If your vehicle has been impounded, it’s likely because the police or a government authority found that either you or someone using your car breached driving or insurance conditions. Here’s what that means for your policy and what you need to do next.
Why was my car impounded?
Your vehicle may be impounded for reasons such as:
Driving without valid insurance
Driving outside the conditions of your licence (e.g., driving unsupervised on a provisional licence)
The driver was not listed on your insurance policy
If your car is impounded, the police will issue a seizure notice, which is an official document stating why the car was seized and what needs to be done to release it.
What should I do first?
Let us know immediately. Speak to our customer support team and send a photo or scan of the seizure notice.
Give full details. We’ll ask you a few key questions to understand what happened, including:
Who was driving at the time?
Why was the vehicle stopped?
Was the driver listed on your policy?
Wait while we review. Our Underwriting team will review your case and let you know if we can help with the vehicle release or if your policy will be cancelled.
What if I bought my insurance after my car was impounded?
If your car was already impounded before your Marshmallow policy started, unfortunately:
Your policy will be voided (this means it will be treated as if it never existed).
You won’t be able to use Marshmallow to release the car.
You’ll need to find another insurer that offers impound release insurance.
This is because our policies don’t cover vehicles that are already impounded when the policy begins.
What if my car was seized during my policy?
If your car was impounded while your policy was already active, we’ll:
Ask for the seizure notice and full circumstances
Review everything carefully against your policy details
Decide whether we can endorse your policy to release the vehicle, or if we need to cancel it.
We’ll keep you informed every step of the way and explain what happens next based on our review.
Can I get a refund if my policy is voided?
If your policy is voided because your car was impounded before the start date:
You’ll usually receive a refund minus a £130 cancellation fee
This fee covers admin costs like setting up your policy
If your policy is cancelled after the start date, we’ll calculate your refund based on how long you were insured and your plan type.