“Insurance certificate checked”: what the badge means
Some recovery firms, tyre fitters and mechanics on UK Traffic Updates show this badge, with a date:
What it means
This business sent us a copy of its business insurance certificate. We checked that the name on the certificate matches the listing and that the cover dates include the day we checked. A member of our team checks every certificate before any badge is shown.
The badge comes off automatically on the cover end date shown on the certificate. It also comes off straight away if we learn the policy has been cancelled. The badge is free, and businesses can't pay to get it or keep it.
What it doesn't mean
We don't confirm every policy with the insurer, so we can't tell you the policy is still in force today — policies can be cancelled before their end date. We haven't checked what the policy covers, how much cover it provides, or whether it covers your job, for example towing your vehicle or keeping it in their yard.
We haven't checked the business's identity, qualifications, licences or the quality of its work, and we haven't spoken to them. The badge is not a recommendation, endorsement or guarantee.
Before you book
Ask the business to confirm its insurance is current and covers what you need, including your vehicle while it's on tow or in their care. A business without the badge may be perfectly good — it simply hasn't added a certificate.
Run a recovery, tyre or mechanic business?
Add a photo of your insurance certificate from My Account → Insurance badge. We check that the name matches your listing and the cover is in date, and email you the result. It is free, and no plan includes it.
How we use your certificate
UK Traffic Updates (uktrafficupdates.uk) is responsible for this information. Contact us at business@uktrafficupdates.uk. Our full privacy policy is at uktrafficupdates.uk/privacy-policy.
What we collect
If you upload an insurance certificate to get the badge, we collect the certificate. It may include your name, business name and address, insurer, policy number, type and amount of cover, and start and end dates.
Why, and our lawful basis
We use this information to check that the name on the certificate matches your listing and the cover is in date, to show the badge and its dates on your listing, to remove the badge when the cover ends, to keep a record of each check, and to spot false certificates. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)): keeping our directory accurate and giving motorists reliable information when choosing a recovery firm, tyre fitter or mechanic. You have the right to object. You don't have to upload a certificate. If you don't, your listing stays live without the badge.
How the check works
A member of our team looks at your certificate, checks that the name matches your listing and that the cover dates include the day of the check, and makes the decision. The badge is removed automatically on the cover end date shown on the certificate, and we email you before that happens. You can ask us to look again at any outcome, tell us your side, and challenge a decision by emailing business@uktrafficupdates.uk.
Who we share it with
Only our web host, NameHero, which stores our website and its files. We don't send your certificate to anyone else, and we never publish it. Your listing shows only the badge, the cover end date and the date we checked.
How long we keep it
We keep each certificate for 24 months after the cover end date shown on it (or after it was uploaded, if no end date could be read), then delete the file. After that we keep only a short record of the check — the business, insurer, last four digits of the policy number, cover dates, the outcome, and who or what decided — as our record of why a badge was or wasn't shown, for as long as the business is listed with us.
Your rights
You can ask for a copy of your information, ask us to correct or delete it, ask us to restrict how we use it, and object to our use of it. Contact business@uktrafficupdates.uk. You can complain to us at the same address and we'll acknowledge your complaint within 30 days. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.