Unaware no car insurance

lisyloo

Unfortunately the law does not have flexibility on this issue.

This is the correct legal position.
Whilst I sympathise with anyone who does it genuinely accidentally, we are all responsible for being insured the same as having legal tyres etc.
It's one of those things that it's simply not acceptable to miss it out, even if accidental.
If we do slip up we have to take it on the chin.

If you go to court without a good case, the penalties can be worse as judges tend not to like people who don't accept a decent offer/penalty.

Insurance companies are a pain in the butt. They do not make things clear for any of us and therefore we all need to be vigilant in checking our paperwork.

The notices I've had have always been very clear. With "WHAT YOU NEED TO DO NEXT" in large bold print on the first page.
However I have never relied on the paperwork arriving.
There are some people who are extremely quick to blame the insurer when there are literally dozens of people on these forums who have not read their paperwork, not changed their address, even admit to putting their post in the bin without reading it.

Arg

We cannot dictate to private companies what they do.

Yes we can especially if it's harming customers.

glider3560

Arg wrote: »

Yes we can especially if it's harming customers.

But it isn't harming most people. On one hand you get people moaning about auto renewal, on the other hand you get people complaining that their policy didn't renew*. You can't suit everyone, even if a uniform arrangement was made across all insurers.

* = Personally, I'd rather inadvertently auto-renew at a higher price than risk going uninsured.

bouncydog1

It seems to me that there are an awful lot of people refusing to take responsibility for their own actions on this thread - insurers cannot be blamed for everything. Yes I am sure that there are cases where an online application is made and card details are entered and something happens - but the same rules apply - it is the responsibility of the vehicle driver to make sure they have adequate insurance. I am also sure that if there is clear evidence that somebody has purchased and paid for insurance insurers would not be able to avoid the cover.

The lady in question tried to blame her insurer for not automatically renewing her policy, stating her last one did. If this was a pre-requisite then she should have checked when she moved and made sure the policy provided what she wanted.

At the end of the day individuals must take responsibility for themselves - if this is beyond them, then the question needs to be asked as to whether they have mental capacity to be driving!

birkee

starrystarry wrote: »

Hope all the anti auto-renewal brigade are reading this thread.

One is, at least, and I'm still anti renewal.

Why should we get involved with auto renewal, because somebody else is negligent?
Perhaps it's for the too idle to manage their affairs insurance?

I can see where the OP is coming from though, but it really IS her own fault, and she recognises that. She also took the renewal notice, as confirmation she was insured, and didn't even check it was an insurance document. It takes 5 seconds.
Sorry OP, that's simple idle negligence.

Arg

glider3560 wrote: »

But it isn't harming most people.

I would say the risk of getting your car stolen by the police is,due to the confusion over autorenewal.
Not that you would need to make a mistake for that to happen as in the case of this chap and many others.

Sam was covered to drive under Joseph's insurance, so knew there had been a mistake. Understandably, he thought the problem would be resolved when he showed the police the insurance documents he had with him. Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple.
"They wouldn't accept it as valid. And there seemed to be nothing I could say to the police that would enable me to persuade them not to take the car away", says Sam.
Embarrassed, Sam had to return to Joseph without a car and with a £150 fine to boot.

birkee

alistair.long wrote: »

I had insurance almost lapse on me, I know roughly what month I took up the policy so that I can renew it the next year.
Last year was a little diffrent as I called my insurance to check when my insurance runs out, and I was told that a renewal with my bonuses was sent out, however this was not the case, and after speaking to a few diffrent people it was decided that I could not have been sent a renewal for some reason, and the no claims was going to be faxed. it was not faxed and instead I received 2 copies in the post.

So therefore sometimes the insurance companies dont send out renewals, and mine is a classical example.

This is another reason why auto renewal should be outlawed! You can't trust them to do anything right.
I was slated because I said I had received no renewal quote, as being a liar or negligent.
I don't depend on a renewal notice, as I know the exact day my insurance is due each year, and seek new quotes ready for it.
I didn't get a renewal quote, and was then sent letters threatening debt collectors and Baliff's because they couldn't get their money on auto renewal. (I'd changed my credit card)
Having never heard of auto renewal before, this came as something of a surprise, and if I hadn't changed my credit card, I would have paid for car insurance twice.

IT's MY money, not theirs to help themselves!

mikey72

lisyloo wrote: »

We cannot dictate to private companies what they do.

We don't dictate to airlines, restaurants, pubs etc. and we cannot dictate to insurers.
If you go to a restaurant you check what's on the menu and if you go to a pub you check what they have before ordering, you don't insist they all offer the same because you can't be bothered to look !! :-)

It's compulsory to have insurance.
It's not compulsory to go to the pub though, maybe it should be.

lisyloo

Yes we can especially if it's harming customers.

Please do tell me how you personally are going to dictate to a private company.
The only way I know of is to not give that particular company your business.
You have no power other than that.

lisyloo

It's compulsory to have insurance.
It's not compulsory to go to the pub though, maybe it should be.

Lots of things are compulsory - like eating and drinking.
It doesn't mean we restrict choice, because some people can't handle it.

I am sympathetic to those who make genuine errors, but I can't see any reason to stop there being choice in the market place.
Surely you are pro-choice mikey? e.g. I would expect you to agree that people should have the choie to NOT auto-renew, rather than having anything forced on them.