Pillock Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 Cor, Tina. Aren't Peter James a broker rather than an insurer? Insurers usually being massive big posh sounding companies whose name you can't actually pronounce since it has too many vowels in a row but probably sounds quite swish in German. If so, I thought that the cops could the name of your insurer rather than the broker so these are companies that usually have a call centre open later. I would have thought also the police have a special line rather than the customer service centre so they're not sat at the side of the road for 4 hours listening to Greensleeves played on a Bontempi organ by a six year old, interspersed with "Your call is important to us, please wait whilst someone comes back off a fag break and then remembers they need a poo before they take another call" laser wheels, mercrocker and theorganist 3
theorganist Posted February 12, 2014 Author Posted February 12, 2014 They DO offer email certificates. I've done this before. Hope they're not turning into yet another company where service depends on who you speak to. At one stage, I'm pretty sure the only person working there was a very helpful woman called Tina. Okay, I spoke to a guy he didn't seem to want to email them, I might ask tomorrow.. They are round the round the corner from work and I am in the car tomorrow as I have to leave early so I may see if I can pick them up. They are definately a more old fashioned more personal company which I do like I must admit.
Wilko220 Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 I had one of these letters once - which I suppose was fair enough because the vehicle wasn't insured. It wasn't insured because I was keeping it off the road for a few weeks. When I contacted "MID" to advise this, I was told that I was breaking the law. Because the vehicle was still taxed, they said, it MUST be insured even if it's never going to go anywhere near a road. Ridiculous. Every few days there seems to be a new law just designed to piss you off and make your life more of a pain in the arse than it needs to be.
mercrocker Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 None of this bodes very well for "paperless" car tax does it?
FredTransit Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 just been talking to my mate who has a trade policy. Hes going to court on tues, the DVLA are doing him under section 144 B of the Road Traffic Act. Thing is, that section specifically mentions 'blanket' (trade) policies and having one means obv you are not committing an offense if driving an uninsure CAR. Yet he still has to appear?!
Sigmund Fraud Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 just been talking to my mate who has a trade policy. Hes going to court on tues, the DVLA are doing him under section 144 B of the Road Traffic Act. Thing is, that section specifically mentions 'blanket' (trade) policies and having one means obv you are not committing an offense if driving an uninsure CAR. Yet he still has to appear?! He should appear, prove his innocence and then demand £££ for expenses !
FredTransit Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 we went through that. Yep, when he wins, he will get his costs. If they dont show (common) it gets thrown out, and he gets nothing......
Pillock Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I think Nigel Bizzle is the best one to talk to but the advice often seems to be say nothing to them, turn up, don't bargain with them before the case is heard, make your case and get it thrown out. Remain in the courtroom and ask for expenses there and then.
alf892 Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 We have a fleet policy at work for about 550 vehicles..............but once you have a hire you still have get it on the MiD in a week. We outsource this because we have about 150 hires at any one point and it is a PIA but I do have a logon to key them myself. I would have thought the need to notify would be the same for traders?
FredTransit Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 yes you notify but its up to the insurance to put it on the MID. If they dont or get the reg wrong thats when it hits the fan. Alf when your company puts the vehicle on, doesnt it stay on?
theorganist Posted February 13, 2014 Author Posted February 13, 2014 Well I checked this morning and my cars are now on the askmid database. I don't have a problem with the idea of the database but I can imagine the police putting their faith in what is obviously a not overly reliable computer system rather than a protesting motorist at the side of the road and the possible expense and inconvenience which may the occur!
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Makes me pine for the good old days of the 1980's and 1990's. Car was always insured, but the MOT cert left overnight in brake fluid to lift out the ink, rinsed under the hot tap, dried on the radiator, ironed and then filled in again with black ink to make it 'current' with 5-6 months test. You could do the same to tax discs with a month or so remaining, nicked from cars in the scrapyard. (So I'm told). Impecunious Motorist = 1.Government = Fuck All.Rozzers = none the wiser. Lacquer Peel, tooSavvy and Sigmund Fraud 3
alf892 Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 yes you notify but its up to the insurance to put it on the MID. If they dont or get the reg wrong thats when it hits the fan. Alf when your company puts the vehicle on, doesnt it stay on? Well it stays on until taken off. I used to do them manually but it is a right pain with hire vehicles so it is now done via a file exchange.........so every vehicle gets notified every week. Only problem I get now is a weekly report from another bit of MiD which tells me about ones which have dual cover. This is usually because it is a hire and some poor bugger has forgotten to take it off then off hired and we have hired same vehicle. I have just learned to ignore these now! When you put them on you can put a fixed off date..........but again with hires sometimes things change and you keep them longer than planned. We have had one or two drivers stopped over the years where the vehicle does not show on the MiD but only ever got a producer. In theory the insurer can decline to cover if you have had a vehicle too long without notifying but in reality they just moan a bit.
CortinaDave Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 I've had this as well. Plod stopped me outside Inverurie at 10pm and I wasn't on the MID. My insurer was closed but plod rang some central database who also said I wasn't insured. Car impounded there and then and I was charged and left to walk home literally from the side of the road. 20 miles from home In the morning I rang my insurer who confirmed I WAS insured and sent me a letter of indemnity to give to the plod to get my car out of the pound . Incredibly although it was not my fault I still had to pay the tow/pound fees of £200 odd or they'd have crushed the car Insurance co refunded me at a later date - but still!! Bring back the days when you were sent on your way with a 7 day "producer" slip to take your documents to a police station if there was doubt nigel bickle 1
theorganist Posted February 14, 2014 Author Posted February 14, 2014 I've had this as well. Plod stopped me outside Inverurie at 10pm and I wasn't on the MID. My insurer was closed but plod rang some central database who also said I wasn't insured. Car impounded there and then and I was charged and left to walk home literally from the side of the road. 20 miles from home In the morning I rang my insurer who confirmed I WAS insured and sent me a letter of indemnity to give to the plod to get my car out of the pound . Incredibly although it was not my fault I still had to pay the tow/pound fees of £200 odd or they'd have crushed the car Insurance co refunded me at a later date - but still!! Bring back the days when you were sent on your way with a 7 day "producer" slip to take your documents to a police station if there was doubt That's awful. If you can prove you were insured after the even and it is a problem with the governments/police computer then it should be down to them to compensate you and not only that a full apology should be issued. If they know the computer information may not be current then they shouldn't be so reliant on it! Angrydicky and nigel bickle 2
panhard65 Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 I got pulled over a few years ago in a Kangoo van on the M5. The very nice policewoman asks me if I know why they stopped me. Dunno I say probably speeding !. No she says your van isn't on the MID. I had my trade policy with tradex at the time and they asked you to text them all alterations (at a cost of 50p a text). As soon as I mention tradex she says they are the worst of the lot and I should send them a bill for my time spent at the side of the road talking to her. They didn't even give me a 7 day wonder just said to get it sorted. I must admit I would rather get pulled over a few times because of a computer cock up than let some oik get away without being insured
CortinaDave Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 That's awful. If you can prove you were insured after the even and it is a problem with the governments/police computer then it should be down to them to compensate you and not only that a full apology should be issued. If they know the computer information may not be current then they shouldn't be so reliant on it! Nope.. by the time I had the letter from the insurance co etc it had been reported to the Fiscal.. I wrote her a covering letter and enclosed the Indemnity Cert. Got a letter back saying "We have decided not to prosecute ON THIS OCCASION" Great, thats really big of you
wuvvum Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 It's only ever happened to me once, on the M11 late one night on the way home from collecting a rather tatty Iveco Daily. Plod were all set to impound, I insisted that I was insured (had notified insurance of the van that lunchtime, so it obviously hadn't made it onto the MID yet) and in the end they gave me a produced and allowed me to go. I honestly don't understand how they get away with impounding perfectly legal cars just because their (crap) computer says no. I think there may still be an element of the motorist being seen as Public Enemy #1 and therefore the authorities knowing they can get away with murder because there won't be any sympathy for the wronged driver in the press or in society at large.
Angrydicky Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 I don't understand why all insurance companies can't update the MID the moment you pay for your insurance. I'm with RH insurance and they do it there and then. Sadly most of the others take ages to update it. 24 hours ago, the new owners of my black A35 insured it over the phone with Footman James and set off back to Cornwall in it. It's still showing as uninsured on the database.
Rusty_Rocket Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 I always carry my insurance certificate with me. It clearly states I'm covered for any vehicle in my possession. I suppose that's not sufficient for your average ANPR-obsessed copper but if my insurance company doesn't update the MID promptly, the matter is totally out of the customer's hands
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