How long do car insurers have to update MID?

EdGasket

Changed my car insurance to RAC on the 11th Jan but it is still showing as not insured on AskMID. Called them up and they say they have 14 days from the renewal date (not the date I bought the insurance) to add the car to the MID database. Is that correct or has it been changed to 7 days which I read somewhere? It seems that during this 14-day period my car can be impounded by the police if they wanted as they don't take paper certificates as proof of insurance anymore and aren't obliged to contact my insurer; is that also correct?

paddyandstumpy

IIRC 'RAC' is just an affinity owned by BISL and so your insurance is underwritten by another company.

We used to deal with BISL at my old company, business was sent to us electronically on the evening of the day of inception (normally you'd get business the evening it was transacted not effective).

This then needs to load to the insurers system and then be forwarded to the MID, so 7 days seems reasonable. Cant comment on the police impounding though. Do you not get 7 days for a producer anymore?

Aretnap

paddyandstumpy wrote: »

Cant comment on the police impounding though. Do you not get 7 days for a producer anymore?

The police can seize the car if you fail to present a valid insurance certificate (paper or electronic) AND the constable reasonably believes that you were driving without insurance.

If you do show him a valid insurance certificate then he has no authority to seize the car - regardless of what the MID says and regardless of whether or not he believes that you really are insured.

Of course if he doesn't believe that your certificate is valid and is determined to seize the car anyway then waving your certificate at him won't physically stop him - but the seizure would be illegal and getting your impound fee back, along with incidental expenses (eg taxi fares) would be relatively straightforward. (Pyror v Greater Manchester is the key case) OTOH if you didn't show him your certificate and he seized the car then the seizure would likely be lawful, even if it turned out that you really were insured, and you'd be dependant on the goodwill of the police to get your money back. This has always struck me as a good reason for keeping your certificate in the car.

FutureGirl

If you carry the certificate with you, you should have any problems. You may get pulled over but if you do you'll have the papers to show it's insured.

EdGasket

Cheers guys, I'll check after 7 days. I was just concerned as my other car which I also changed insurance on the same date with eSure is showing up on MID as insured. Must be BISL dragging their heels.

rhino_horn

The insurance company doesn't need to forward anything to MID, they will have a log on and be able to enter the details immediately. I'm able to instantly add vehicles to MID with my motor trade insurance.

When they add the vehicle they enter the effective from date, so telling you that they have 7 days is nonsense.

I have in fact been stopped by the police before driving a trade car a few years ago.. We thought we had 7 days to upload the vehicle details to MID. The police informed me that this was incorrect, vehicles should be uploaded pretty much immediately.

dacouch

rhino_horn wrote: »

The insurance company doesn't need to forward anything to MID, they will have a log on and be able to enter the details immediately. I'm able to instantly add vehicles to MID with my motor trade insurance.

When they add the vehicle they enter the effective from date, so telling you that they have 7 days is nonsense.

I have in fact been stopped by the police before driving a trade car a few years ago.. We thought we had 7 days to upload the vehicle details to MID. The police informed me that this was incorrect, vehicles should be uploaded pretty much immediately.

This is a good guide for traders https://www.mib.org.uk/media/135974/motor-trade-and-the-mid.pdf

EdGasket

rhino_horn wrote: »

When they add the vehicle they enter the effective from date, so telling you that they have 7 days is nonsense.

They actually told me they have 14 days. So what do you suggest I do about it? I have rung up the RAC and they told me they have 14 days from policy start date to inform MID. What can I do but wait?
Bearing in mind I took the policy with them on the 11th Jan, well over a week in advance of the start date, I am pretty disappointed that they haven't sorted MID yet.