Consequences of not bothering to send back insurance cert?

[billyliar]

Hi,

Having sold my car last week, I cancelled the insurance. They told me to post the certificate back to them, but in all honesty I can't really be bothered.

What are the consequences, if any?

Thanks,

[Ricky_M]

I didn't send mine back, havn't for a few policies I have cancelled. Never heard anything back from any of them.

[billyliar]

Ricky_M said:

I didn't send mine back, havn't for a few policies I have cancelled. Never heard anything back from any of them.

I'm not expecting to either. It's going straight in the bin.

[ShadownINja]

Did you get your money back, though?

[billyliar]

ShadownINja said:

Did you get your money back, though?

I pay monthly so I've nothing to lose I spose.

[ShadownINja]

Assuming they don't try to keep the direct debit going. Remember to inform your bank of the cancellation.

[catman]

Depending on how long you've had the insurance, you can't simply cancel the DD. You have bought insurance for a year, and your insurer will probably want a settlement for the cancellation.

Tim

[Motorrad]

catman said:

Depending on how long you've had the insurance, you can't simply cancel the DD. You have bought insurance for a year, and your insurer will probably want a settlement for the cancellation.

Tim

Cannot see that being the case, whenever I have had to cancel insurance I was paying in installments they just prorated the cost. I may be wrong however, maybe things have changed over the last couple of years.

[catman]

You'd be surprised how much some companies want for early cancellation! Agreed that some are better than others though.

Tim

[grumbas]

A lot will want the certificate back (or a letter certifying its loss/destruction) before they'll release any refund that might be due.

Paying by installments doesn't make any difference, virtually no insurers simply charge 12 equal, so you'll almost certainly have paid a deposit upfront followed by a number of payments to date.

Only once the insurer calculates the final short term premium will they know whether your due a refund, or depending on their cancellation charges you may owe a shortfall (check their terms of business).

[billyliar]

This was sorted over the phone with them. I have to pay a cancellation fee of £48. I'd only had the policy 3 months. They say it'll come out of my account as a DD at the same time as my old one did, however they also tell me my old DD is cancelled.

[Noger]

The RTA says it is an offence not to return it.

Edited by Noger on Friday 25th June 11:03

[ZOLLAR]

Noger said:

The RTA says it is an offence not to return it.

Damn beaten to it was about to post the full script for a mid term cancellation refering to the RTA .

To the Op although im not totally sure of the consequences it is noted if the certificate of insurance isn't returned which in certain situation in the future involving claims etc may cause problems etc.

[Dwight VanDriver]

Noger said:

The RTA says it is an offence not to return it.

Too true ....listen to The Noger

Section 147 Road Traffic Act 1988

(4) Where a certificate has been delivered under this section and the policy or security to which it relates is cancelled by mutual consent or by virtue of any provision in the policy or security, the person to whom the certificate was delivered must, within seven days from the taking effect of the cancellation—
(a) surrender the certificate to the person by whom the policy was issued or the security was given, or
(b) if the certificate has been lost or destroyed, make a statutory declaration to that effect.
(5) A person who fails to comply with subsection (4) above is guilty of an offence.

£1000 fine - nil points

dvd

[andy-xr]

Noger said:

The RTA says it is an offence not to return it.

Mine was delivered via email in PDF, currently waiting for the insurers to decide whether they want me to forward them back their email to me.

Reminds me of that Spider email that did the rounds a while ago

Edited by andy-xr on Friday 25th June 07:46

[EU_Foreigner]

Yes, I was thinking that - more and more policies are "electronic" so makes the return a moot point.

[Noger]

Indeed. As long as the policy was incepted after 30th April, then electronic delivery is allowed. I have long argued that (well, I argue full stop ) electronic delivery was not allowed, despite it being fairly common. Anyway ....

Cancellation can be effected by just emailing the insurer to confirm you are no longer on Cover. See here ...

4D) The person must, within seven days from the taking effect of the cancellation, either—

(a) transmit to the insurer, by means of an electronic communication to an electronic address specified by the insurer, a statement confirming that the policy to which the certificate relates has ceased to have effect, or
(b) deliver to the insurer a legible printed copy of the certificate endorsed with a statement made and signed by him to that effect.

From the shiny new Motor Vehicles (Electronic Communication of Certificates of Insurance) Order 2010 here ...

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2010/uksi_20101117_en_...

Worth a nose.

I like the bits about showing electronic copies of the Cert to Police Officers. I do so want to wave my iPhone at a Constable "Here we go, sonny"