Police ringing insurance companies
Discussion
A work colleague was regaling a tale about getting pulled over this afternoon as his car had showed up as uninsured. He had apparently renewed the insurance with Hastings this morning and had his policy on the Hastings online portal but couldn't remember the log-in details as they were at home. The insurance database hasn't updated yet, presumably the reason for the pull. The police said they could check with Hastings to confirm his story but then used their phone to look up Hastings website to get the number and went through the normal general public options list until they got to 'speak to an advisor' and waited in a queue. It all checked out fine in the end.
Is this normal for the police to do? I would have thought that they'd have a direct number for all the insurance companies to avoid the queue otherwise you could be sat there for 20 mins waiting for someone to answer?
Is this normal for the police to do? I would have thought that they'd have a direct number for all the insurance companies to avoid the queue otherwise you could be sat there for 20 mins waiting for someone to answer?
Only 1 call was made. The plod gave the person on the end of the phone his own name, badge number and police area then followed by giving the reg, name and address of the driver. He says there was some brief discussion about when the cover started, what vehicles he was covered to drive and for what purpose and that was pretty much it. 
Interesting. Is there a dedicated 24/7 'hotline' for the authorities to use with the MIB then? I'm just thinking of scenarios when you wouldn't be able to get an answer from the MIB but you would by ringing the insurance co direct. If one is closed then the other is likely to be too, say in the evening or early hours?
Yep, outside normal working hours common sense generally prevails... if it’s a “shouldawouldcoulda” merchant the car gets seized. If it’s someone who appears more likely than not to have insurance we make follow up enquiries at a later date.
I don’t get done over too often with this approach... and I’ve never had a seizure challenged!
I don’t get done over too often with this approach... and I’ve never had a seizure challenged!
LosingGrip said:
Sure they didn't contact MIB? That's who we normally use. Give their details to them, they then give the insurance company a ring.
Very rarely do the insurance companies give details to police over the phone direct due to data protection.
I am very surprised that insurance companies give any detail to the police over the phone at all.Very rarely do the insurance companies give details to police over the phone direct due to data protection.
The answer to the police by any insurance company contacted should be " if a certificate of motor insurance has not been produced we can only suggest you request the driver to produce it at a police station within 7days goodbye". That is the safest way for everyone concerned.
carreauchompeur said:
Yep, outside normal working hours common sense generally prevails... if it’s a “shouldawouldcoulda” merchant the car gets seized. If it’s someone who appears more likely than not to have insurance we make follow up enquiries at a later date.
I don’t get done over too often with this approach... and I’ve never had a seizure challenged!
So, seize a car with no grounds other than your views of the driver? If the database is down why not give 'em a producer - you cant be criticised. Do drivers have any comeback if youve seized their car and they were in fact insured? I don’t get done over too often with this approach... and I’ve never had a seizure challenged!
Edited by Bigends on Saturday 22 August 19:21
The requirement to update the MIB database is that insurers have 14 days to submit an update, so if the Boys in Bue run a database check then in theory although you have insurance in place, the transfer of data to MIB may not have been done.
Much easier, and simpler for an officer to ring the insurer, get the person with them to confirm their id via the data protection checks and then give the insurer verbal authority to confirm insurance and policy number over the phone.
Happens quite a lot and saves the insured their car being seized and then them having to go through the hassle and costs of getting their car back from the compound
Much easier, and simpler for an officer to ring the insurer, get the person with them to confirm their id via the data protection checks and then give the insurer verbal authority to confirm insurance and policy number over the phone.
Happens quite a lot and saves the insured their car being seized and then them having to go through the hassle and costs of getting their car back from the compound
ResQ1 said:
The requirement to update the MIB database is that insurers have 14 days to submit an update, so if the Boys in Bue run a database check then in theory although you have insurance in place, the transfer of data to MIB may not have been done.
Much easier, and simpler for an officer to ring the insurer, get the person with them to confirm their id via the data protection checks and then give the insurer verbal authority to confirm insurance and policy number over the phone.
Happens quite a lot and saves the insured their car being seized and then them having to go through the hassle and costs of getting their car back from the compound
Fine if the insurance company is contactableMuch easier, and simpler for an officer to ring the insurer, get the person with them to confirm their id via the data protection checks and then give the insurer verbal authority to confirm insurance and policy number over the phone.
Happens quite a lot and saves the insured their car being seized and then them having to go through the hassle and costs of getting their car back from the compound
kestral said:
LosingGrip said:
Sure they didn't contact MIB? That's who we normally use. Give their details to them, they then give the insurance company a ring.
Very rarely do the insurance companies give details to police over the phone direct due to data protection.
I am very surprised that insurance companies give any detail to the police over the phone at all.Very rarely do the insurance companies give details to police over the phone direct due to data protection.
The answer to the police by any insurance company contacted should be " if a certificate of motor insurance has not been produced we can only suggest you request the driver to produce it at a police station within 7days goodbye". That is the safest way for everyone concerned.
Bigends said:
So, seize a car with no grounds other than your views of the driver? If the database is down why not give 'em a producer - you cant be criticised. Do drivers have any comeback if youve seized their car and they were in fact insured?
165 allows the vehicle to be seized if they believe they aren't insured or words to that effect. Edited by Bigends on Saturday 22 August 19:21
I've seized countless cars when the driver was unable to provide their insurance certificate at the roadside but said they were insured.
Couldn't remember the name of the company. No record of payments on bank account. Unable to produce certificate at the roadside = vehicle seized (or allowed to reinsure at the roadside but still reported).
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
Never had any problems with any come back if they were insured. We had some news letter from a lawyer saying it's a lawful seizure the driver is responsible for the fees etc.
LosingGrip said:
Bigends said:
So, seize a car with no grounds other than your views of the driver? If the database is down why not give 'em a producer - you cant be criticised. Do drivers have any comeback if youve seized their car and they were in fact insured?
165 allows the vehicle to be seized if they believe they aren't insured or words to that effect. Edited by Bigends on Saturday 22 August 19:21
I've seized countless cars when the driver was unable to provide their insurance certificate at the roadside but said they were insured.
Couldn't remember the name of the company. No record of payments on bank account. Unable to produce certificate at the roadside = vehicle seized (or allowed to reinsure at the roadside but still reported).
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
Never had any problems with any come back if they were insured. We had some news letter from a lawyer saying it's a lawful seizure the driver is responsible for the fees etc.
Bigends said:
I wouldnt be able to produce proof at the roadside and I dont internet bank. - I get mine as a hard copy. What happened to the 7 days to produce?
Forgot to add...thats also if it's not showing on the database. If it's shown as insurance held on PNC and the name matches no need to produce the certificate! HORTs are still around. I issued two on Thursday as the insurance companies we're closed and I didn't believe they weren't insured. So not enough grounds to seize the car.
LosingGrip said:
Bigends said:
I wouldnt be able to produce proof at the roadside and I dont internet bank. - I get mine as a hard copy. What happened to the 7 days to produce?
Forgot to add...thats also if it's not showing on the database. If it's shown as insurance held on PNC and the name matches no need to produce the certificate! HORTs are still around. I issued two on Thursday as the insurance companies we're closed and I didn't believe they weren't insured. So not enough grounds to seize the car.
I remember having to let uninsured drivers and their vehicle go when, during a stop they admitted to having no insurance. There was no seizure power then. We'd report at the roadside then make the driver walk away and leave their vehicle (despite having no power). Returning later the vehicle would be gone!
Edited by Bigends on Saturday 22 August 23:41
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