Crushing uninsured vehicles

[Chris Lodge]

Every year more 23,000 people injured by uninsured motorists and have to be compensated by the Motor Insurers Bureau, a publicly funded body where they are not at fault.

Driving without insurance is getting more expensive with the Police checking thousands of vehicles each year resulting in those without insurance being seized or even crushed but as this article from the Motor Accident Solicitors Society website demonstrates sometimes even insured vehicles have been seized due to a failure to register on the part of the vehicle's insurers.

Following changes the MIDIS system from the beginning of this year, you can for a small fee check that your vehicle insurance has been registered. Go to www.askmid.com for more details.

[OldWelshGuy]

My insurance company screwed up, as did the DVLA. I have a private plate, changed the car last year, swapped the number plate (legally via DVLA), got all the paperwork back, then when I came to tax it recently, I was told I couldn't tax it as I was uninsured!

Got hold of my insurance company who still had the old reg no down (so i WAS covered, but not on the ace of it, as it is the VIN no that is insured, not the reg no). Ok I thought, no problem, don't do it online, go to post office. Got cover note from insurance company, went to post office, where I was told 'your car is registered SORN, so I can't tax it'

I got the car taxed, and the insurance corrected, BUT, what could have hapenned if my car had been parked someplace and a VNC check was done? They could have lifted my car as untaxed! EVEN THOUGH the DVLA issued the new tax disc when the registration was changed to my private plate. I complained as to how on earth my car could be changed to SORN tatus, when it was taxed BY THEM DIRECTLY, and they said that a SORN declaration must have been completed by me and that a taxed vehicle can have a SORN declaration so I MUST have done it.

It is scary though thinking about what 'could' ave been.

[Chris Lodge]

Did your insurers admit that they messed up. It might be worthwhile asking them to compensate you or at least for a full explanation.

Regards


Chris

[OldWelshGuy]

Yes, they admiotted it was their fault, changed it over the phone, and sent me the new note. My gripe was more with the DVLA who point blank refuse to admit anything or give a satisfactory reply to my questions.

I decided I wasn't going to waste my time chasing them though as I have better things to do, and no real harm was done.