DVLA reckon not insured

Minoush01

A few months ago the DVLA contacted me saying that my car didn't appear on the National Insurence Database, I contacted them with the policy number of my Admiral policy. At the begining of August they sent me another letter saying that I was being fined £100 for not being insured. I contacted Admiral and between me and the telephone operative we discovered that Admiral had recorded the wrong reg number. We argued over whose fault this was but eventually they agreed to amend the policy free of charge. I wrote to the DVLA, returning the appeal form correctly filled in with a covering note explaining what had happened and that Admiral should now have corrected it. I have just recieved another penalty notice from the DVLA saying that I have still not paid the penalty and that failure to do so could incure a court case. They made no reference to my explanation, just a standard computer generated form. Not sure what to do now as I paid my premium in full and had presumed I was correctly insured, I realise I shoudl have checked the details of my insurence more carefully but I wasn't deliberately dodging insurence. If the DVLA continue to maintain that I need to pay the fine can I ask Admirial for a refund for the four months it appears I wasn't insured?

BertTheRaccoon

I would ask admiral to confirm, in writing, that had you needed to make a claim during the period there was an incorrect reg number recorded, if they would have honoured a claim.

If they say yes, you were insured, then I'd use that to argue that you were insured and that it was just an administrative error that the correct details were not logged on the Motor Insurer's Database, which is where the DVLA will be getting the information as to the alleged lack of insurance.

Admiral are unlikely to give you a refund though.

dancingfairy

Have you tried a formal complaint to the DVLA and enclosing all your paperwork? Hopefully this way a human will look at the situation rather than just what appears to be an automated computer response.
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mikey72

The DVLA do take this course. They don't have a case, as you were insured, and it isn't a requirement in law to be on askmid.
The DVLA will lose at court if they decide to push it that far, and you can claim your expenses from them. Hopefully they'll give it up before then though.

forgotmyname

Just keep a copy of the letters you send them stating the insurer logged the wrong reg number for your vehicle.

And that you were fully insured at the time. Thank them for bringing it to your attention.
But if you would like to bring no case to court then you will happily comply but you will be paying them nothing.

InsideInsurance

mikey72 wrote: »

The DVLA do take this course. They don't have a case, as you were insured, and it isn't a requirement in law to be on askmid.
The DVLA will lose at court if they decide to push it that far, and you can claim your expenses from them. Hopefully they'll give it up before then though.

It is a requirement in law to be on MID however as a personal lines customer it is the insurers responsibility to update MID.

To the OP - When Admiral changed their records did they back date the change to the inception of the policy or simply do it as a mid term adjustment from that point on?

If they backdate it, which if they accept it is their mistake they should, then MID will also be updated automatically to show your vehicle registration was insured on the date in question just that the insurer uploaded the information late

Minoush01

An update on this situation. I wrote back to DVLA enclosing all the paperwork and have now recieved a court summons over non insurance. Really distressed as I paid in full for my policy in good faith in March, not really sure what to do now as Admiral don't seem keen to accept fault. Can't afford a big fine, panicking!

kingstreet

You'd be better over here for help now it's got to summons stage;-

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?http://forums.pepipoo.com/

magpiecottage

Complain to Admiral - bowmann@aisl.uk.com or (better) fax to 0870 013 1179.

Include a copy of the summons tell them that it is because they have failed to process your personal data properly that this has occurred and you expect them to meet ALL costs, fines and expenses you have incurred and you want recompense for distress, inconvenience and defamation of character.

Also complain to DVLA that they have ignored your correspondence and simply issued a summons - see here.

That does not change the fact that the summons cannot be ignored so also follow Kingstreet's advice.