Driving while uninsured

[nickib]

I'm in a panic! My 18 year old son, driving for only 3 months had a prang in his car yesterday. He reported it to his insurance company to be told his insurance wasn't valid until 21/05/09! The reason this happened is because he (being the mature, sensible lad he is) got himself insured when he got his car in Feb. which was a collosally high premium. I told him to leave it with me I'll get him insured with Tesco's much cheaper. I went online on 21/03/09 and bought and paid for in full (�1695.00) a years worth of insurance on my credit card which was currently at 0% interest. The money debited my account 23/03, the policy arrived 25/03, his online promotional �50.00 shopping voucher arrived last week. We didn't check the policy - I know we should have done, that's our mistake. I can prove all of these events my intention was to buy the insurance, after all who buys and pays in full for insurance 2 months before they want it to start, especially if you're budget is slightly more than tight. It was my error and I feel so bad for my son - I will be devastated if he loses his license (he needs his car for work), he did everything right - he shouldn't suffer because I interferred. Does anyone know if or how lenient the courts might be if he gets prosecuted. I would just add that the police were not called to the accident, no one was injured. The car was a parked vehicle at 6:20 am - if my son thought he was uninsured he could have driven off and the owner would never have seen his car - the reason she did was because he stopped to leave his phone number under her windscreen wiper. Can anyone help me?

[simonruss]

depends if it goes to court and what mood the magistrates are in!! sounds like you have a lot of proof about this problem. in my experience you will need every bit of paper you have. bottom line though is, he wasnt insured.

[simonruss]

best course of action would be to offer to pay for the damage yourselves, that keeps it out the insurers lap and hopefully away from any prosecution, as whether he drove not knowing he wasnt insured, technically your son still committed the crime of driving without insurance

[Ethel]

Do you mean you put the wrong date on the online application form?

[paraffin]

A tip for you: Sorry, but please do not lump all the words together without separate paragraphs. It makes it very difficult to follow.

1. Has the other car owner been in touch yet?

2. Was the other car parked on public or private land?

3. What damage did he cause?

4. Is he still driving his car?

5. Does he have a log book in his name for it?

6. Is it currently taxed?

7. What advice has the insurance company given you/him?

[bednobs]

if he got the car in Feb, how come he didnt get the insurance till the end of march anyway?

[clydeserani]

I don't really understand why he wasn't insured if you paid for it in March. Unless you instructed the Insurance not to start cover until a specific date, then it should have started right away...
Might be a good idea to consider Simonruss suggestion and find ot the cost of paying for the damage without involving insurance companies..

Good luck

[juliegray]

good news and bad news, lets start with the bad because it does get better, your son if prosecuted can get a minimum of six points on his licence for having no insurance, this brings in to effect the DVLA rule which means he will have his licence revoked then he will have to re take his test all over again this is because any driver in a two year probation period who obtains six points must have a re test. Now the good news, if and it�s a big if he does get took to court, you need to get a solicitor, and plead the following mitigating circumstances that he genuinely thought that he was insured, you need to take all the documents that you have mentioned including your bank statement to show the magistrates that the money was taken out of your account on 23/03. and the policy which you got on the 25th.Your son or the solicitor can then ask the magistrates not to implement the 6 points stating that it is up to the magistrates discretion as to imposing these points, in mitigation he can also mention that he had no intention of leaving the scene without giving his details having left his details on the windscreen of the car that he hit. The other option is to pay the damage of the other vehicle; quite often the police do not want top get involved unless there is a sixty per cent chance of winning a prosecution.

I am sure the magistrates will take in to consideration that the money was taken out of your account on the 23/03/09 and that the policy SHOULD have ran from that date, I know ignorance is no excuse but in your case, I would most certainly give you the benefit of the doubt. Try to get it settled out of court it�s a hard and expensive way to learn, ask the I.P if he can get an estimate and that you are willing to pay, tell him if your son claims, it will incur penalty and it is cheaper for you to pay for any damage, but it may save your son a disqualification and re test

[New Judge]

Before you panic too much, if the police were not called and you have had no contact with them concerning the incident, what makes you think a prosecution is imminent?