taxing my car.... Again!

[pimpin gimp]

Guys, it's a month since I asked a similar question to this but I've bought a car and now have slightly different circumstances.

Picked my car up last wednesday, about half an hour before picking the car up I arranged my insurance over the phone for instant cover.... "no problem mr Gimp (says the indian chap named derek on the other end of the line) we will issue your new certificate tomorrow and send it first class".

Now, it's a week on and i've still received nothing. my tax was due today, what do I do? I've spoken to the insurers (ELEPHANT) and they insist the docs were sent on the 24th. what happens if i get stopped by the bib and get a producer (for whatever reason) or one of those dvla vans gets me, can I claim from elephant for any fines because i haven't received my certificate?

[Sheriff JWPepper]

Do it online if you can wait a couple of days for the post.

[BIG DUNC]

As long as it realy is insured, then you can do the tax on line without needing the certificate. It is meant to come in less than 5 days, and typicaly takes about 3 working days ( post office willing ). Technicaly you should not drive without the tax disc in the windscreen, but as long as you have ordered it on line, the car is "taxed", and I think you are very unlikely to get into series trouble for this. When you do it on line, print off the conformation page, then keep this in the car until the taxdisc arrives.
Whether or not you do this, I would also be phoning elephant twice a day and asking them to scan a copy of the ins certificate and e mail it to you ASAP so you can print it out ( or ask them to fax it if that is an easier way for you to receive it ) as well as sending you another original by first class post, recorded delivery as clearly their postal method for the first one was not successful.

[pimpin gimp]

Can I tax it online though? the car will only have been registered in my name last week (that's if the owner sent it off in time!)
also don't i need the tax reminder ref number which they'll send me eventually?

[BIG DUNC]

You need the ref number OR the V5 reg doc ( or a copy of it to get the number off it ).
The simply answer, is try it and see.
Otherwise I would be giving your ins company max grief until they get something to you.
Mention that as it is their fault you cannot buy a tax disc, can they put in writing that they will
A) pay the fine if you are caught with no tax
or
B) pay for all your taxi bills you incurr while you cannot use your car.

As an aside, if you cannot tax it, don't forget to SORN it!

[Hooli]

its says on the online form NOT to tax it unless you have recieved the V5c in your name.
i'd call the DVLA first & ask if it in your name yet. they should be able to say yes or no to that, then you'll know if its ok to do it online.

[pimpin gimp]

Cheers guys, i'll give the dvla a all first and then get back onto elephant.

can you point me to where it says not to tax the car until i have the v5c?

[timskipper]

Tim's Tip: Insure your new cars with www.swiftcover.com - they don't send you anything in the post, you download and print out your certificate in PDF format off thier web site.

Handy for immediate taxing purposes.

Then just cancel the cover within the 14 day cooling off period and insure it somewhere cheaper (although they were actually the cheapest by far for me).

[pimpin gimp]

Aaaannnnd breaeeeeetth.......

panic over, second issued insurance certificate and first v5c came through in the post today )with 15 minutes to spare!! delivered at 12.45 on a "guaranteed by 1pm" special delivery (which cost me £7.50 ).

that's it, race on! in the bora, cane it into town, run up to two old ladies like i'm about to mug them and then.. <posh voice> Excuse me, could you tell me where the nearest post ofice is please </ posh voice>

follow advice, get in the door at about 12:57 just in time i think?

Bloody place doesn't shut till 5:30!!!

catch breath, tax car, wonder why it's £180 a year even though it's a diseasel . stop caring, leave.

Thanks for the advice chaps. got a mtb day planned in wales tomorrow and was a bit worried about driving over the severn bridge with so many known anpr cameras about. ah well, worry no more! Cwmcarn here I come!

[Hooli]

pimpin gimp said:

<posh voice> Excuse me, could you tell me where the nearest post ofice is please </ posh voice>

follow advice, get in the door at about 12:57 just in time i think?

Bloody place doesn't shut till 5:30!!!

[skwdenyer]

timskipper said:

Tim's Tip: Insure your new cars with www.swiftcover.com - they don't send you anything in the post, you download and print out your certificate in PDF format off thier web site.

Handy for immediate taxing purposes.

Interesting, since photocopies or self-printed certificates are explicity not allowed for taxing purposes.

timskipper said:

Then just cancel the cover within the 14 day cooling off period and insure it somewhere cheaper (although they were actually the cheapest by far for me).

Which might in fact render the tax itself invalid if you are caught. However http://www.tempcover.com will allow you to insure your car using their one-day cover :-)

[wolf1]

skwdenyer said:

timskipper said:

Then just cancel the cover within the 14 day cooling off period and insure it somewhere cheaper (although they were actually the cheapest by far for me).

Which might in fact render the tax itself invalid if you are caught. However http://www.tempcover.com will allow you to insure your car using their one-day cover :-)

How will the tax be invalid? It's just tax and nothing more. The only reason you need an mot and insurance to get a tax disc is purely the governments method of ensuring you are legal on the day the tax is purchased.
You could insure it Monday, recieve certificate Tuesday morning, tax it and then cancel policy Tuesday afternoon.

[skwdenyer]

wolf1 said:

skwdenyer said:

timskipper said:

Then just cancel the cover within the 14 day cooling off period and insure it somewhere cheaper (although they were actually the cheapest by far for me).

Which might in fact render the tax itself invalid if you are caught. However http://www.tempcover.com will allow you to insure your car using their one-day cover :-)

How will the tax be invalid? It's just tax and nothing more. The only reason you need an mot and insurance to get a tax disc is purely the governments method of ensuring you are legal on the day the tax is purchased.
You could insure it Monday, recieve certificate Tuesday morning, tax it and then cancel policy Tuesday afternoon.

That's correct. And, sorry, my mistake as I was basing it on my experience with Direct Line last week where I cancelled a policy which had been renewed against my wishes and they back-dated the cancellation to the renewal date as the car was off the road.

So I wasn't thinking - of course, if you cancel the policy within 14 days you'll simply have to pay the premium for the days of cover you've had (as opposed from the date of inception, which would have made the tax invalid).

As I mentioned in another thread, watch out for this however - whilst the "real" insurance companies will probably just charge you pro-rata for the days of cover, many brokers will actually cancel the policy from inception and then have to buy short-term cover to match the days you had, which they will charge you for at what can sometimes be an eye-watering rate. Oh and both will often charge a pretty hefty admin charge for the privilege, too.