Discussion
The insurance company has 7 days (used to be 14) to upload your new data to MID (the motor insurance database -AskMID is the internet front of house for the MID on the internet).
Be aware that the ANPR databases of motor insurance are downloaded versions of the MID and not live, so you risk being flagged up on ANPR for a little while longer than it takes your insurer to update MID.
Carry your insurance docs with you
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Be aware that the ANPR databases of motor insurance are downloaded versions of the MID and not live, so you risk being flagged up on ANPR for a little while longer than it takes your insurer to update MID.
Carry your insurance docs with you
.My car gets automatically renewed every November. Last year the insurance went through renewel with no problem, payment made and Certificate received, as it has for the past 15years.
On December 23rd whilst driving home from visiting a friend, I got pulled over at Watford Gap service station by motorway police due to showing no insurance on the system. I informed them of who My insurance is through and how much it had cost Me to renew the month before, but I didn't have My insurance certificate on Me. As it was 12.10AM they could not check with My insurance via the telephone. The driver gave Me the benefit of the doubt and gave Me a producer to take to My local station (despite his female partner wanting to seize My vehicle and leave Me stranded at Watford Gap services!).
The next morning I went to My local station with all My documents and they informed Me not to worry too much about it and let it ruin My Christmas, as the insurance companies are useless at updating the system and they get a lot of people coming in for the same reason (The motorway Officer said pretty much the same thing!).
When I checked the AskMID site, sure enough My car was not on it. I complained to My broker (AA insurance) who said they would inform My insurers. Three months and many phone calls later it was still not on the site, even though I was assured that there was no problem with My insurance.
So I can assure you from personal experience that the AskMID database is not the be all and end all that some in this thread would have you believe.
Best advice, always carry a copy of your insurance certificate with you!. (As My local station advised Me to do). It's not guaranteed to stop you having problems but it will help if you get stopped.
On December 23rd whilst driving home from visiting a friend, I got pulled over at Watford Gap service station by motorway police due to showing no insurance on the system. I informed them of who My insurance is through and how much it had cost Me to renew the month before, but I didn't have My insurance certificate on Me. As it was 12.10AM they could not check with My insurance via the telephone. The driver gave Me the benefit of the doubt and gave Me a producer to take to My local station (despite his female partner wanting to seize My vehicle and leave Me stranded at Watford Gap services!).
The next morning I went to My local station with all My documents and they informed Me not to worry too much about it and let it ruin My Christmas, as the insurance companies are useless at updating the system and they get a lot of people coming in for the same reason (The motorway Officer said pretty much the same thing!).
When I checked the AskMID site, sure enough My car was not on it. I complained to My broker (AA insurance) who said they would inform My insurers. Three months and many phone calls later it was still not on the site, even though I was assured that there was no problem with My insurance.
So I can assure you from personal experience that the AskMID database is not the be all and end all that some in this thread would have you believe.
Best advice, always carry a copy of your insurance certificate with you!. (As My local station advised Me to do). It's not guaranteed to stop you having problems but it will help if you get stopped.
4rephill said:
My car gets automatically renewed every November. Last year the insurance went through renewel with no problem, payment made and Certificate received, as it has for the past 15years.
On December 23rd whilst driving home from visiting a friend, I got pulled over at Watford Gap service station by motorway police due to showing no insurance on the system. I informed them of who My insurance is through and how much it had cost Me to renew the month before, but I didn't have My insurance certificate on Me. As it was 12.10AM they could not check with My insurance via the telephone. The driver gave Me the benefit of the doubt and gave Me a producer to take to My local station (despite his female partner wanting to seize My vehicle and leave Me stranded at Watford Gap services!).
The next morning I went to My local station with all My documents and they informed Me not to worry too much about it and let it ruin My Christmas, as the insurance companies are useless at updating the system and they get a lot of people coming in for the same reason (The motorway Officer said pretty much the same thing!).
When I checked the AskMID site, sure enough My car was not on it. I complained to My broker (AA insurance) who said they would inform My insurers. Three months and many phone calls later it was still not on the site, even though I was assured that there was no problem with My insurance.
So I can assure you from personal experience that the AskMID database is not the be all and end all that some in this thread would have you believe.
Best advice, always carry a copy of your insurance certificate with you!. (As My local station advised Me to do). It's not guaranteed to stop you having problems but it will help if you get stopped.
It is high time that any insurance company which doesn't update MID within the 7 day timescale faced criminal prosecution. Why should any innocent MoP be faced with having their vehicle seized (some of whom have suffered exactly that fate and the OP had a narrow escape)? With the proposed Continuous Insurance legislation due next year the present situation simply isn't good enough. By that point MID updates need to be in real time. You can bet they won't be though.On December 23rd whilst driving home from visiting a friend, I got pulled over at Watford Gap service station by motorway police due to showing no insurance on the system. I informed them of who My insurance is through and how much it had cost Me to renew the month before, but I didn't have My insurance certificate on Me. As it was 12.10AM they could not check with My insurance via the telephone. The driver gave Me the benefit of the doubt and gave Me a producer to take to My local station (despite his female partner wanting to seize My vehicle and leave Me stranded at Watford Gap services!).
The next morning I went to My local station with all My documents and they informed Me not to worry too much about it and let it ruin My Christmas, as the insurance companies are useless at updating the system and they get a lot of people coming in for the same reason (The motorway Officer said pretty much the same thing!).
When I checked the AskMID site, sure enough My car was not on it. I complained to My broker (AA insurance) who said they would inform My insurers. Three months and many phone calls later it was still not on the site, even though I was assured that there was no problem with My insurance.
So I can assure you from personal experience that the AskMID database is not the be all and end all that some in this thread would have you believe.
Best advice, always carry a copy of your insurance certificate with you!. (As My local station advised Me to do). It's not guaranteed to stop you having problems but it will help if you get stopped.
Red Devil said:
With the proposed Continuous Insurance legislation due next year the present situation simply isn't good enough. By that point MID updates need to be in real time. You can bet they won't be though.
Sorry to change the subject, but thats a good point, if I buy a car, the seller cancels his insurance which (for arguments sake) takes only 3 days to be updated, but then my new insurance takes 7 days (or more) to update with my details. Potentially I would have to fight to clear my name.When I bought my Leon it took 7 days to go onto MID (I was checking on AskMID daily). I drove past a plain van I recognised as an ANPR van and had the copy of the insurance certificate ready to pass to the officer 200m down the road before he'd come into view.
He phoned through to my insurance company to check and was on my way within a couple of minutes.
As said, ANPR isn't live and our RPU guys check with the Bureau before seizing anything under S165 - unless the driver admits they're not insured. Rule of thumb is that if they say they're insured and you can't be pretty sure otherwise then it's just a HORT (Producer) and on their way. On balance it's a fair way of doing it - I'd be pissed if my car got seized and I was stranded with a £150?? bill and a long walk home + train fare, all because of somebody elses mistake.
He phoned through to my insurance company to check and was on my way within a couple of minutes.
As said, ANPR isn't live and our RPU guys check with the Bureau before seizing anything under S165 - unless the driver admits they're not insured. Rule of thumb is that if they say they're insured and you can't be pretty sure otherwise then it's just a HORT (Producer) and on their way. On balance it's a fair way of doing it - I'd be pissed if my car got seized and I was stranded with a £150?? bill and a long walk home + train fare, all because of somebody elses mistake.
JamesFR said:
When I bought my Leon it took 7 days to go onto MID (I was checking on AskMID daily). I drove past a plain van I recognised as an ANPR van and had the copy of the insurance certificate ready to pass to the officer 200m down the road before he'd come into view.
He phoned through to my insurance company to check and was on my way within a couple of minutes.
As said, ANPR isn't live and our RPU guys check with the Bureau before seizing anything under S165 - unless the driver admits they're not insured. Rule of thumb is that if they say they're insured and you can't be pretty sure otherwise then it's just a HORT (Producer) and on their way. On balance it's a fair way of doing it - I'd be pissed if my car got seized and I was stranded with a £150?? bill and a long walk home + train fare, all because of somebody elses mistake.
And what happens if you get a tug at midnight and the insurance company's office is closed?He phoned through to my insurance company to check and was on my way within a couple of minutes.
As said, ANPR isn't live and our RPU guys check with the Bureau before seizing anything under S165 - unless the driver admits they're not insured. Rule of thumb is that if they say they're insured and you can't be pretty sure otherwise then it's just a HORT (Producer) and on their way. On balance it's a fair way of doing it - I'd be pissed if my car got seized and I was stranded with a £150?? bill and a long walk home + train fare, all because of somebody elses mistake.
Then you're completely at the mercy of the indivudual officer. Encountering one who can't/won't accept that the computer is not infallible means a very expensive night out and a long walk/taxi ride home. It's not right and it's high time that we had a system of checking fit for the 21st century.
From my recent experience the MID is updated differently by different insurance companies.
I insured my car at the begining of December and it didn't show up for about 7 days but my old car was removed from MID 2 days after it was written off!
On the other hand a car I own that has not been on the road or insured for at least 5 years was still showing on MID as insured until I contacted them.
I understand that MID is is not used by all police forces (might have been a thread on here).
I insured my car at the begining of December and it didn't show up for about 7 days but my old car was removed from MID 2 days after it was written off!
On the other hand a car I own that has not been on the road or insured for at least 5 years was still showing on MID as insured until I contacted them.
I understand that MID is is not used by all police forces (might have been a thread on here).
Red Devil said:
It's not right and it's high time that we had a system of checking fit for the 21st century.
Agreed, I said a long time ago that it's about time the insurance company were forced to have 24 hr contacts that can be spoken and manned by people with some authority and experience to deal with what may be awkward issues of whether the driver is on cover or not and not just some callc entre twonk in :- points >> to A N Other location which may be other than in UK.The above poster who had a lucky escape with one PC giving a HORT1 whilst another wanted to sieze is a typical situation where just a minor chance difference in attitude can end up with a completely different path being taken.
(off topic comment, why are proby WPC's almost invariably the arsey one these days?)
Gibson70 said:
selwonk said:
It can take weeks I'm afraid.
Not true. If you call the insurance company today and it will be updated on ASKMID next day.Sorted
F i F said:
Red Devil said:
It's not right and it's high time that we had a system of checking fit for the 21st century.
Agreed, I said a long time ago that it's about time the insurance company were forced to have 24 hr contacts that can be spoken and manned by people with some authority and experience to deal with what may be awkward issues of whether the driver is on cover or not and not just some callc entre twonk in :- points >> to A N Other location which may be other than in UK.If the insurance company had not updated MID, and due to their failure my car was seized by BiB, what do you think the prospects of success would be of taking them to court to recover any ensuing financial loss?
F i F said:
The above poster who had a lucky escape with one PC giving a HORT1 whilst another wanted to sieze is a typical situation where just a minor chance difference in attitude can end up with a completely different path being taken.
With a National Lottery ticket at least I might have a chance of a decent payout. With the above lottery there is no win at all and I risk losing a lot more than £1! F i F said:
(off topic comment, why are proby WPC's almost invariably the arsey one these days?)
Answering that would probably get me banned from PH! 
The ACPO are adamant that a car should not be seized simply because its details arent recorded on the MIB database. Where the driver insists that the vehicle is insured and constable cant contact the insurers, then they are supposed to issue an HO/RT1.
I have a copy of the ACPO guidelines somewhere, although Im sure than anyone interested can find them through Google.
I have a copy of the ACPO guidelines somewhere, although Im sure than anyone interested can find them through Google.
GC8 said:
The ACPO are adamant that a car should not be seized simply because its details arent recorded on the MIB database. Where the driver insists that the vehicle is insured and constable cant contact the insurers, then they are supposed to issue an HO/RT1.
I have a copy of the ACPO guidelines somewhere, although Im sure than anyone interested can find them through Google.
I have tried, and failed to find anything which supports that contention. Can you provide a link please?I have a copy of the ACPO guidelines somewhere, although Im sure than anyone interested can find them through Google.
However, given the way the ACPO's Code of Conduct is routinely downgraded by referring to it as merely Guidelines, forgive me if I remain a tad cynical that if ACPO have anything written down about the above scenario that it will be adhered to.
That said, if all that anyone had to do late at night was insist the vehicle is insured, it renders the seizure power impotent. The solution is obvious. As I said, sort out the insurer/MID interface, and as FIF said, compel insurers to have a 24 hour contact number with staff of a grade higher grade performing monkeys.
AIUI when a vehicle is seized issuing a HO/RT1 is an integral part of that process.
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