no insurance?

iscb · 07-09-2009 11:35am #1

hi there

i was pulled on the checkpoint on saturday, i had no insurance and no tax paid... i told him i do have insurance cuz i thought i do but now i found out that i wasnt covered yet, so i was actually driving with no insurance.

he didnt take the car or anything, just said to bring my insurance cert and i will get a ticket for no tax... what happens next if i will bring the cert dated 3 days after i got pulled?

fintonie · 07-09-2009 11:38am

im afraid you will be done for no insurance

Paulyh · 07-09-2009 11:44am

something similar happened to me last year, i missed my renewal date for the insurance........and got stopped. i was asked to produce insurance cert at the station. when i recieved it, it was dated the day after i was stopped

i produced it anyway, and nothing was said. but i am wondering if i'll get something in the post about it, but as it was over a year ago i am hopefull i wont.

fintonie · 07-09-2009 11:46am

Paulyh wrote: »

something similar happened to me last year, i missed my renewal date for the insurance........and got stopped. i was asked to produce insurance cert at the station. when i recieved it, it was dated the day after i was stopped
i produced it anyway, and nothing was said. but i am wondering if i'll get something in the post about it, but as it was over a year ago i am hopefull i wont.

I think once a six month period passes you are ok.

Paulyh · 07-09-2009 11:48am

i'm hoping thats the case, but lesson learned anyway!!:D

Henry Ford III · 07-09-2009 12:00pm

You will be prosecuted. Expect a fine and penalty points too.

Getting insurance in the future may become problematic also.

p.s. From www.penaltypoints.ie

"INSURANCE QUERIES
Q. How are penalty points for no insurance imposed?

Driving without insurance is generally punishable by a fine of up to EUR2,500, disqualification of one year or more for a first offence and two years or more for a second offence, and, at the discretion of the court, a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months.

In the case of a first offence of driving without insurance, the court may decide in special cases not to impose a period of disqualification or to impose a period of disqualification of less than a year. Since 1st June 2003, where the court decides not to impose a disqualification drivers convicted of a first offence of driving without insurance will incur 5 penalty points on their licence record in addition to any other penalty imposed by the court.

The commission of a second offence for driving without insurance leads to an automatic disqualification.

In addition, it should be noted that where a member of the Garda Síochána believes that a mechanically propelled vehicle being used in a public place, which is registered in the State, is being driven without insurance, the vehicle may be impounded."

ZOLTAN28 · 07-09-2009 12:16pm

Not trying to be funny but why are people driving cars with no tax and insurance?

Voodoomelon · 07-09-2009 12:18pm

I think its cheaper.

Paulyh · 07-09-2009 12:20pm

well for me, i had moved house so didnt recieve my renewal letter....its not an excuse and i should have checked it myself, so it was a mistake that wont be repeated, or has never happened in the past.

kopfan77 · 07-09-2009 12:27pm

fintonie wrote: »

I think once a six month period passes you are ok.

Not true....depends on the district you were pulled in....but it can take over a year for summonses to be processed in some places......expect to be summonsed for not having insurance, not displaying insurance and not producing valid insurance....also possibly get a summons for not having tax or displaying tax.....you could be looking at 5 separate summonses.
You would be done for the most serious...(not having insurance)...and all the rest would be "taken into consideration"

ZOLTAN28 · 07-09-2009 12:32pm

Paulyh wrote: »

well for me, i had moved house so didnt recieve my renewal letter....its not an excuse and i should have checked it myself, so it was a mistake that wont be repeated, or has never happened in the past.

Sounds like an honest mistake - just wondering about the OP - no tax or insurance?

iscb · 07-09-2009 12:57pm

ZOLTAN28 wrote: »

Sounds like an honest mistake - just wondering about the OP - no tax or insurance?

no tax - couldnt pay it as i wasnt insured yet.

I told the garda that i am insured and he made a note in his little notepad, cuz i actually thought i am insured, but i wasnt. I just got it insured now, so two days ago i shoudlnt be on the road.... i will go with that cert to the garda station anyway, im just wondering if they will get me to court for driving with no insurance or will just let me go??

that would be my second offence.... so we 're looking here at higher that usual fines + pulling me off the road, am i right?

fintonie · 07-09-2009 12:59pm

kopfan77 wrote: »

Not true....depends on the district you were pulled in....but it can take over a year for summonses to be processed in some places......expect to be summonsed for not having insurance, not displaying insurance and not producing valid insurance....also possibly get a summons for not having tax or displaying tax.....you could be looking at 5 separate summonses.
You would be done for the most serious...(not having insurance)...and all the rest would be "taken into consideration"

no problem I just knew around my area it was six months,

but I would of taught the law would be the same everywhere,

kopfan77 · 07-09-2009 1:05pm

iscb wrote: »

no tax - couldnt pay it as i wasnt insured yet.

I told the garda that i am insured and he made a note in his little notepad, cuz i actually thought i am insured, but i wasnt. I just got it insured now, so two days ago i shoudlnt be on the road.... i will go with that cert to the garda station anyway, im just wondering if they will get me to court for driving with no insurance or will just let me go??

that would be my second offence.... so we 're looking here at higher that usual fines + pulling me off the road, am i right?

Honestly, there isnt a garda in the country who will let you away with this....especially if this is your second time being stopped for having no insurance. you really do need to know if you are insured or not...you cant just "think you are"....you either are or aren't. The fact that the garda has written down that you said you were insured isnt going to help you either im afraid

07-09-2009 1:06pm

iscb wrote: »

no tax - couldnt pay it as i wasnt insured yet.

I told the garda that i am insured and he made a note in his little notepad, cuz i actually thought i am insured, but i wasnt. I just got it insured now, so two days ago i shoudlnt be on the road.... i will go with that cert to the garda station anyway, im just wondering if they will get me to court for driving with no insurance or will just let me go??

that would be my second offence.... so we 're looking here at higher that usual fines + pulling me off the road, am i right?

How did you think you were insured ? Had you paid for insurance ?

kopfan77 · 07-09-2009 1:07pm

fintonie wrote: »

no problem I just knew around my area it was six months,

but I would of taught the law would be the same everywhere,

youd imagine so fintonie....i know from experinece it isnt though. It is coming more into line though. Before all summonses used to be sent out from the district office...depending on how busy that office was, your summons could take any length of time. Not the sending out of summonses is becoming more centralised and automated so the times are slowly but surely becoming more in line from district to district

SV · 07-09-2009 1:12pm

fintonie wrote: »

I think once a six month period passes you are ok.

It's 6 months for the summons to actually be applied for, you could be waiting a lot longer than that.

OP, unfortunately the news isn't good, you will most likely be summonsed to court and I'd expect a ban and a substantial fine(also 5 points)
The judge may decide to just give you the points and not ban you off the road. A ban isn't mandatory for a first time insurance offence so you may be lucky.

EDIT: second offence?
yeah you're off the road, no harm either.

DaMonk · 07-09-2009 1:12pm

iscb wrote: »

no tax - couldnt pay it as i wasnt insured yet.

I told the garda that i am insured and he made a note in his little notepad, cuz i actually thought i am insured, but i wasnt. I just got it insured now, so two days ago i shoudlnt be on the road.... i will go with that cert to the garda station anyway, im just wondering if they will get me to court for driving with no insurance or will just let me go??

that would be my second offence.... so we 're looking here at higher that usual fines + pulling me off the road, am i right?

You'll ge whats coming to you so. Second offence is really inexcusable whatever the circumstances. No tax I can definitely live with but insurance is a different game altogether

iscb · 07-09-2009 1:27pm

betafrog wrote: »

If you knew you couldn't pay the tax cause you weren't insured yet then you knew full well you weren't insured.

i tried to pay BEFORE i was insured, but when i noticed the "insurance details" field i didnt pay, as i wasnt insured. I've insured afterwards.

betafrog wrote: »

I would think he made a note of it as evidence that you tried to lie about it rather than as you being mistaken.

i guess thats what he thought

betafrog wrote: »

You've been caught for this before? If you don't get a disqualification I would be amazed, and majorly pissed.

I was caught for drink driving before, and i was insured.

betafrog wrote: »

Sorry for the harsh response but to me it sounds like you were just dodging the tax and insurance which means the rest of us have to pay more to cover your ass when you're involved in the accident....

You know there is no way to dodge the tax, even if i would drive for 3 months now without tax, i would have to pay arrears later on.

And with my endorsement it wasnt easy to find insurer for me, and when i did, i've insured straight away.

DaMonk · 07-09-2009 1:34pm

iscb wrote: »

i tried to pay BEFORE i was insured, but when i noticed the "insurance details" field i didnt pay, as i wasnt insured. I've insured afterwards.

i guess thats what he thought

I was caught for drink driving before, and i was insured.

You know there is no way to dodge the tax, even if i would drive for 3 months now without tax, i would have to pay arrears later on.

And with my endorsement it wasnt easy to find insurer for me, and when i did, i've insured straight away.

so what were you doing driving if you knew you'd no insurance? I'd say you took one look at what you were being quoted after the drink driving ban and said screw that.

Henry Ford III · 07-09-2009 1:35pm

OP this may sound "high horsey" but isn't intended that way.

A DD conviction is a huge blow, and will limit and increase the cost of insuring a car. Getting caught for no insurance afterwards is pretty silly. In those circumstances you should have beed doubly sure cover was in place before driving.

You could be looking at a max. fine, or worse.

mickdw · 07-09-2009 1:51pm

you deserve everything you get tbh. Previous drunk driving & now no tax or insurance. Do you have a licence? You were just chancing your arm on the road and Im glad you were pulled on it. Id love to stick the yearly cost of tax & insurance in my pocket but have to pay so you should too. You are saying you thought you were insured etc but really you knew you werent if you are honest so you know you shouldnt have been on the road and this being after a drink driving ban.... very foolish & stupid thing to do

BeardyGit · 07-09-2009 1:52pm

Did you actually tell your current insurer that you have already been prosecuted successfully for drink driving?

I've actually been prosecuted for driving without insurance, a good few years ago now. I'm not making any excuses for myself - I should have checked the policy document myself when a former housemate told me he'd added me as a named driver on his AXA policy. Not checking his paperwork myself to be doubly sure I as covered cost me a ban, a fine, a 3 year endorsement and 5 years of heavily weighted insurance premiums as a consequence. As hard as it was to take, I had to accept it.... Insurance is a black and white matter as far as the law is concerned.

So, what did you do that you though meant you had insurance in place? You can't get an online insurance quote if you've any driving convictions like that, especially drink driving, so you'd have to have spoken to a broker on the phone - As far as I recall, there's actually only a couple who will cover someone with a recent drink driving offense. And I'm pretty sure they would have clearly explained exactly what was required for them to quote you, and what you'd need to do to get your cover in place. So, where did this all fall apart for you? It's not like you could have taken instant cover from the likes of Quinn or 123 unless you lied about previous convictions....

The simple fact of the matter is that if you've been caught before now for such a serious offense, you should have made absolutely certain you had cover in place before getting into that car and taking it on the roads, and that all the legalities were fully covered off. As another poster has said, you're going to be put off the road, without a shadow of a doubt. Get used to the idea and start making plans for alternative transport when it comes along.

Oh, if you lied to your insurer or withheld the fact you've been prosecuted for drink driving offenses you might as well consider your current insurance null and void. That'll open up a whole new can of worms if you continue to drive your car pending a court date, and get stopped by another Garda. All it'll take is a quick phonecall to your insurer to confirm details of your cover, or a look-up on their databases and you're potentially facing another charge for the same offense all over again.

Come clean with the Gardaí and your insurer if as I suspect you've kept certain details to yourself, take your medicine, and make sure in the future you don't get behind the wheel of a car unless you have a policy document in your hand confirming you have cover.....and that means declaring past convictions and paying the weighting they'll apply.

Best of luck on your court date, and sorry if the above seems harsh.

Gil

iscb · 07-09-2009 2:00pm

Gil_Dub wrote: »

Did you actually tell your current insurer that you have already been prosecuted successfully for drink driving?

i did tell them, my cover is clean, didn't lie to them

BeardyGit · 07-09-2009 2:07pm

iscb wrote: »

i did tell them, my cover is clean, didn't lie to them

Good man - Fair play. I meant that bit, good luck whenever the court date comes through. They'll take it very seriously, and so should you. Get the right kind of representation.... This won't be a 'turn up in a suit and say sorry nicely', although I'm sure you realise that.

Gil

ZOLTAN28 · 07-09-2009 2:14pm

mickdw wrote: »

you deserve everything you get tbh. Previous drunk driving & now no tax or insurance. Do you have a licence? You were just chancing your arm on the road and Im glad you were pulled on it. Id love to stick the yearly cost of tax & insurance in my pocket but have to pay so you should too. You are saying you thought you were insured etc but really you knew you werent if you are honest so you know you shouldnt have been on the road and this being after a drink driving ban.... very foolish & stupid thing to do

Have to agree

no insurance?

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