Always, always, double check your insurance status

[Conanius]

There is certainly 'an amount' of blame on my part here, but read on.

Just because you have a cover note, does not mean you are insured.

I won't go into the full details for obvious reasons, but suffice to say I changed my car insurance cover from the old to new vehicle a couple of weeks ago, and for whatever reason, decided I'd check on askMID whether the vehicle was insured last night. It wasn't. I was absolutely stunned.

My provider, who shall remain un-named, had some sort of 'technical issue' which resulted in me having an invalid cover note, and my details not being put onto askMID.

I've been assured I 'definitely was covered' and 'in the event something had happened, they would have confirmed I was definitely covered with them' but in honesty, that would have been small comfort if I'd had an accident and was being roasted by the police at the side of the road for no insurance.

So, lesson to all. Always, always, check everything you can on your insurance.

 

[sovietspybob]

I thought it was fairly common for brand new insurance to take a day or so to show up on askMID, and the police are well aware of that if they stop you and will just phone your insurance company to clarify?

 

[Conanius]

This was two weeks, and no amount of time would have made it turn up on askMID.

 

[Hxc]

That doesn't make you uninsured... it just means you are shown as uninsured. If caught the police would call and verify. Yes, a pain, but not so dramatic.

 

[the_r_sole]

I had this with my mini, renewal came up I think in a Feb, so paid it for the year, then came to tax in may and did the online thing - said I wasn't insured, so phoned the company (think it was flux direct) and they just said it was an admin error and I was insured, luckily in that time I never got pulled by the police, but was shocked they didn't seem bothered

 

[tom_e]

I don't see how there's any blame on your part either, you did everything correctly they ****** it up.

 

[rodenal]

It's a non issue in this case tbh. As you'd paid and had a cover note through they would be obliged to cover you regardless of what the system said (unless you'd since cancelled obviously).

As above if stopped you may have had to spend some time explaining / checking but it'd be fine.

The only time this would be different is if a monthly payment wasn't made / the insurer had cancelled the policy for another reason

 

[Amos91]

Had something similar with my mums car. She changed to a private plate but they didn't update the details. Was a few months later I randomly checked on askmid and noticed!

 

[acemastr]

I don't see how there's any blame on your part either, you did everything correctly they ****** it up.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your car is insured, no one elses, so it totally your fault.

 

[rodenal]

You're right, but by buying insurance and receiving the cover note...then doing nothing to warrant that insurance being nulled you have fulfilled your responsibility.

 

[the_r_sole]

It is your responsibility to ensure that your car is insured, no one elses, so it totally your fault.

but the car is insured, the insurer simply hasn't updated the database with the information

 

[Clarkey]

Bit of melodrama here. Not being on MID doesn't mean much. If you get pinged on ANPR they will simply ask you if you are insured then they will ring them up and confirm there and then. This happened to me and was a total non event.

 

[NathWraith]

just doubled checked, I am insured.

Phew.

 

[tom_e]

It is your responsibility to ensure that your car is insured, no one elses, so it totally your fault.

Correct, by contacting the insurance company, taking out insurance and receiving the cover note means you've taken all reasonable steps to ensure it's insured.
Most people won't even know what askmid is so you cannot expect people after doing the above to then go chasing round to make sure the insurer hasn't made a mistake.

 

[NathWraith]

I always carry my certificate of insurance with me just in case there are any "technical issues" or if I get a funny police man.

never ever been pulled over though, my only dealing with police have been once I've crashed lol.

 

[Haggisman]

It is your responsibility to ensure that your car is insured, no one elses, so it totally your fault.

Do you check your insurance every time you get in the car?

I always carry my certificate of insurance with me just in case there are any "technical issues" or if I get a funny police man.

The certificate doesn't actually prove anything though. You could have cancelled the policy or had it cancelled for some reason.

 

[NathWraith]

The certificate doesn't actually prove anything though. You could have cancelled the policy or had it cancelled for some reason.

Whilst true, you have to be really dumb to produce a fake(or invalid) certificate of insurance to the police.

 

[andi]

All those saying the police would ring and check, bare in mind the police ring the MIB to check, and they only work office hours!

 

[Haggisman]

Whilst true, you have to be really dumb to produce a fake(or invalid) certificate of insurance to the police.

I've watched plenty of episodes of police interceptors (or similar) where people do just that!

 

[Burnsy2023]

Whilst true, you have to be really dumb to produce a fake(or invalid) certificate of insurance to the police.

Lot of people do dumb things all the time. That's why having your insurance certificate is pointless as it doesn't change the checks that the Police do.