Speeding / No Insurance !!

[radross]

Hi everyone hope you can help me with this one,

Today I was flashed by a speed camera at 35mph in a 30 zone, ok fair enough I was over the speed limit and thats 3 points for me I expect

Now the complicated bit.

I was in my friends company owned van of which I thought I had insurance on. I say thought because I have fully comp on my own car and have always believed that it gives third party on another vehicle, however I phoned my insurance company and they have said this is not the case ! The van however is insured fully comp but obviously I am not a named driver.

This means I have been caught speeding without insurance !! I am now very very worried I am going to be in big trouble !

Can anyone point me in the right direction to get some help, or has anyone had a similar experience. Do they even check if the driver is insured etc Any advice will be helpful.

Cheers

[Harveypool]

Sorry radross but this is a classic case of "small print"!
I know what you mean though as it used to be a given that if you were fully comp you could drive any other car ,with permission, third party only. However, I think insurance companies started cracking down and now only give the privelige if you ask/pay for it.
Plead and beg and you may get away with the bare minimum.( I think its an extra 6 points and a fine but may be well off the mark)

[boro1986]

Harvey you are right 6 points and a �200.00 fine. I do symathise Radross same happened to me lent my brothers car got pulled by the police at a random check and it transpired that my fully comp didnt cover me for third party in his car. I phoned my insurance company who said the privelage had been taken away and asked why they did not inform me they said its in the small print

[almcd007]

Unfortunately "Assumption is the mother of all f*** ups" and on this occaision it will leave you with approx 6 points on your licence and three for the speeding making nine altogether - there will be fine too and someone on here will quote chapter and verse about fines too- but that's a complicated matter.

When you get your summons (if you do - as there might not have been film in the camera) there will be a part where you have to send your documents off/produce them at your local Police Station and you will need a copy of the Insurance Cert for the van.

Have you seen the Ins cert - ask your friend to have a look at it - you never know it may have provisions for people to drive the van. Check your insurance certificate's small print to double check that you are not insured for another vehicle third party if that vehicle is insured.

You may be lucky but expect the points and a fine.

[Pea Pod]

Has how you pay changed. I was asked to send my license and the money,no one asked for insurance. It will go to the company first, as they will ask who was driving the van.

[Grunty]

There could be a further complication. Did you have the consent of the owners of the van to be driving it (not the consent of one of their employees). I have dealt with similar offences in the past, but I don't know whether these things are considered for a camera offence. The cameras are not operated by the police, but by people who probably don't know what is meant by 'taking and driving away'. If it does arise, you could need some proper advice.

[pauln90]

As grunty rightly says this could bring about further complications.If a ticket is issued and it goes to the company who owns the van ,they will have to complete a declaration of who was using the van at the time of the speeding offence.The company will presume your friend as rightful user was driving and no doubt give his details to the ticketing office.

You and your friend may have to come clean with his company.

You would be advised to take legal advice re the possible consequences and offences.

[Lucozade_Lil]

I'd personally start taking legal advice, however, i'm not sure it would do any good at this time. You are only insured 3rd party in another vehicle if: you have fully comp insurance yourself, it says you are 3rd party on other vehicles on your insurance document and the owner of the vehicle has given you permission to drive. i personally have not got any points on my licence (touch wood) so i can't say what documents you have to send away when you send your licence to get points put on it. Next time, check your insured correctly and don't speed! Good Luck!!

[Panic Button]

My wife was done by camera while ago.

Filled in the form

Sent off the cheque.

End of story.

I think you will have a lucky escape - this time.

[radross]

Me again !

The company owner, is also my friend, the one who said i could borrow the van, so yes had consent.

What if he was to put me on the insurance now, or is it too late ?

[JudgeJ]

A few things to mention here:

First of all it is too late to arrange extra drivers on the polict. Insurers will not back-dat changes.

When drivers are detected speeding by camera, the fixed penalty office (FPO) decides whether to go down the fixed penalty route or to issue a summons. 35mph will steer them down the FP route.

Irrespective of how the van�s owner (your friend�s employers), your friend and you decide how to play it (i.e. who you choose to say was driving) no check on that driver�s insurance status will be made.

In the very unlikely event that such checks are made, and it is determined that the driver was uninsured, he will be summonsed for both offences. (The system is such that if the speeding matter is complicated by any other offence, a fixed penalty is not offered).

If convicted of two (or more) motoring offences which were committed at the same time, magistrates apply fines for each offence, but award penalty points (or a disqualification if appropriate) only for the most serious.

So your friend would receive two fines, but only points or a disqualification for the No Insurance matter. As has been said this offence attracts a minimum of six and maximum of eight points. However, as with any offence which carries penalty points, magistrates can impose a disqualification for the offence instead of points.

[oldhamfan]

The company will receive a NIP. They will fill it out in your name. You will then receive a NIP. You will fill it out and send off your licence.

Your licence will come back with a bit of biro on it that says 'SP30' FP03.

I've been done twice* and no one has ever asked for my insurance details.






*Save it.

[almcd007]

However the police do already know if there is a policy of insurance for that vehicle - they have that on their records. If it flags up that there isn't insurance then they'll pursue it. If it has insurance you may be lucky and not be asked to produce it.

[Toureman]

The so called Safety partnerships are only interested in your money, there is no check on insurance so they do not really want to make the roads safer, just make money.

As people have said above the only complication is The van owner giving your friends name as the driver.

[chris7cc]

hi i know this is wrong to say but dont say a thing and just pay the fine and take the points i have sold points to people and they wouldnt have insurance so you will be fine but dont drive it again till you have adequite insurance as there is a pritty good chance you would lose your licence if you got pulled

[emzward]

I have just been caught with the same rule. I had taken boyfriends car out and caught. Speeding letter came in the post and I did know I was uninsured until I phoned my company up. Also my partner did not know he had no MOT as well so I could have been done for all 3

Six months and finally went to court and only got done for speeding