Failure to Insure

[audi321]

Mate has a car which has been off the road since last November when he bought a new one. He swapped the insurance over to his new car at the time, but didn't SORN the car and left the tax disc on it for another 4 months until it expired (he couldn't be arsed to get the tax back as it was minimal). Then he declared it SORN in February.

However, in the middle of all this he had got warnings about SORN it or Insure it. He ignored these and now finds himself with a court date! Offence of 'Failure to Insure'.

What can he expect? Is there a legitimate excuse you guys have seen work?

[PurpleMoonlight]

He should plead gross stupidity and that he really shouldn't be allowed out without supervision.

[DBSV8]

he should have received a fixed penalty notice from DVLA for £100 reduced to £50 if paid within the time frame

If he SORNED car after receiving this notification it would have cost him £50 or £100 if he did not meet the deadline

If he ignored it completely , he's going to have to attend court £250 - £1000 ? plus costs ?

he's banged to rights I'm afraid

[SpikeBmth]

Would he maybe get an IN10 on his licence too?

Insurance offences
Code IN10 must stay on a driving licence for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code - IN10
Offence- Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks
Penalty points - 6 to 8

Edited by SpikeBmth on Friday 5th June 08:21

[SteveR1979]

SpikeBmth said:

Would he maybe get an IN10 on his licence too?

Insurance offences
Code IN10 must stay on a driving licence for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code - IN10
Offence- Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks
Penalty points - 6 to 8

Edited by SpikeBmth on Friday 5th June 08:21

They'd have to prove he actually used the car to find him guilty of this surely???

[DBSV8]

SpikeBmth said:

Would he maybe get an IN10 on his licence too?

Insurance offences
Code IN10 must stay on a driving licence for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code - IN10
Offence- Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks
Penalty points - 6 to 8

Edited by SpikeBmth on Friday 5th June 08:21

That's only if the car was on a public highway , there's no evidence to suggest this ................is there op ...op . friends car is off the road / driveway / garage ...yes ??

[Aretnap]

SpikeBmth said:

Would he maybe get an IN10 on his licence too?

Insurance offences
Code IN10 must stay on a driving licence for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code - IN10
Offence- Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks
Penalty points - 6 to 8

No. There are two quite separate offences - being the registered keeper of a vehicle which doesn't meet the continuous insurance regulations (gets you a small fine and no points) and actually using a vehicle without insurance (larger fine and at least 6 points). The OP's friend has been charged with the former.

[audi321]

No he never drove it. It was parked up in his garage pending work being done. Which he still hasn't lol

[pork911]

a legitimate excuse would be it was sorned or was insured, did you really think there would be any excuse here?

[Red Devil]

audi321 said:

Mate has a car which has been off the road since last November when he bought a new one. He swapped the insurance over to his new car at the time, but didn't SORN the car and left the tax disc on it for another 4 months until it expired (he couldn't be arsed to get the tax back as it was minimal). Then he declared it SORN in February.

Is he really that dumb? The VED system changed on 1st October last year. If he had declared SORN not only would he not be facing a CIE penalty but he would automatically have received a refund (however small that may have been).

It amazes me that there is still a need to explain the change to people 6 months down the line.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-new...
What other matters pertaining to car ownership are they equally ignorant of?

As another poster mentioned, was the car actually off the road (i.e. on private property), or merely unused but still parked on the street and he hoped to get away with it by leaving the VED disc showing on the windscreen?

[pork911]

his friend wasn't unaware