Pulled Over For No Insurance

[tridentmorph]

Hi there, was driving down the M3 today coming back from work and saw a cop car on the hard shoulder with lights on, went past (checking speed) and saw in the rear view them pull out. Continued along and they appeared in the rear view with lights flashing. Got pulled over and they said that I had gone past a reg check camera which flagged me as having no insurance (glad it wasn't a speed camera :winky: ).

Spoke to the policeman who was really polite and to be fair just said to call my insurance company to get them to check they had put my details onto the insurance register correctly, no need to produce documents or anything.

Just wondered has this happened to anyone else, seems pretty odd as insurance has been running for about five months so you would have thought I would have been pulled before.

[aaronabbott]

you were lucky to get away without anything

[sparkystav]

Exactly the same happened to me a few months ago. The copper was a right ****.

But managed to convince in the end i did have it and it was a mistake somewhere so he gave me 24 hours and he'd check my reg again and if i still didnt he'd send me a summons. He said he was being nice and if it'd happened in Manchester or a big city they'd just tow my car and i'd have to take it up with the insurance company! I'd have gone off my **** if that would have happened!

rung my insurance company the next day and they told me i wasnt insured. So rung my broker and kicked off big style cause i'd paid in full and they said they'd ring the insurance company.

Got a phone call a few minutes later saying they'd been a mix up and i they'd back dated the insurance. I was livid still though.

Anyway that was the last i heard of it, but i was about 5months into my policy as well before i got hit by one of the ANPR (auto numberplate recognition) cameras and pulled over.

Its ridiculus how insurance companies charge you the earth for insurance cause its the law to have it, then can't even do their jobs properly and make sure the register is updated.

Stav

[jsj24uk]

Quite a common problem is insurance company's not keeping the records between them and the police up-to-date. I remember talking to one of the lads who I taught to drive not long after he passed his test. He was pulled over on three seperate ocassions for no insurance. He did have insurance and even a good discount for doing pass plus. He even had his car impounded twice (by the same copper) because his insurance hadn't botherd to update the PNC or what ever it is called.

[dave1]

Quite a common problem is insurance company's not keeping the records between them and the police up-to-date. I remember talking to one of the lads who I taught to drive not long after he passed his test. He was pulled over on three seperate ocassions for no insurance. He did have insurance and even a good discount for doing pass plus. He even had his car impounded twice (by the same copper) because his insurance hadn't botherd to update the PNC or what ever it is called.

It is very easy to check that your insurance company has updated the insurance database.

http://www.askmid.com/

It is a legal requirement for the insurers of privately owned vehicles to add details to the database within 7 days of issuing a policy.

[84Stoney]

I have had the same (though i was pulled for excessive speed!), but this was less than a week into my policy and they were just slow at updating the database.

Also once had AA insurance write to me to tell me my bike insurance was no longer valid as my licence had been taken away. They just made that up!

[Damer]

A girl at work picked up a band new Mini. Had complementary 7 day dealership insurance and her own. However she got pulled over in Moss Side, neither was showing up on the Police Computer, so they towed her car and left her to find her own way home!!!

[tridentmorph]

Hmmm, seems like a pretty common problem then. Called my insurer today, no apology just said "oh yes, it looks like you are not on the database" like it was my bloody fault, said it will take a few days to add you on, just carry your insurance till then and the phone went down.

[Chris Skelton]

Quite a common problem is insurance company's not keeping the records between them and the police up-to-date. I remember talking to one of the lads who I taught to drive not long after he passed his test. He was pulled over on three seperate ocassions for no insurance. He did have insurance and even a good discount for doing pass plus. He even had his car impounded twice (by the same copper) because his insurance hadn't botherd to update the PNC or what ever it is called.

It is very easy to check that your insurance company has updated the insurance database.

http://www.askmid.com/

It is a legal requirement for the insurers of privately owned vehicles to add details to the database within 7 days of issuing a policy.

Everyone should do this! Had no idea! But there I was!

[WylieCoyote]

you were lucky to get away without anything

Why lucky? They can't do anything to you when you're fully legal. If the insurance company tell them you're insured, the absolute worst they can do to you is request you to produce your documentation within 7 days.

[sparkystav]

But if they search and at that time the system says your not insured they can impound your car until they find out otherwise! and they often do. You've got to take it up with your insurance company for compensation.

Stav

[tridentmorph]

A week and a half and still insurance company not updated the database - having computer issues apparently between departments, now writing a note to send between the parts of the company - confidence inspiring stuff huh!

[dave1]

A week and a half and still insurance company not updated the database - having computer issues apparently between departments, now writing a note to send between the parts of the company - confidence inspiring stuff huh!

Did you ask your insurers what they will do to compensate you if you get pulled and your car is impounded?

Remind them that it is their responsibility to ensure that the insurance database is updated within 7 days of a policy being issued or an amendment made to the policy....eg if you change your car. I would not be accepting computer issues as an excuse after 5+ months. Does that mean that all their policyholders for that period are also not on the database.......I doubt it.

[sparkystav]

A week and a half and still insurance company not updated the database - having computer issues apparently between departments, now writing a note to send between the parts of the company - confidence inspiring stuff huh!

Did you ask your insurers what they will do to compensate you if you get pulled and your car is impounded?

Remind them that it is their responsibility to ensure that the insurance database is updated within 7 days of a policy being issued or an amendment made to the policy....eg if you change your car. I would not be accepting computer issues as an excuse after 5+ months. Does that mean that all their policyholders for that period are also not on the database.......I doubt it.

When this happened to me i told them they had 24hours to do it or i would be issued with a court summons and i certainly wouldnt be paying for my travel to court, my solicitor, court fees, or any insurance rise should i end up with Points from the incident.

Half an hour it took them to ring me back and tell them it was sorted.

Stav

[WylieCoyote]

A week and a half and still insurance company not updated the database - having computer issues apparently between departments, now writing a note to send between the parts of the company - confidence inspiring stuff huh!

Did you ask your insurers what they will do to compensate you if you get pulled and your car is impounded?

Remind them that it is their responsibility to ensure that the insurance database is updated within 7 days of a policy being issued or an amendment made to the policy....eg if you change your car. I would not be accepting computer issues as an excuse after 5+ months. Does that mean that all their policyholders for that period are also not on the database.......I doubt it.

When this happened to me i told them they had 24hours to do it or i would be issued with a court summons and i certainly wouldnt be paying for my travel to court, my solicitor, court fees, or any insurance rise should i end up with Points from the incident.

Half an hour it took them to ring me back and tell them it was sorted.

Stav

Never underestimate the power of money - they love to take it, but aren't so keen to give it away and will usually do what is necessary to avoid it!

[Parthiban]

Hmmm, I didn't realise they can tow your car right there and then :o

Might put a scan of my cover note on my phone in case I ever get pulled over for the same thing.............As an aside, I just went on that link above, checked all our cars and thankfully they're all on the register, but for some reason the other 4 all come up with details of what the car is, whereas for mine it just shows a big blue arrow - any reason why?

[sparkystav]

I'm afraid a scan of your cover note doesnt mean squat to them in these days of computers. Anyone can make up a cover note on a PC.

If your not on the register, they may give you a chance and ring the insurance company in your presence to see if theres a mistake, or they may just tow it and let you sort it out.

They can tow it because you can't prove your insured so they can't have an uninsured car on the road. So they remove it.

Stav

[Mark W]

So they arent like they are on the TV when the cameras are there then?

On TV they ask who you are insured with and then call the insurance company to check - If OK they let you on your way - If not - its only then they take the car.

[widnes_is200]

i got stuffed 2 years ago for this, i had a old escort cab, pulled over by traffic cops who said i had no insurance, they took my car and i had to contact morethan , then get my car back 2 hours later having too pay 130 pounds for the tow! , hence to say i left morethan when they would not coff up for there mistake, the police had the tv with them so i think they were being a deliberate a@*$ ,

[sparkystav]

So they arent like they are on the TV when the cameras are there then?

On TV they ask who you are insured with and then call the insurance company to check - If OK they let you on your way - If not - its only then they take the car.

Yeah they can do that, if they feel like it, otherwise they're within their righta to just tow it and ask questions later.

[johny105]

i had this also, so now i always keep a photocopy. been pulled once for a 'random check' and showed it and there were no problems

johny

[steve2006]

Why can't the insurance companies issue a plastic card ( credit card sized) with the insurance details embossed on it? You sign it as you do a credit card,put a hologram on it for security and keep it in your wallet.

[TommyH]

Why can't the insurance companies issue a plastic card ( credit card sized) with the insurance details embossed on it? You sign it as you do a credit card,put a hologram on it for security and keep it in your wallet.

Because thats too easy and would cost them money.

[dave1]

Photocopies,hologram cards etc do not prove anything, even the original Certificate of Insurance proves absolutely nothing. Scenario...take out insurance....get certificate of insurance from insurer....cancel insurance( full refund normally if cancelled within first 14 days with no claim made).....drive car and if pulled show certificate to police( which is in your possession even though you have cancelled your policy.)......job done-another uninsured :tsktsk: gets away with it. Do drivers who are complying with tax/insurance/MOT really want this to happen? This is why they can impound your car. Keep your insurance details handy but only so that if you are pulled or are involved in RTA then at least you can get the police to phone your insurers to check. OMO anyone driving with no insurance/MoT(no MoT can invalidate insurance)/tax deserves to get hammered a lot more than they seem to.

[sparkystav]

Surely if the insurers keep the database upto date then the computer method is the most superior?

No need to be pulled check or having to carry documents.