Continous insurance (cars)

[hq1hitchin]

Just been reading that, here in the UK, regualar comparisons are to be undertaken between the DVLA database and motor insurers database with a view to reducing the number of people driving around without insurance. If you want to check and make sure your motor is on the latter's website, use this:

http://www.askmid.com/

[Autocar Publicity]

Well, I think uninsured drivers cost each of us good boys and girls around £30 per year on our premiums, so anything to reduce the numbers would help. One problem I see is that if you are sufficiently inclined to drive without insurance, you won't be too bothered about keeping the DVLA up to date either. I won't say how, just in case any of the ungodly come across this thread - I'd hate to give them ideas, but there are ways round not obtaining insurance and I don't see how this will affect most of them. This will probably help, but I feel it's more of a gesture than a serious attempt to stop the practice.

If government was serious about stopping it, they would increase the penalties for anyone caught. Currently, if you aren't bothered about having a criminal record, it is worth doing without insurance as even if you are caught, the consequences are so minor, financially it is better not to bother... In our road, a neighbour's teenage son didn't bother taxing his car (until he was reported by someone round the corner he had annoyed) and his mother and her current boyfriend both 'work' for HBOS. If the law does not have 'teeth', the selfish and lazy will always think they are above it.

[redtoon1892]

When I was a local Govt officer in traffic part of my duties were to liase with the D.V.L.A. and police in conjunction with the Councils legal officers after a motor vehicle accident to recover the costs incurred by the local authority in regards to the said accident, this included all labour costs, emergency call out, repair and replacement of street furniture etc, etc. I could obtain with the the proper authorisations the driver / keepers name, address, insurance company,current M.O.T, if they had been charged with any offence regarding the said accident ( drink driving etc).
The keeper was written to advising him / her that a recovery was to be made against them or their insurance company for costs incurred, it was not the Councils business if they had or had not been charged with any offence, that is a matter for the police, this was a civil matter even tho we knew the circumstances. After the repairs / replacement had been completed and the materials / labour costs tallied up they were sent the bill with a cost breakdown, if they were uninsured it then became a matter in the Councils case to recover through due process of law and failure to pay resulted in a C.C.J. where the courts levied the monthly recovery payment according to means.
I have had many a tearful interview with uninsured folk trying to weasel out of paying the costs which in many cases could be considerable and uninsured drivers were quite common, of course they still had to deal with the police on that matter.
The only instance where a recovery was not persued was if it involved the death of the driver / passenger and that was on compassionate grounds. Yes some Council do have a heart.
What we did learn was that young women made up the majority of unisured drivers who then blamed their husbands or partners for forgetting to insure the vehicle, all tosh of course.
At the time of my retirement a couple of years ago a pattern was starting to emerge of vehicles being "ringed", that is they had the number plates of a vehicle of the same make, colour etc fitted so that some innocent party ended up with the "mess", so if you have a "bump" be sure to check the TAX DISC if they have one to see if it tallies with the vehicles number plates, it is also worth checking to see if the registration mark has been etched onto the windows.
The moral is, if you have an accident be prepared to pay a hefty sum for not being insured.
As a rough guideline it costs around £3000 on average depending on road class and circumstances to replace a lighting column but this can rise to well over £5000.

[Bryan]

At the time of my retirement a couple of years ago a pattern was starting to emerge of vehicles being "ringed", that is they had the number plates of a vehicle of the same make, colour etc fitted so that some innocent party ended up with the "mess",

In the late 70s my dad received a fine for speeding on a road in London, however as he was a drug company rep meant to be in Liverpool on a daily basis at the time he thought he had better challenge it.
This he did successfully by getting a couple of the GPs he visited on that day to confirm his presence in Liverpool at the time in question.
This was later put down to "Car Cloning" where a car of the same type, colour etc was used in an area where the original would not be likely to appear. Relying on local police records only and not a national scheme.

[60041]

My father had his car cloned a few years ago, he had a knock on the door one day and was informed by the plods that his car was recorded as being involved in a crime in Glasgow a day or two earlier. Once they realised that they were dealing with an infirm 86 year old, and that his old heap would have had trouble getting to Alnwick 5 miles away, let alone Glasgow, I think they started looking for someone else!