Waiting for an insurance disc.

O.A.P

I changed insurance companies two week ago but I'm still waiting on my new disc. My old policy is out sense the 8'th and I have not come to a garda checkpoint with no disc yet, but with the weekend here now and the fact that I drive into one about once a week, I doubt my luck will last much longer.
I have contacted the insurance company and they have assured me the disc will be here by Monday or Tuesday and in the mean time the guards should accept my policy number plus name of insurer. They also said that I may need to bring the disc to a guarda station as proof when I recieve it.
I'm not sure if I'm just been fobed off as the guards would have no way of varifying my story over the weekend and could decide to make me walk and impound the car.
Apologies for the long post, can someone confirm that I have nothing to worry about please.

MagicMarker

It's illegal to not display a valid disc, so if you're stopped then you may have something to be worried about.

O.A.P

MagicMarker wrote: »

It's illegal to not display a valid disc, so if you're stopped then you may have something to be worried about.

I thought it was too, its not a good start with a new insurance firm is it.

KingIsabella

60 quid fine when i was waiting for a disc, bit of a joke to be honest.

bazz26

If you are stopped at a checkpoint the Gardai can either check via a database if you are insured or they may ask you to produce your insurance cert and disc at a Garda station of your choice within 10 or 14 working days. Failure to do so will result in a court summons.

Remeber that non displaying of a valid insurance disc is also an offence and seperate to not actually having car insurance. So if parking in a public place you could be issued a €60 fine for not displaying the disc even though you are insured. Very common for people confuse both offences.

Let me guess your insurance company? 123.ie? they are always dragging their feet when it comes to posting out the documentation. Not so slow taking the money though.

chinwag

I'm surprised that a fine was issued like that, thought there was a little more flexibility given by the police.
I have been told in the past (by insurers) that once you have Ins details while waiting for disc to come in post, that a Garda will accept this but you may be asked to show original in police station later. As it happened, I never had to travel without one, so I never had to put it to the test. This thread has made me think!
bazz26 (above) has clarified it a bit more.

BronsonTB

chinwag wrote: »

I'm surprised that a fine was issued like that, thought there was a little more flexibility given by the police.
I have been told in the past (by insurers) that once you have Ins details while waiting for disc to come in post, that a Garda will accept this but you may ask to show original in police station later.

Purely depends on the mood of the garda....Some are alot more flexible than others. So you can easily be unlucky esp if not displaying a valid insurance disc. The insurance compnay are wrong to tell you what a garda will or won't accept - Insurance companies don't enforce the law, they do.

lynchie

MagicMarker wrote: »

It's illegal to not display a valid disc, so if you're stopped then you may have something to be worried about.

Its only illegal 10 days after the start date of your insurance policy.

It really depends on what guard stops you, i would say most will ask you to produce your insurance details to a garda station at worst.

I was recently pulled for taking that no right hand turn (only busses and taxi :rolleyes:) I had the previous owners insurance disc, he was quite a cranky guard but he just gave me the penalty point and asked me to produce my policy at the station within 10 day. Still havent got the penalty point yet mind

But you never know you may get one that goes all out and fines you.

MagicMarker

lynchie wrote: »

Its only illegal 10 days after the start date of your insurance policy.

Link?

lynchie

S.I. No. 227/1986 — Road Traffic (Insurance Disc) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986.

"5. (1) A person shall not use a vehicle in a public place, after the expiration of a period of ten days commencing on the date of authentication of the certificate of insurance, unless the vehicle carries an insurance disc in the manner specified in sub-article (2) of this article.


(2) The insurance disc shall be carried in a conspicuous position on the windscreen of the vehicle in such manner that it shall be both visible and readily accessible for inspection and be so located that it does not obscure the vision of the driver while the vehicle is being driven or in the case of a vehicle not fitted with a windscreen in a conspicuous position on the near side of the vehicle.


(3) Where a person contravenes sub-article (1) of this article he, and if he is not the owner of the vehicle, such owner, shall each be guilty of an offence.


(4) Where a person who contravenes sub-article (1) of this article is not the owner of the vehicle and the owner is charged with an offence under this article, it shall be a good defence to the charge for such owner to show that the use of the vehicle on the occasion in question was unauthorised."

From my interpretation of section 5 for which the current €60 fine applies to, you can only be guilty of an offense if you contravene section (1) and section (1) only requires a disc to be carried as per secion (2) after the 10 days

O.A.P

KingIsabella wrote: »

60 quid fine when i was waiting for a disc, bit of a joke to be honest.

That sounds like my luck this year, but how long out of date were you though.

lynchie wrote: »

S.I. No. 227/1986 — Road Traffic (Insurance Disc) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986.

From my interpretation of section 5 for which the current €60 fine applies to, you can only be guilty of an offense if you contravene section (1) and section (1) only requires a disc to be carried as per secion (2) after the 10 days

I'm no solicitor, but I think that gives me 10 days grace. :cool:
Thanks Lynchie.

keithclancy

I still think its totally backwards that a jammy bit of paper on the windscreen can constitute having insurance.

The Disc means f*ck all anyway, you still have to go and present your cert.

Cert is a bloody joke as well, should be a green card by default.

KingIsabella

O.A.P wrote: »

That sounds like my luck this year, but how long out of date were you though.


I'm no solicitor, but I think that gives me 10 days grace. :cool:
Thanks Lynchie.

Oh i had insurance, just waiting for the disc in the post, there was a problem smewhere along the line but i was insured, stopped at a checkpoint and 60 quid fine. some laugh.

O.A.P

KingIsabella wrote: »

Oh i had insurance, just waiting for the disc in the post, there was a problem smewhere along the line but i was insured, stopped at a checkpoint and 60 quid fine. some laugh.

I understand that, I meant how long was the disc in the windscreen (if you still had it )out of date. It seems that if its less than 10 days you are ok. I am in the same situation now, my old disc is only 4 days out yet. (Although I am insured)
I have been told I'd have the new one by Tuesday at the latest.

CiniO

KingIsabella wrote: »

Oh i had insurance, just waiting for the disc in the post, there was a problem smewhere along the line but i was insured, stopped at a checkpoint and 60 quid fine. some laugh.

Did you accept and paid the fine?

CiniO

BronsonTB wrote: »

Purely depends on the mood of the garda....Some are alot more flexible than others. So you can easily be unlucky esp if not displaying a valid insurance disc.

As said before, not in the first 10 days after obtaining insurance.
During that time it's not legally required to display a disc.

The insurance compnay are wrong to tell you what a garda will or won't accept - Insurance companies don't enforce the law, they do.

In this case they are right saying that garda can't do anything about missing disc for first 10 days.