Is car insurance valid during a weather warning?

Weather warnings remain in place around many parts of the UK as heavy snow continues to fall. Such conditions can make driving treacherous, increasing the chances of drivers losing control and damaging their or other people’s cars. Obviously, the best approach especially during lockdown is to stay at home but if you must head out it’s important to know if your car is properly insured. Is my car insured to drive during a weather warning? In almost all cases, the answer is yes. Whether the warning is yellow, amber or the incredibly rare red, your car insurance should remain valid. According to the AA: “You can drive during any weather warning, be it red, amber or yellow. Your insurance provider won't invalidate your policy just because you had to drive in heavy snow or strong winds. If your car is taxed, has a valid MOT and is insured, you're legal for being on the road.” The RAC’s Rod Dennis echoes this, explaining: “Insurance is mandated by law and so unaffected by the weather.” And the Association of British Insurers explained: “Motor insurance will cover you in the usual way, provided you are driving within the law.” That doesn’t mean you should be taking unnecessary risks, however and your actions could have an impact on whether you're covered. Lockdown restrictions mean we should all be limiting our journeys to essential trips. And Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket told the Scottish Sun: “Simply knowing you’re going to get a payout shouldn’t mean you take undue risks. “If your insurance company can prove contributory negligence on your part, your claim might be questioned, and any payout reduced. For example, if you drove into a swollen ford where there was a warning in place and your car stalled and was ruined by water, your claim might not be paid. “The same would apply if you went down a road in contravention of official road closure signs and were subsequently involved in an accident.”