UK Drivers Warned Over Risk of 2 Million Uninsured Test Drives

• Updated analysis warns that unverified test drives could top 2 million annually, rising from an estimated 1.3 million during the September '75 plate change and 1.5 million during the March '26 plate change[3]
• A fifth of motorists (21%) admit they wouldn’t or might not check they are insured before test driving a car as part of a private sale - putting themselves at risk of automatic £300 fines and up to 6-8 penalty points
• The 'diagnostic test drive' emerges as range-anxious buyers drive an average of 2.8 miles further in an EV to test range and real-world battery performance
• The findings come as used battery electric car sales reached a 110,761 transactions in Q2 2026 (+67%), pointing to a rapidly expanding pre-owned EV market[2]

26th August 2026: Ahead of the September ‘76 number plate change, motorists are being warned against putting road users at risk due to uninsured - and illegal - test drives.

The warning follows SMMT Q2 data showing the UK used car market reached over 2 million transactions, driven by a +67% surge in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales.[2] However, new research of 2,000 UK motorists, from temporary car insurance provider Tempcover, reveals a critical blind spot in the private used car market - a fifth of motorists (21%) admit they wouldn’t or might not check they are insured before test driving a car as part of a private sale.

With over 4.3 million private used car sales taking place in the UK annually[1] - often involving multiple buyer test drives - Tempcover analysis warns that uninsured test drives could top 2 million annually. This marks a sharp rise from an estimated 1.3 million during the September '75 plate change and 1.5 million during the March '26 plate change.[3]

Range anxiety extends test drive times as 'diagnostic' buyers take the wheel

Unlike a traditional petrol or diesel car where fuel levels and engine health are easily verified, second-hand EV buyers face battery degradation and public charging compatibility. As such, the data reveals test drives are evolving beyond a quick ‘spin around the block’ into a more thorough trial run of longer ‘diagnostic test drives’.

Driven by range concerns, two in five (43%) drivers say they test drive an electric car further and for more miles than a traditional petrol or diesel car - averaging an extra 2.8 miles per trip. More than 1 in 10 drivers (12%) say they would extend a used EV test drive by over 10 miles, and half (48%) say they’d drive an EV to a public charging point to test the range and/or real-world battery performance before making an offer.

The research also shows that battery-related concerns dominate buyer priorities, with battery performance (45%) and charging functionality (34%) topping the checklist when test driving a pre-owned EV.

The top 10 priorities when test driving an EV are:

1. Battery performance - 45%
2. Charging functionality - 34%
3. Driving range - 28%
4. Mileage - 28%
5. Brakes - 20%
6. Steering and handling - 17%
7. Tyres and suspension - 12%
8. Overall comfort - 12%
9. Body and paintwork - 10%
10. Interior condition - 8%

Uninsured test drives: facing a £300 fine and penalty points

While testing second-hand battery health is important for prospective buyers, taking an uninsured vehicle onto public roads carries severe legal consequences. Drivers caught test driving without valid cover face an automatic £300 fine and 6 penalty points, escalating to an unlimited fine, 6 to 8 penalty points, and a criminal record if prosecuted in court.

Crucially, standard 'Driving Other Cars' (DOC) clauses on annual policies rarely apply to private test drives. Despite these risks, 43% of motorists were unaware that standalone temporary car insurance can be purchased for as little as an hour to cover private test drives legally.

Jake Lambert, a temporary car insurance expert at Tempcover, says: “Second-hand electric cars are changing hands at an increasing pace, and buyers looking to grab an EV bargain during the September '76 number plate change are likely to take longer, diagnostic test drives - covering more miles and driving to public charging points to vet battery performance before handing over their hard earned money.

"These extended test drives make proper insurance coverage even more crucial. Private sellers have no legal obligation to insure a buyer, and relying on outdated policy assumptions without verifying cover leaves drivers at risk of taking to the road without valid insurance. Securing fully comprehensive, temporary insurance is a simple fix that protects buyers from severe out-of-pocket costs if an accident happens.”

Research Methodology

Survey of 2,000 UK motorists commissioned by Tempcover and conducted by Mortar Research between 13th–15th July 2026.

[1] 2 Million Calculation

• Annual Used Car Market: 7.4 million total transactions annually
• Private Sales Share: 58.23% (Mordor Intelligence) = 4,309,020 private sales annually
• Test Drive Volume: Average 2.3 test drives per vehicle sold (based on previous Tempcover consumer research) = 9,910,746 private test drives per year
• Unverified Cover Risk (Illegal Test Drives): 21% of drivers admit they wouldn’t or might not check insurance = 2,081,256 potentially uninsured test drives annually

References

[2] SMMT Used Car Market Returns to Growth as EV Sales Accelerate Q2 2026 (Published 11th Aug 26)

[3] Historical Trend & Comparison Data:

• Sept '75 Plate Change (1 September 2025 – 28 February 2026): analysis estimated 1.3 million illegal private test drives.
• March '26 Plate Change (1 March 2026 – 31 August 2026): analysis estimated 1.5 million illegal private test drives.
• Sept '76 Plate Change (1 September 2026 – 28 February 2027): Updated survey data and higher used BEV transaction volumes push the annual estimate to over 2 million.

Methodology note: the Sept '25 and March '26 estimates were calculated from earlier Tempcover research waves measuring drivers who knowingly test drove without cover or failed to check their policy. The Sept '76 estimate uses a new 2026 survey wave (2,000 UK motorists, Mortar Research) measuring drivers who would or might not check they're insured, combined with updated SMMT/Mordor Intelligence market data. The calculation basis has changed between waves, so these figures are indicative estimates for each period rather than a directly comparable trendline.