Car Insurance. Uninsured cars to be crushed
Are you one of the one in twenty motorists who regularly drive without insurance? You'd better watch out - your car could be heading for the crusher and shipped off to the world's biggest scrap smelter in China!
Police seize cars without insurance
New powers now allow the police to seize, impound and crush any car found on the road without insurance. A pilot scheme was introduced in Durham last spring. Since then, police have impounded more than 1,200 cars. Of those around half have been crushed into cubes and packed off for smelting.
Operation Takeaway as the pilot scheme was known, has been such a big success, that police forces throughout the UK are enthusiastically polishing up their tow trucks. The scheme is now supported by a new national police database that's supported by the insurance industry. It enables the police to check the insurance status of every car in the UK whilst they're sitting in their patrol car.
Police will take keys if your car has no insurance...
Now if you're caught red handed without car insurance you're forced to hand your keys to the police at the roadside. There are no exceptions -this applies to everyone; it doesn't matter if it's just a forgetful mistake or conscious driving without insurance.
Then you'll have to get your skates on! You've just 14 days to produce a valid insurance policy to the police and collect your car. And other costs mount up. Before you can collect your car, you have to pay the cost of kerbside recovery (around £105) and the cost of secure storage - and that could easily amount to £15 a day. So, if you leave collecting your car to the 14th day, you could be in for a bill for £315.
And if you don't reclaim your car, off to the crusher it goes!
During the pilot scheme, the cost of crushing the cars was partly funded by Direct Line. They have estimated that Operation Takeaway prevented up to 2,000 accidents. And many of the cars impounded by the police were found to be un-roadworthy.
A police spokesman said, " Uninsured drivers are often guilty of many other offences. Such as having neither driving licence nor MOT certificate. We are doing everything in our power to get these dangerous and illegal drivers off our roads".
Drivers with no car insurance are a great danger
Indeed, uninsured drivers are much greater problem than many of us would
expect. The Department of Transport recently reported that 1 in 20 motorists regularly drive without insurance. Furthermore, research from the Association of British Insurers discovered that uninsured drivers are amongst the most dangerous on the roads. On average they cause one accident every six months and are three times more likely to be convicted of driving without due care and attention.And who pays for those uninsured accidents? We do! The average car insurance premium is loaded by £30 to cover the cost of damage caused by uninsured motorists. Across the UK that adds up to an extra £500 million paid out each year by the law-abiding motorists!
But that's not the end of our financial pain. If an uninsured vehicle collides into your car, it's still recorded as a "fault claim" on your policy. This means you'll have to pay the excess when your car is repaired and unless you've got Claims Protection on your policy, your no-claims bonus will take a knocking. Over a two-year period, the reduction in your no claims bonus could easily cost £275 in higher premiums.
The move to take cars off the road and crush them has been warmly welcomed by the Association of British Insurers. The ABI has long criticised the leniency of punishment handed out by the courts to uninsured motorists but they still want tougher penalties. Offenders are typically fined just £150 to £200 - with time to pay - and this is much less than the average car insurance premium. Surely this cannot be true justice!
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Date Added: Saturday 31st October 2009
"I was in a car crash today in the person who hit me didnt have car insurance and i didnt neither ,also i was not at fault and the guy who hit me got away scott free.With no damages done to his car but my car was damage so bad that it is not in driveable so bascically it was terrible that he was allowed to drive away with getting into trouble."
UNHAPPY CAMPER
Date Added: Wednesday 28th October 2009
"the police stop me and took my car to the compound, they said i add no insurance, but i add, then when i went to pick up my car they said i could,nt because my insurance add a clause in it says i woz not covered, to pick a car up from the compound, so even though i am legal owner i still can,t get it back any help plz"
dawn
Date Added: Tuesday 8th September 2009
"can anyone else get my car out of compound if their fully comp"
s mellor
Date Added: Monday 7th September 2009
"i had my car impounded today for no insurance... which i did have! i produced all documents i was asked to, i done this within 3 hours, but im still being made to pay 170 pounds compound fee why is this???"
elizabeth
Date Added: Saturday 1st August 2009
"I understand that the police use the MID (motor insurance database,)to check your insured, you can also check this as well on the net, I have and although my bike is insured and has been since April the data base says no, my insurance Co have said that the database controllers have not up dated it correctly and will e-mail them, i'm still waiting for it to be corrected. I would strongly advise you all to check the data base and if you dont get the green light contact your insurance company and ask them to get it resolved"
Phil Turner
Date Added: Monday 27th July 2009
"I have been stopped by the police on this matter twice now, and they have not been able to find the insurance compnay I was insured with and took my car and left me on the road side. They were smug and happy about it to! They then put the responsibility on me to pay the impound fees!? This matter works if the police catch the people who are genuinely driving with out any licenses and don't intend to get any. If your not a resident of this country and don't have the valid licenses; I've seen police just let people go because they can't be bothered with the paperwork. This "No car Insurance" scheme doesn't work for people who have all there licenses but the police data base can't find the insurance company over their special network phones. Also for people who "have" all there licenses but have forgot or are in the process of re-newing their policies and been caught in the couple of day gap. It should be the 7day license producer that still takes priority, instead of the police being happy and ready to impound your car, its ridiculous and immoral. I've also been involved in a hit and run incident and the driver who drove off had a false number plate and the police didn't take the time to chase up on who it could have been... again i was left on the road side helpless. Rules and laws like these takes away our rights as Uk residents treating us like secondary citizens. Putting pressure on people to take legal action against the Police when they make mistakes, costing the tax payer's money and wasting time in and out of the court room."
Mr B Lewis
Date Added: Monday 13th July 2009
"load of rubbish ive seen and know of people with insurance being in an accident even seen bare cop cars crashing during their blue light calls,bet there are more people with insurance having accidents all together than people with none would it not make sense if you do not have insurance you would be more carefull? plus i have a mate who has driven most his life without a license & insurance he was extra careful and of police but now he has a license he's let loose of caring, i think that would go for most people to. its unfair for people not 2 pay insurance when others do but i think that all these statistics are just the governments way of making money they tax us when we are dead,ill or happy in marriage pay no attention 2 what they say and think of it as us looking after each other. gov???"
japfart
Date Added: Monday 29th June 2009
"They took my car , it was tax insured & mot'd & they said my full driving licence was revoked ? "
From Colin
Date Added: Wednesday 17th June 2009
"I disagreed with all this system. Because it\'s doesn\'t work right. They should find another way. Stop to play with tax payer citizens and make our life really hard. "
SIMON
Date Added: Thursday 11th June 2009
"It doesnt matter if you have an insurance document in the car or not if the computer says it is not covered the car has gone! It is a breach of our human rights to seize our cars for any reason it is theft period!"
Jacko
Date Added: Tuesday 2nd June 2009
"it always amazes me how quick people are to line up like sheep to be * ripped off by the government. the one guy that stated 'just keep a copy of your insurance in your car, simple isnt' what a moron, if he would have read the posts, several people HAD insurance but the police wanted more proof. i say all the idiots that line up for the slaughter should be crushed in their cars for being so stupid..."
everything sucks
Date Added: Monday 18th May 2009
"no i don't agree with the police having the rights to seize our cars its a big waste of tax payers money and a profit rip off and police should be doing much better things than sitting on looking at cars going by them "
mr j deacon
Date Added: Saturday 9th May 2009
"It's unbelievable how many people just don't seem to understand. If you are driving without insurance you are breaking the Law. You are a criminal just the same as a person who goes into a jewellers and Steals some diamonds. You are a Criminal, Just the same as a Drunken Yob who lashes out at an innocent member of the Public. And the good thing for all of us Law Abiding Members of the Public is.. If you keep on doing it you will lose your Cars - Sorted....And rightly so."
Phil Tilbury
Date Added: Tuesday 21st April 2009
"People who drive whilst uninsured should have their car Crushed and in my Humble opinion preferably with them still in their car...."
Phil Tilbury
Date Added: Friday 3rd April 2009
"Cumbria Police seized my car when I was insured. Cost me £740 including lost wages. Still haven't got it back. The Information Commissioners Office are on the case because the Police Database was wrong. It's wrong to have to PAY THE POLICE to get your car back. They should return it to you immediately to the place of your choice at their expense. I've made Freedom Of Information requests to all 52 Police Forces to find out the extent to this type of failure. So far only 10 have provided figures but it looks like there are about 18 wrongful seizures per month across the UK. See www.xchange.co.uk/vodot to contact me and get advice. My MP will take this further. If you are a victim then get your MP onto your case as well."
S.Farndon (The Persecuted Motorist)
Date Added: Tuesday 31st March 2009
"hi, Ive just been reading all the posts on the police who have been seizing vehicles. I was driving home with my girlfriend from the pictures in Liverpool. It was 1.am on a saturday evening. I was stopped by the police, they stated that my vehicle was not insured. I produced my driving Licence and Insurance certificate which states that i am fully comprehensively insured on any vehicle i own, or in my custody or control. the officers wanted me to produce my documents in the police station within 7 days. I refused saying i am a working family man with 3 kids to look after, i havnt got time to be attending the police station (thats why i carry my docs with me). They seized my vehicle and left myself and my girfriend in the rain 10 miles away from our house. I got the vehicle back a couple of weeks later at a cost of 300 pounds. can anyone please explain to me how these type of laws assist in the safety of road users and in detecting uninsured vehicles? the truth is, it is just another draconian measure implemented by a power hungry government and police state. It is marketed as a way of detecting uninsured drivers. this is a load of crap. The police in this country thrive off new Powers to harass and impose on people. We are walking rapidly into a Police state that will be far more restrictive of the old communist states we all feared at one time. In a couple of generations, all those men that were lost in the various wars fighting for our so called freedom will have died for nothing, because pretty soon, there will be no freedom of movement or expression. It will simply be Pay as you go, or pay the price!! P.S. god help us when we all have to carry I.D cards with RF id tags built in. Scary!"
concerned citizen
Date Added: Wednesday 11th February 2009
"And the moral of all these stories is - always carry a copy of your insurance in your vehicle. Simple, innit?"
Blank
Date Added: Wednesday 11th February 2009
"Date Added: Friday 28th March 2008 Ghost. "I'm 18, passed my test last summer, and i've put my moped registration plate on my car, I drive so well that the police never have any reason to stop me, and if the anpr system does a check the plate comes up as completely legal. If you crash a car, you shouldn't be on the road, It isn't difficult to not crash! I'm always aware of what's around me, what could happen ect ect, and I do not see why I should pay 140 pound a a month for a 1 litre car when I'm not going to crash! " Do you have your mopeds road tax on the car as well as the plates? Just letting you know that when the police arrest you for no insurance and driving on false plates, thay will also inform customs and excise, good luck,"
brian reid
Date Added: Saturday 7th February 2009
"Under the Bill of Rights act 1689, a constitutional act that cannot be repealed, it is illegal for any goverment body to give a fine or forefeiture without first taking you to court. The act of taking the vehicle is illegal and negates the alleged offence for which the forfeiture was issued. Not to mention the fact that when you are taken to court for the offence and a penalty is issued you have then been sentenced for the same offence twice, illegal under the double jeopardy rules. The police swear an oath to uphold the constitutional rights of citizens and have a duty to disobey any order given that by parliment that is illegal. Quoteing Sir Winston Churchill "Thank god we have the Magna Carta Bill of Rights to protect us from an oppresive state"."
SteveSpy
Date Added: Thursday 22nd January 2009
"i have just had my car lifted outside my house by the police i got insured yesterday and budjet would not answer the phone to speak to the police to confirm, will i still have to pay when cover note comes through the post?"
s williams
Date Added: Wednesday 21st January 2009
"I agree with everything and all the powers that they have BUT I am one of people driving "without insurance". which I was only trying to get a window as someone broke into my car. Now the Police tell me that I need to get a 30 days insurance to collect my car BUT BUT there is no such 30 days insurance. A insurance broker told me that 28 days is the maximum that you can get and that the Police know that but they just want to make life hard for everyone. Now not all illegal drivers are bad, like me I need to move it as someone broke in to my car just to find out that the Police where around the corner to STEAL my car and I have never had an accident before, 20.000 less because they are taking the vehicles away no NO NO insured drivers do accidents aswell they make it look like only uninsured drivers have accidents. I do not aggree with all the major powers that the police have been given. they are just too power happy (they abuse they powers) when you go to the car pound they are VERY VERY RUDE it's like they are in top of the WORLD"
w.smith
Date Added: Tuesday 20th January 2009
"i was stopped on new year at 9 pm by traffic police in waltham cross herts he said he stopped me for a side light out i was outside the chinesse as i was waiting for my food to be cooked as i know the chinesse people very well i was asked if i could collect two food bags for them 1 mile up the road from there driver as he had broke down and they was very busy so when i got stopped the police asked what i was doing i said im returning his food bags to the owner he said im seizing your car as he thought i was working for them i was furious as i wasnt doing anything wrong i have insurance i have tax and mot and a full uk licence i was given a fixed penalty of £200 and six points which i refused at roadside and said il see him in court i have recovered my car back at a cost of £229 now i have the worry of court procedings when i am innocent what gives the police the right to seize my car for that reason im gutted only just bought car cost me a extra £160 to swap my insurence over to my golf cabriolet i have posted letters to the seizure dept and they wont reinburst my costs im fuming "
warren davison
Date Added: Saturday 17th January 2009
"I had my car seized just last week. The police called me at work to say my car, which was up for sale outside my brother's home, was not insured. I explained to them that i had recently purchased a new car and had changed my insurance over to the new vehicle but i was fully comp so was of the impression that i was insured for any vehicle. The car they seized had valid road tax and was parked up with "for sale" signs in the window. They eventually took the car and would not let me move it just 4 feet so that it would then be off the road. I think the system is failing as it does not target the real criminals out there. I have seen many cars up for sale, i dont believe their owners are paying for 2 lots of insurance at any 1 time!!! My car had valid road tax; if i where trying to cheat the system it would not have had that on it.There should be more scope for those people who have made genuine mistakes x "
Sue C
Date Added: Tuesday 6th January 2009
"I fully agree with you Ken as such an incident happened to my father last night/today. They took the car and just left him at Heathrow. I would have thought that what happened in Monique's case would have been more appropriate as today we provided the insurance details and reclaimed the car after paying £150. Its out of order and I'm looking for a way to complain and get our money back."
Ronald
Date Added: Wednesday 12th November 2008
"Whilst I agree entirely with the concept of seizing cars that are being driven by uninsured drivers; I have grave concerns over the accuracy of the Police database. Several cases have recently come to my attention where the Police's database is inacccurately indicating that a car is not insured, and the car was seized (and the driver put to considerable inconvenience, and expense). In one such case the insurance had been in place for eleven months, so it was not due to it taking a couple of days for the DVLA computer to catch up. The Police claimed that their computer is updated every two or three minutes and therefore "there could be no mistake". In one case a young mother with baby in arms was stranded at the side of the road by a Police patrol when she was fully insured, but the Police's computer did not say so. It could be that these people are lying through their teeth, but somebody needs to investigate such claims properly and if there is real evidence that the Police database contains such innaccuracies, then this practice needs to be STOPPED. We are supposed to live in a society where we are innocent until proved guilty. If the Police cannot guarantee the accuracy of their data then they have no business putting law abiding citizens to such inconvenience. They should find a better way of getting uninsured drivers off our roads."
Ken
Date Added: Thursday 23rd October 2008
"Paul, as you will have found out by now, the insurance will cover him although they will try to worm out of it. For something like that while he could lose his licence and be fined £2500 what I\\\'m guessing happened is he kept his licence, didn\\\'t receive any points and was fined between £50 and £100. P.S. This article says being fined less than the insurance costs is not justice, but they will also get banned from driving if they had no licence or 6 points towards a ban with, and if they violate a driving ban it\\\'s off to jail for them, so the law is roughly appropriate."
p law
Date Added: Monday 22nd September 2008
"I was stopped on Saturday 20th for apparently not having insurance. I'd arranged it over the phone so it would be tranferred over to my new vehicle on the Friday 19th. But it's Monday 22nd now and still it's not showing up on the database. I'm not impressed. The policeman who stopped me was very nice and said he believed me. Then he breathalised me and made me stand on one leg and all that rubbish. But at least he didn't take my car away. I have to produce my insurance certificate within 7 days. I rang the insurance company to double check everything was in order and taped the conversation just to be on the safe side. I think the police are aware there is a delay. The insurance company said they send your details to DVLA and it should show up within 2 days. I'm glad the police are doing a good job and getting the uninsured off the road. It wasn't a pleasant experience being stopped and breathalised when i was totally innocent though. I used this link to check my car today.... http://askmid.com/askmid.aspx. My old vehicle is still showing up as ok. I think they need to get something in place to make it show up instantly or at least give the insured some rights here. What would have happenned if the insurance company had messed up and i wasn't covered??? "
Monique
Date Added: Wednesday 17th September 2008
"Paul, the Police wouldnt just take your vehicle because you didnt have the paperwork. Your vehicle clearly wasnt showing any indication of being insured on the police national computer, or you didnt have your driving licence. The police could also check with the DVLA to see whether you hold a full driving licence. If these checks come back and you cant give a credible indication of your insurance company then they SHOULD take your vehicle because you are clearly not insured. These powers are great and should be used more to get rid of criminals using our roads for free"
G
Date Added: Wednesday 18th June 2008
"hi i have insurance but has i don't carry paper work they taken my car and i don't have money to get out of compound"
Paul
Date Added: Wednesday 18th June 2008
"hi my husband borrowed a friends van on the 17th 6 08 and was pulled by the police my husband is on my insurance fully comp has a full licence the police did a check and found his friends van to have no m.o.t on it my husband was in deep shock after finding this out now he is been charged with no m.o.t even when the van was only borrowed and there say he has no insurance he has taken paper work in to police but there is no m.o.t. paper has his friend has none where does he stand with the law"
d mccarrick
Date Added: Sunday 18th May 2008
"police pulled me up today i drive an audi a3 in my bruvas name i drive it third party only on my fiesta policy the audi has no insurance but im insured behind the wheel but police say when i get out the vehical the car is illegal and can be seized ??? but my insurance say I'm legal long as vehical has MOT AND TAX AND OWNERS CONSENT?? and 1 got an answer ?? "
Ben
Date Added: Monday 7th April 2008
"The police took my car from me on the M6 on 22/03/08 saying that I had no insurance since 11/02/08. Myself and my family had to pick up what we could carry and walk off the motorway sliproad like refugees. Within the hour I had confirmation over the phone that from my insurance company that I was insured so the police were wrong. Had to take a day off work to go back to Cumbria to get my car back. Cost me wages plus train fares plus tow and storage charges - £500 in all. This police database idea stinks. It used to be 'innocent until proven guilty' but now it is 'guilty until proven innocent'. We're heading for a police state. Will take months to get my money back and probably get no compensation for 'wrongful arrest'."
S.Farndon
Date Added: Tuesday 1st April 2008
"all very well my wife and i were stopped by a police man near chippenham on sat for no insurance on his data base we had insurance papers we were there for 50 min phoned insurance brokers closed didn't believe us let us go said car should be taken away he phoned insurance company monday first thing found to his dismay the car was insured data base is not 99.9 correct as hes told us wasted 1 hour of police time we are in our 50s no police record or trouble nasty time he wasent very nice"
j ramsey
Date Added: Friday 28th March 2008
"I'm 18, passed my test last summer, and i've put my moped registration plate on my car, I drive so well that the police never have any reason to stop me, and if the anpr system does a check the plate comes up as completely legal. If you crash a car, you shouldn't be on the road, It isn't difficult to not crash! I'm always aware of what's around me, what could happen ect ect, and I do not see why I should pay 140 pound a a month for a 1 litre car when I'm not going to crash! "
Ghost
Date Added: Tuesday 18th March 2008
"Well I would say contact the police, but they may be busy trying to prosecute drivers that really have insurance by the looks of the comments below."
Admin
Date Added: Monday 17th March 2008
"i no someone with no car insurance and is driving around with out it i no the details of the car and where it is parked over night what can i do about this as am worried about other peoples safty"
un none identaty
Date Added: Tuesday 26th February 2008
"My son had his car confiscated and he had insurance that didnt appear on the computer. The police blamed the insurance company and the Insurance blamed police, who's to blame and who should pay the fine???"
s m sharpe
Date Added: Tuesday 11th December 2007
"POLICE ARE OUT OF ORDER THEY TOOK MY CAR WHEN I HAD INSURANCE BUT IT WAS A NEW POLICY AND I DIDNT HAVE MY DOCUMENTS ON ME AND IT WAS COMING UP "
D.ARDAY
Date Added: Tuesday 13th November 2007
"i have car insurance but police too lazy to check so ive been charged with having no insurance because i lost my policy and duplicate was dated from date i phoned up for it -- anyway what do i care if they waste their time"
a thompson