Car insurance while Licence is with DVLA

Lionel_Thinkbag

Long story, my licence needed the address updating, we recently moved house and were buying my parents car from them. I've sent my licence away to get updated (couldn't do it online as my passport is invalid) When comparing insurance companies, the small print has said 'we may ask for a copy of your licence' I don't have that to give - or rather I did make a copy of my licence because I heard the DVLA lose stuff and deny all knowlege (was sent recorded too) - but that copy has my old address on it - not a good area 1k difference in insurance.

So I don't know what to do, the DVLA say theres a 3 week turnaround before I'll get my licence back, but I need to get insured asap.

Does anyone have any experience of this kind of thing? Will insurers take my word for it/be willing to wait until I have my licence back?

InsideInsurance

They can check with the DVLA as long as you kept your driving license number. Just make sure you reply to the insurer promptly rather than leaving it last minute!

Lionel_Thinkbag

Thanks, I'll get to sort that out today then

InsideInsurance

Lionel_Thinkbag wrote: »

Thanks, I'll get to sort that out today then

Most insurers reserve the right to check driving licenses, V5c, MOT etc but in practice the majority only do random samples of a very small number. Some of the ultra budget/ sub prime providers do more checking and some will use fraud scorecards that may trigger the checks if the "score" it generates goes above a certain value.

DaveF327

If you arrange insurance and pay for it online or by phone, it normally comes into force immediately, but any request for the licence would have to take into account the normal course of post which would give you time for the licence to arrive. If you do receive such a request, simply stall for time.

InsideInsurance

DaveF327 wrote: »

If you do receive such a request, simply stall for time.

A dangerous game to play. A number of the budget providers check almost every license for a reason, that it gives the opportunity to add on a lot of admin fees for late production of documents and/ or adding fees and premium for discrepancies found when the docs do arrive

Stalling for time risks it not getting there in time and then you getting an additional bill. As the OP has done nothing wrong its much better to simply give the situation straight away, license is with DVLA for COA and give the license number so they can check directly with the DVLA if they so desire.

forgotmyname

I swapped insurance this year and they asked for a copy of my licence. They said i had 14 - 21 days. But sent it off straight away. Within 5 days i had a letter saying they had not received it.

I phoned and it seems they had thge day before they sent the letter. I thought I hope your not going to be like this if i ever need to claim.