How long does it take??

Windsor70

I renewed and changed my car insurance on 25 June, and checked Askmid today and my car is showing as not on their database.

I phoned my insurance company today and my policy is okay. If my car is not showing on Askmid, could I potentially get pulled over for no insurance and if they (police) pass my car whilst it is parked up outside my home, could I be in trouble?

How long does it take before Askmid should show my car as insured?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

maninthestreet

Make a copy of the insurance certificare and carry it in you car.
If the police stop you because they claim your car has no insurance, they will call your insurer to confirm that you are insured.

Joe_Horner

IIRC, the oficcial aim is to have something like 99% of policies showing within 7 days of inception. Leaving aside the fact that they should be able to approach "100% showing instantly" given what a straightforward transaction it should be, if yours isn't on by now your insurers really should be getting hassled.

Not being on the DB can lead to stops by the police but, if you're carrying your certificate, they can't "over-rule" that by relying on what the database says. If you show the valid certificate they also can't phone your insurers to query it. basically, from the POV of a stop: show valid certificate = you're insured and can go on your way. There is now case law on exactly this point.

The same applies if they "see your car parked", which is why he police have NO power to seize cars in this situation. They will refer it to DVLA, who will write to you, and it'll all get sorted in the end.

So the worst that should happen is unnecessary hassle - your car should NOT be at risk because of this and you won't get any points / fines etc.

Windsor70

Thank you Maninthestreet and Joe Horner for taking the time to reply. My insurance company dont send out hard copies of my documentation by post so I have to print it off from their website, and typically printer out of ink but will sort that this weekend.

I am a newish driver, this being the first time I have had to renew my insurance, so I am worried as I am still in my driving probation period and dont want points/fines etc. Should I be worried that my car not showing on the DB? I will phone my insurance and see what they say.

Thanks again

Notmyrealname

If you get pulled over, you tell the Police who you are insured with. If you don't show up on the MID the Police Officer will phone the insurance company there on the spot to confirm it.

Yours is not an uncommon situation and they have procedures in place to accommodate it.

Ultrasonic

Joe_Horner wrote: »

If you show the valid certificate they also can't phone your insurers to query it. basically, from the POV of a stop: show valid certificate = you're insured and can go on your way. There is now case law on exactly this point.

Interesting. I'd thought the police would still phone the insurers since the driver could have cancelled the policy but kept the certificate. I'm surprised they aren't allowed to do this, and kind of think they should be able to.

tim9966

Although it shouldn't cause you any trouble it could cause you some hassle if you are pulled over, even if it's just wasted time. What happens if you get pulled over when the insurance company is closed? They can't phone then to comfirm.

Check you policy carefully in case they have mis typed your number plate.

Hopefully now they should update it. Normally it only takes a few days to update askmid.

Joe_Horner

Ultrasonic wrote: »

Interesting. I'd thought the police would still phone the insurers since the driver could have cancelled the policy but kept the certificate. I'm surprised they aren't allowed to do this, and kind of think they should be able to.

No. Perhaps they should be allowed to but, as the law stands, siezure is only allowed where:

(a) a constable in uniform requires, under section 165, a person to produce evidence that a motor vehicle is not or was not being driven in contravention of section 143,

(b) the person fails to produce such evidence, and

(c) the constable has reasonable grounds for believing that the vehicle is or was being so driven.

Prior v Greater Mancester Police [2011] EWCA Civ 749 established that the question of whether they have doubts or not at (c) above can only become a factor if the driver fails to produce a certificate showing cover. If you show a certificate it doesn't matter if they believe it or not, or even if the insurers say it's not valid. If the cert says you can drive then they can't seize.

Ultrasonic

Thanks for the details Joe. (I wasn't doubting you BTW, was just surprised to hear what you said was the case.)

Joe_Horner

Ultrasonic wrote: »

Thanks for the details Joe. (I wasn't doubting you BTW, was just surprised to here what you said was the case.)

No problem. If you think about it, it makes sense as a safeguard.

Producing an invalid certificate won't stop you being prosecuted when they find out - just stops them seizing it on the spot on "suspicion" if you show prima facie evidence that you're insured. The database and even the insurance call staff don't always get it right!

Seeing as we're still (at least nominally) innocent until proved guilty, it then falls to them to prove that the evidence you showed is wrong in court. Allow anyone to be investigator, judge and jury by the roadside isn't something to encourage!