mean another wasted trip and more storage fees.

Why pounds check the policyholder’s name

Police recovery compounds must confirm that the person collecting the vehicle is covered to drive it away legally. That means the insurance certificate has to show their name as the policyholder or as a named driver authorised to use the vehicle. Staff will not release a car to anyone who doesn’t appear on the certificate, regardless of who paid for the policy.

This rule exists to prevent drivers from using another person’s insurance to get an uninsured car out of the pound. Even a genuine family policy won’t be accepted if it doesn’t list the person attending as a covered driver.

When someone else can insure the vehicle

Another person can insure the car only if:

• they are the one collecting the vehicle from the pound, and
• the policy they buy specifically lists the correct registration number, and
• they have the legal owner’s written permission to insure and remove the car.

In this case, the pound will usually ask for proof of that permission — a signed letter plus photo ID for both people. The insurance must also include the required impound-release wording and show the policyholder as the driver collecting the vehicle. Once the paperwork is verified, the car can be released into their care.

If the owner wants to keep the car

If the registered keeper intends to keep the vehicle and drive it home, the safest option is to arrange the insurance in their own name. This avoids confusion and ensures the certificate directly links the keeper, the vehicle, and the insurance policy. It also makes future renewals and database updates simpler, as the details will match DVLA and Motor Insurance Database records.

Insurance arranged by motor traders

Licensed motor traders can sometimes collect vehicles on behalf of clients under a valid trade policy. In those cases, the pound will require a copy of the trader’s insurance certificate, their motor trade licence or VAT number, and a signed authority letter from the vehicle owner. Without that paperwork, even trade collections are refused.

Key point: policyholder and collector must match

The essential rule is that the person collecting the car must be covered by the policy they present. The name on the certificate has to match the person showing their driving licence at the counter. It doesn’t matter who pays for the insurance or owns the car — what matters is who’s insured to drive it legally off the pound premises.

Final note

You don’t always have to be the vehicle’s owner to arrange impound insurance, but you must be the policyholder or a named driver on the certificate if you’re the one collecting it. Pounds check both names carefully. Getting the right person insured and presenting the correct documentation saves time, avoids refusal, and ensures the vehicle can be released without delay.

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.