Impound Release Insurance for Motorbikes

Seized bikes are hard to insure for release — most providers won't touch them. Our specialist bike underwriter will.

Motorcycles are seized for the same Section 165 reasons as cars — no insurance, no proper licence — and additionally under Section 59 for anti-social riding. Getting one released is harder than a car: most impound insurers simply don’t quote bikes, which strands riders paying storage on a machine they can’t legally collect.

We cover motorcycle impound releases through a specialist bike underwriter: a 28-day certificate, issued the same day you pay, accepted at UK police pounds. The storage meter and the ~14-day disposal window run just as fast for a bike as a car — and a bike is cheaper for the pound to dispose of, so don’t leave it.

Bike seizures — worth knowing

  1. Section 59 (anti-social riding) seizures are common for bikes — the release process still needs insurance, fees and ID.
  2. Most temporary/impound insurers exclude motorcycles; our panel includes a bike specialist.
  3. Removal and storage fees for motorcycles sit below car rates on the statutory scale, but accrue daily all the same.
  4. You'll need riding kit at collection — the pound releases the bike to be ridden away legally (or arrange a van/trailer).
  5. The 28-day policy covers the bike after release while you sort annual cover.

My bike was seized under Section 59 — is the release different?

The paperwork differs slightly (the seizure notice cites Section 59 rather than 165) but the pound's requirements are the same: ID, licence, proof of ownership, fees, and an insurance certificate for the bike. Our 28-day policy satisfies the insurance requirement.

Nobody will insure my impounded bike — why can you?

General temporary insurers exclude both impounds and motorcycles, so the combination is doubly excluded. Our panel includes a motorcycle specialist that writes impound release cover — that's the difference.

Can I collect the bike in a van instead of riding it out?

Usually yes — tell the pound you're collecting by van or trailer. You'll still need the release paperwork and fees; the insurance certificate is what satisfies the release requirement even if the bike leaves on a trailer.

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