If you’ve tried searching for impounded car insurance on a comparison site, you’ve probably noticed it’s not listed. That’s not a mistake — most comparison sites deliberately exclude this type of cover. The reason comes down to risk, regulation, and how specialist impound insurance policies work behind the scenes.

Why comparison sites won’t show impound insurance

Comparison sites such as GoCompare, MoneySuperMarket, and Compare the Market focus on standard private car insurance. Those products are designed for everyday use — not for recovering seized vehicles. Impounded car insurance involves extra legal requirements and a much higher risk profile, which doesn’t fit the comparison model.

For example, a normal car policy starts immediately and runs for 12 months. Impound cover is often short-term (usually 30 days) and must include specific wording accepted by police compounds. It’s classified as a specialist product and is only provided by a handful of authorised brokers and underwriters. That difference makes automated comparison difficult.

Insurers see impounded cars as higher risk

Vehicles end up in pounds for reasons like no insurance, expired MOT, or offences linked to the driver. Insurers treat these situations as higher risk because they suggest a previous breach of the law or poor vehicle upkeep. Many standard underwriters simply decline to offer cover for those cases, preferring not to take on the additional liability.

Even when a driver was not at fault — for example, if a database error led to seizure — the system doesn’t distinguish between genuine mistakes and deliberate uninsured driving. That makes large comparison platforms cautious about including impound-related products.

Specialist brokers handle these policies instead

Impounded car insurance is usually arranged through niche brokers who work directly with underwriters familiar with police compound requirements. These brokers verify documents manually, issue certificates that meet pound release rules, and provide immediate proof of cover for presentation at the site. It’s a level of personal checking that comparison engines aren’t set up to handle automatically.

Because of this, comparison sites would struggle to guarantee compliance or instant availability, and the potential for misuse or misquoting is high. To stay within Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) standards, they prefer to exclude such products altogether.

Where drivers can still get quotes

Specialist providers offer direct online quote systems or phone-based applications for impound insurance. These services can confirm eligibility, generate the right policy wording, and send proof of cover quickly — often within minutes. Some brokers also have qualified advisors who can help check the documentation needed for release, including proof of ownership and driving entitlement.

While these options don’t appear on mainstream comparison sites, they remain fully authorised and regulated, providing legitimate short-term cover that meets police requirements.

Final note

Most comparison sites refuse impounded cars because the cover involves higher risks, manual checks, and strict police-release wording that automated systems can’t process. Instead, the policies are handled by authorised specialists who can arrange short-term insurance online or over the phone, making sure it meets the pound’s exact requirements for release.

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.