Car insurance documents for UK cover – What you need

Moving to a new country means lots of admin. Visas, driving licenses, new homes, new jobs…

Getting car insurance is often pushed to the bottom of the list. But car insurance is a legal requirement here in the UK if you are driving.

To make it all less stressful, we’ve put together a list of the car insurance documents you’ll need to get cover with us.

When you sign up for cover, there are 5 main car insurance documents we might ask you for depending on your circumstances. Let’s get into it.

What you need to insure a car in the UK: Documents for car insurance

1. Proof of address

Why do you need my address for car insurance?

Where you live is a big factor when we work out the price of your car insurance premium. Car insurance firms will need all the correct details. Knowing your address helps us to get in touch with you if we need to.

What documents do I need to prove my address for car insurance?

You can choose one of the following:

• Recent utility bill – gas, electricity, water or home telephone
• Mortgage statement
• Council tax bill
• Tenancy agreement

The document needs to be dated within the past 60 days. They must also show your name and address clearly.

You can share a photograph of the full document or a PDF version, but we can’t accept screenshots, photocopies or scans.

What if I don’t have any of those documents? Get in touch with us via live chat, and we’ll see what we can do to help.

2. Proof of occupation / what you do for work

Why do you need to know about my job for car insurance? Proof of occupation is another big factor in deciding the price of your premium.

What documents can I use to prove my occupation? You can use any of the following to prove your job:

• An official work ID
• A payslip
• Your employment contract

Remember, you need to prove the job you’re currently in, not a job you used to have.

What if I’m self-employed? We’ll need proof from HMRC to confirm your self-employed status. You can use any of the following:

• Your HMRC welcome letter with confirmation of your UTR number
• Your notice of a Self-Assessment tax return
• A VAT certificate

What if I’m a student and don’t have a job? If you’re a student worried about how to prove your occupation, don’t worry! Just upload your student ID or a letter from your university.

Find out more about student car insurance.

3. Proof of No Claims Discount (NCD)

What is a No Claims Discount? A No Claims Discount (NCD) rewards drivers who haven’t made a claim. For every year you drive claim-free, you earn a discount. The more years you have, the bigger your savings. Many countries have similar systems under different names.

If your insurer didn’t track claim-free driving No problem! We can accept a letter or email from your previous insurer confirming your driving history.

If you didn’t have insurance before We understand that not all countries require car insurance, but we can only apply for an NCD with proof from an insurer.

What documents to send Please share a renewal notice or letter from your last insurer showing:

• Your name
• Policy dates
• NCD years (UK or abroad)
• Any claims made
• Insurer’s contact details (phone, email, address)

If you can’t get the right documents, chat with us — we’ll give you more time to sort it out. If proof isn’t provided, we’ll need to remove the discount (but we’ll always let you know first).

4. Provide a V5C document

What is a V5C document? A V5C (also called a V5, vehicle logbook or V5C logbook) is a legal document from the DVLA. It shows who's the registered keeper of the car and other key vehicle details. When you buy a car, the V5C should come with it - check the glove compartment!

How can I share my V5C with you? You can upload photos of your vehicle logbook using the Marshmallow app or your online account. Easy!

What if I’ve lost, damaged or never had a V5C? You can apply for a replacement one on the government website. If you’re waiting for your new vehicle logbook to arrive, let us know on Live Chat and we’ll let you know if we can use another document instead.

5. Provide valid ID

Why do I need to show my ID for car insurance? Knowing who our customers are helps us to keep our prices low. It also means we can check that you are who you say you are.

What documents can I use for ID? We partner with Onfido to safely verify your identity. It’s a secure process, and your data stays private. You’ll just need to upload a photo of your ID - such as your passport or driving licence - and then take a quick selfie. If you’ve recently moved to the UK, you can use your international passport, driving licence, or residence permit.

Get Covered with Marshmallow

Now that you know which car insurance documents you’ll need, there’s just one thing left — getting your UK car insurance sorted! At Marshmallow, we’re here to make that easier (and fairer) for expats and migrants. We recognise your international claim-free driving, so you could get a better price right from the start.

Find out how much you could save on your UK car insurance.