MSE News: Warning over new compulsory car insurance rules

Richard_T

As per usual in modern government, a piece of ill thought-out and ineffective legislation which will merely penalise the already law abiding; whist doing nothing whatsoever to prevent crime or solve the problem it's aimed at. :mad:

raskazz

triticale wrote: »

Motor Insurance for road vehicles is required by law and as such should be provided by the government for set fees, without profit being a motivation.

Bearing in mind that every single Government department is run in a woefully slack, inefficient and bureaucratic manner, not to mention the outrageously generous pension provisions, do you seriously think that they would be able to cater for compulsory insurance at a cheaper rate than the private market? I reckon that you are living in Narnia if so.

mikey72

raskazz wrote: »

Bearing in mind that every single Government department is run in a woefully slack, inefficient and bureaucratic manner, not to mention the outrageously generous pension provisions, do you seriously think that they would be able to cater for compulsory insurance at a cheaper rate than the private market? I reckon that you are living in Narnia if so.

Probably still get charged extra for winter tyres there as well.

ExpatDavid_2

Just another "good idea" from useless bureaucrats. There are enough number plate recognition cameras in use that any perceived need for it has been removed.

angiek999

kevanf1 wrote: »

A lot of people who own classic cars or motorhomes that's who. I have had to declare my Land rover as SORN. This was because of the rule change of a few years ago that stated even though my vehicle is on private land it must still have a tax disk (well, a virtual one in reality). This was bad enough but now this just makes it even more complex. It all just appears to be bureaucracy gone crazy.

All I can say is that I hope plenty of people play this silly little game on our own terms. By that I mean yes, declare the vehicle SORN. When the person want sot use that vehicle get it insured and un-SORNed just for a day or two (classic car shows, days out in the case of motorhomes) and then declare SORN again once those days are gone. Repeat this process over and over again throughout the year. This, multiplied by all the individual owners will really bog the department down in applications etc.

Maybe there will be a rethink then with a more sensible way of tackling the uninsured drivers? A disk in the window like the tax disk perhaps? Insurance on a vehicle rather than a driver?

A windscreen disk has done nothing to prevent vehicle tax evasion. Why on earth do you think it would prevent insurance evasion?

angiek999

ExpatDavid wrote: »

Just another "good idea" from useless bureaucrats. There are enough number plate recognition cameras in use that any perceived need for it has been removed.

There are so many hits from the ANPR cameras that the police simply do not have enough resource to respond to them all. Hence the need for the new system. They will continue to use ANPR cameras on the road to suplement the new system.

This is good news for everyone if everyone would only abide by the law.

kevanf1

angiek999 wrote: »

A windscreen disk has done nothing to prevent vehicle tax evasion. Why on earth do you think it would prevent insurance evasion?

Well, of course if you wish to take that to its logical end. Why bother having any police force at all? After all, crime still happens.

It wouldn't prevent insurance evasion 100%. I've lived on the real Earth long enough to know this. Just the same as tax disks don't stop road fund license evasion. However, surely, it would help in some small way? Traffic [police] cars have number plate recognition cameras so they can pick up various things on cars. A copper on a bike or walking doesn't have this so he walks past a car and is oblivious to any problems unless there is something glaringly wrong. But, if that car (or vehicle) is showing an out of date tax disk it alerts the police officer to a crime. The same could be said of an insurance disk.

Of course, there has been so much money spent on yellow boxes on poles to catch drivers doing 34 mph in 30 zones (there are plenty of places where the speed limit is so ambiguous they are obvious entrapment devices) which are now becoming redundant because of costs. shame this money wasn't spent on actual real police officers who would also catch idiots using phones at the wheel or tailgating etc...

No, once again this ridiculous idea is a way of making more easy money from quite likely already law abiding motorists!!!

Joanne67_2

BAA1 wrote: »

The MSE article says that caravans will also be effected by this legislation, How ?

A caravan is not taxed so cannot be declared SORN, and as far as I am aware, the law does not require insurance on a caravan, the car insurance policy covers your liabilities (but you may need to inform your car insurer that you tow a caravan).

I'm confused about caravan's. (The rules also affect motor caravans that may only be used for brief spells at a time, which many people only currently insure for part of the year.) I was under the impression that caravan's didn't need to be taxed or insured. I thought the tax and insurance was covered by the car which it is attached too? Does this mean that a caravan which is parked on the road (full time) has to be taxed & insured? Can someone please explain the rules too me. Thank You

Quentin

Joanne67 wrote: »

I was under the impression that caravan's didn't need to be taxed or insured.

Your impression is correct.

The OP was incorrect! See post #35 from the OP:

MSE_Guy wrote: »

My ignorance about the difference between a motor caravan and a caravan. Corrected.

BobbinAlong

I'm another who has had taxed vehicles un-insured and un-MOT'd on my private drive. In one case having bought a replacement vehicle and transferred the insurance, the old heap was on the drive and an advert in the paper until sold. Then up to the buyer to insure/trail away.
Insurance and MOT always run out at different dates to tax so the vehicle can be standing off road awaiting repair un-insured but still taxed. Are they going to offer short term tax? That'll be the day!