Hire Car Speeding Ticket - Help!

becky701

Hi,

I am really confused about what to do in my situation.

My partner has a work hire car, which I drove home for him as he wasn't feeling well - however I didn't realise I wasn't insured 3rd party as it's a hire car at the time.

I got a speeding fine by a police van. I'm happy to pay and take the points but I'm really worried about not being insured and whether they'll look into it and I'll be fined or banned. What can I do?

It was a police van, and the letter has come after they sent it to the hire company requesting he tells them if he, or someone else was driving and they have a photo of the car - so I am wondering if they already know it wasn't him?

The alternative is for him to do the driving awareness course and say it was him, but if he says he was driving will they somehow find out he wasn't, then I'm sure we'll be a in a lot more trouble.

I'm really stuck with what to do. Help!

Becky

beamerguy

becky701 wrote: »

Hi,

I am really confused about what to do in my situation.

My partner has a work hire car, which I drove home for him as he wasn't feeling well - however I didn't realise I wasn't insured 3rd party as it's a hire car at the time.

I got a speeding fine by a police van. I'm happy to pay and take the points but I'm really worried about not being insured and whether they'll look into it and I'll be fined or banned. What can I do?

It was a police van, and the letter has come after they sent it to the hire company requesting he tells them if he, or someone else was driving and they have a photo of the car - so I am wondering if they already know it wasn't him?

The alternative is for him to do the driving awareness course and say it was him, but if he says he was driving will they somehow find out he wasn't, then I'm sure we'll be a in a lot more trouble.

I'm really stuck with what to do. Help!

Becky

Becky, firstly this is not the forum for speeding, this forum is dedicated to parking fines

No doubt they are requesting who the driver is because they first went to the hire car company.

As it was a police van, they could have taken the picture as you approached them or when you passed them meaning the picture could show you driving.

It is no excuse that you did not realise you were not insured.
Do you have your own insurance and if so, can you drive another vehicle with third party

It is a catch 22 situation as you dont know what the police picture shows so it would be a risk to say your partner was driving.

In general, the police are reasonable and I would suggest you go to your local police station and explain the situation such as your partner was ill and it did not cross your mind about insurance.
Asking for their help in a strange situation will not cure the problem but at least you will know where you stand.
You will get points and probably fined £200-£300 pounds for driving with no insurance. Being 100% honest with the police is the only way

becky701

Hi,

Thank you for the advice, yes I have insurance and it covers 3rd party which is why at the time I thought it would be OK. I'll drop in and see what they say.

Thank you

Quentin

beamerguy wrote: »

Do you have your own insurance and if so, can you drive another vehicle with third party


In general, the police are reasonable and I would suggest you go to your local police station and explain the situation such as your partner was ill and it did not cross your mind about insurance.
Being 100% honest with the police is the only way

Lots of poor advice here:


1) Whether you have "driving other cars" cover is irrelevant as you cannot use that to drive hire cars.


2) The police are unlikely to be "reasonable" and let you off driving uninsured if you go and confess!!


2) There is no need to go and confess anything. The police may or may not have checked the insurance status of the car at the time of the offence - but as it was a hire car they will have assumed the driver had insurance cover (if not they would have been in touch before now, and asked for insurance details


Just pay the fine/do the course if offered and forget all thoughts of lying about who was driving and put it behind you

beamerguy

becky701 wrote: »

Hi,

Thank you for the advice, yes I have insurance and it covers 3rd party which is why at the time I thought it would be OK. I'll drop in and see what they say.

Thank you

That's good Becky, double check with your insurers regarding their terms on third party and if all is ok, you will be insured.

Be friendly to the Police and they will be friendly back

Quentin

beamerguy wrote: »

That's good Becky, double check with your insurers regarding their terms on third party and if all is ok, you will be insured.

No chance of being insured via DOC cover.


As already advised, you cannot use it with a hire car

Umkomaas

I'd be taking some more advice from the PePiPoo forum which has regular contributors with experience in specific speeding ticket issues. They might be able to suggest some options available to you.

Unfortunately (and very unusually) the PePiPoo website has been 'down' for the past few days. Not sure what timescale you are up against, but if you've got a bit of time wait for PePiPoo before visiting the police station.

In the meantime it might be useful to call your insurance company and check categorically whether your insurance cover extends, on a 3rd party basis, to a hire car. It's better you have all the facts available before deciding your strategy.

becky701

Great thank you for the advice

Quentin

Umkomaas wrote: »

In the meantime it might be useful to call your insurance company and check categorically whether your insurance cover extends, on a 3rd party basis, to a hire car. It's better you have all the facts available before deciding your strategy.

There is no point her confessing to her insurer she has been driving a hire car uninsured!


If she wants independent confirmation that she cannot drive hire cars with her driving other cars cover she can read what it says on her motor insurance certificate!

glentoran99

Pay the fine and say nothing, If an insurance issue arises deal with it then

beamerguy

Quentin wrote: »

Lots of poor advice here:


1) Whether you have "driving other cars" cover is irrelevant as you cannot use that to drive hire cars.


2) The police are unlikely to be "reasonable" and let you off driving uninsured if you go and confess!!


2) There is no need to go and confess anything. The police may or may not have checked the insurance status of the car at the time of the offence - but as it was a hire car they will have assumed the driver had insurance cover (if not they would have been in touch before now, and asked for insurance details


Just pay the fine/do the course if offered and forget all thoughts of lying about who was driving and put it behind you

NOT bad advice

The lady does not know what the picture shows. The police will already know the car is insured by her partner and normally the police will act on that, but they want to know who the driver is rather suggesting they know more than they are saying.

As you will see below, she needs to check with her insurance company about the terms of her third party.

Big difference picking up speeding points to a criminal charge of no insurance. So yes she needs to chat with them first, my advice stands