Help! My car insurance is still not on the insurance database 5 weeks after changing car

[hermione_boo]

I called my insurance company on the 5/10/10 to let them know I was buying a new car and I changed the insurance to start on the 22/10/10. I got all my details (except a motor insurance cert) through the post and all seemed well. On the 7/11/10 I was pulled over by police on the M6 as my car details were not showing up on the database. I was given a producer and when I got home I called my insurance company to ask them why it wasn't on there. The promised me they would sort it out and I spent the rest of that week trying to get a copy of my certificate of insurance (but thats another story). On the 18/11/10 I was pulled over again for no insuranc eon the MID (insurance database) I called my insurance company AGAIN and they promised it would be sorted. I have today just checked the MID website and it's still showing my car is NOT insured. I am so worried as I live in the countryside, I have a 30 drive to school and have to drive to catch the train to uni everyday, I just cannot afford to loose my car, nevermind pay a release fee if they impound it.
Does anyone know my legal rights. I would cancel and change my insurance, but they said they will charge me £85 if I do, I cannot afford to pay that, then a high first payment with another company. HELP :(

[NazNomad]

Regadless of inclusion on any database, you're either insured or you're not insured.

If you're insured, the Police can contact the Insurance Company to verify it, surely?

[hermione_boo]

No the police check the MID database and thats it, apparently a cert of insurance is not proof of insurance as people take out insurance for the certificate and then cancel it. The guys who pulled me over siad that the insurers have to enter the details on the MID and if not, insurance paper or not, they will still impound your car if they are not on there.

[NazNomad]

I find it hard to believe, if you insisted they telephoned the Insurance Company to verify it, they wouldn't.

Surely if you have paid the premiums and your Insurer has set up a policy, you're insured. Omission from the database isn't your fault. I'd INSIST they phone the Insurance Company.

[A.Guest]

After being pulled on the 7/11/1, weren't you supposed to produce documents within 7 days? I am surprised you were caught again on the 18/11/10.

Obviously your insurance company is failing you - they need a sharp wake-up call.

[hermione_boo]

I managed to get my insurance cert on the 7th day, after calling them each of those 7 days as they just wouldn't send it out to me, I ended up speaking to a manager and getting him to promise to send it special delivery ont eh 5th day so it got to me on the 7th, a total joke. I now have a cert of insurance but I am still being told by the police it is not enough and it is a legal requirement to be on the MID. If I get caught again, it is up to the officer to either impound my car or call to check my insurance, apparently there is not set procedure for it?? thats what I got told this evening when I called up the cambs police service centre anyway.
The company I am with is the AA, I am starting to hear that they are one of the worst for insurance, but it's too late now. God help me if I ever need to claim, I just want my details on the mid so I stop getting pulled over, it's not much to ask of them, with it being their job and all :(

[twix123]

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to enter the details of your vehicle on the MID. One of my clients had a similar situation, but his car was impounded and cost £160 to recover. I advised the insurer that the client required a refund of the pound fees together with an amount to cover his loss 4 hours self employed earnings recovering his vehicle, otherwise he would be complaining to the Financial Ombudsman Service. After a few calls direct to the insurers underwriting department, when they said that they would not cover loss of earnings, they paid out in full.

I would advise you to write to the insurers Complaints Department, the details will be in your policy documentation. Your complaint must be acknowledged within 5 days and thoroughly investigated, outlining their failings regarding entering the details of you car on the MID and stating that you require recompence for the cost of phone calls etc., which if not satisfied will be escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service, details of which will also be in your documentation.

[hermione_boo]

Just to update I called the financial services ombudsman today, who has agreed they are incorrect and haved written a letter on my behalf to them, to ask them to sort it out and have also requested compensation for the constant phone calls I have made back and forth trying to sort this out.
Apparently, they should aim to do it within 2 weeks, the average time is 4 days.

I hope this post helps others in the same situation