← Breakdowns and incidents
Rule 287: Your insurance certificate
Legal requirement — says MUST
Documentation (rules 286 to 287)
If another person is injured and you do not produce your insurance certificate at the time of the crash to a police officer or to anyone having reasonable grounds to request it, you MUST
- report it to the police as soon as possible and in any case within 24 hours
- produce your insurance certificate for the police within seven days.
Why the capitals matter. The Highway Code writes a rule in capitals — MUST or MUST NOT — when it is backed by law, so breaking it is a criminal offence. The rules that do not use capitals are advice.
5 theory test questions on this rule
From the DVSA revision question bank. These are not the questions asked in the real theory test. Each one shows the answer, the explanation, and our own note on why every other option is not it.
Lorry & Bus (LGV/PCV)
- Your vehicle is involved in an incident where someone is injured. You do not produce your insurance certificate at the time. How soon must you report the incident to the police? Incidents, accidents and emergencies
- You've been involved in an incident and damaged some property. What should you do if nobody else is present and your vehicle is still roadworthy? Incidents, accidents and emergencies
- What should you do if you're signalled to stop by a police officer in a patrol car? The driver
- What should you do if you're asked to leave your bus by an official who’s not in uniform? Drivers' hours and rest periods