driving without car insurance and punishment

behan29 · 22-07-2009 10:26pm #1

please help, i was recently driving without car insurance, the policy had expired by 10 days, i made a genuine mistake in not renewing it. I was stopped by gardai, car taken off of road and impounded, i contacted inusrance company and told the truth, ie car impounded etc etc. Letter from insurance company issued stating i was insured, insurance paid in full next day. Insurance company have since changed mind and said they werent willing to issue disc with dates, will only isuue when payed. I am now ****ting myself. i know i ****ed up, no one was lied too and i was honest and up front. What is my punishement, have i any hope with a fine and points, have a clean licence, honest job,. Please someone offer me some hope.,

Tipsy Mac · 22-07-2009 10:30pm

Max fine is or was €1500, there's also 6 points that can be added to your license, most likely if you do get fined it will be sub €500 and if you explain yourself well and don't have an attitude in court you might get away with a couple hundred. Don't arrive in court with a tracksuit would be best advice. Oh and you are 100% at fault for failing to notice your insurance is out of date, don't try to use your insurance company as a fall guy as the judge will have heard it all before.

ji · 22-07-2009 10:30pm

minimum 12months off road endorsment on licence and fine..

Berty · 22-07-2009 10:31pm

Again.

Clippidy clop, clippidy clop.

:pac::pac::pac::pac:

Here they come..................................

mickdw · 22-07-2009 10:34pm

It was a bad mistake but I feel if you explain your case to the judge, it might not be all that bad.
Did your insurers not ring you up to remind you?

Stealdo · 22-07-2009 10:36pm

I've lazily allowed my policy to run out by a couple of days on a number of occasions but my insurance company has always said that they allow 2 weeks (I think) grace on the end of the policy. Can't be certain about how long but at least a week. As a result I've never felt a mad need to have paid by the renewal date. I'd have thought your best bet is that letter from the insurance company saying you were covered at the time. Have you tried bringing that to the Garda station and discussing with the guard who pulled you up on it?

If that doesn't work, bring the letter to court, and as others have said have as apologetic an attitude as possible with the judge.

22-07-2009 10:37pm

ji wrote: »

minimum 12months off road endorsment on licence and fine..

There will be a fine but I have seen some cases in the paper where the judge has shown some leniency with regards the driving ban i.e. not banned the driver at all in situations similar to the op where they always had insurance before and renewed their insurance straight after the incident.

behan29 · 22-07-2009 10:44pm

i wont blame the insurance company, it was all my fault, i had checked the insurance and thought is said the 22 and not the 2nd, nct due on 22nd. The garda was adamant i wouldnt be put off the road. The insurance company contacted me on the 9th of june and no other conact from the insurance company. I worked 2 long days and 4 nights in the space of 7 days, it was a genuine mistake, have i any hope of not being put off the road. I have being open and honest with gardai/insurance company/ solictor. I will be fully suited and booted for court date, i have a good and honest job and deal with the public and the gardai on a daily basis. Insurance policy out of date by 10 days.

dermot_sheehan · 22-07-2009 10:47pm

Fine of up to €5,000 normally its high enough €1,500-€2,000 to discourage people from trying to save money by not being insured.

Mandatory ban of 12 months unless its your first offence and the judge is asked not to impose the ban due to the hardship it would impose (such as not being able to drive to work), in which case its a mandatory 5 points.

Endorsement for three years following ban

Possibility of six months in prison.

usher3272 · 22-07-2009 10:49pm

If you have a good case and it was a geniuine mistake im sure the judge will throw it out.

I was driving a friend of mines car and i got stopped and i wasnt insured in it. But my mates insurance disc was on the window so i was ok an got away with it.

Maximum fine is 3 years of the road and 2500 fine. I've heard of it been done to someone before. Also ive heard of another person get a 400 fine and an endorsemwnt on his licence.

Pat Mustard · 22-07-2009 10:54pm

You say that you have a letter from your insurance co where they state that you were insured. If the Garda saw that, he'd hardly see much point in prosecuting you for driving without insurance.

As was pointed out, there is a period of grace with insurance cover in many cases.

If you get over the driving without insurance hurdle, the only thing you'll have to worry about is non display of a valid disc - not a big deal really.

Sure, let us know how you get on.

behan29 · 22-07-2009 10:58pm

If i get put off the road it will destroy my job and make my partners life more than unbearable, i had sorted all my insurance within a 12 hour period, gardai and car also collected within same 12 hour period,

behan29 · 22-07-2009 11:03pm

garda saw letter and wasnt happy with letter and he contacted the insurance company. thank you for your time.

NinjaTruncs · 22-07-2009 11:05pm

behan29 wrote: »

please help, i was recently driving without car insurance, the policy had expired by 10 days, i made a genuine mistake in not renewing it. I was stopped by gardai, car taken off of road and impounded, i contacted inusrance company and told the truth, ie car impounded etc etc. Letter from insurance company issued stating i was insured, insurance paid in full next day. Insurance company have since changed mind and said they werent willing to issue disc with dates, will only isuue when payed. I am now ****ting myself. i know i ****ed up, no one was lied too and i was honest and up front. What is my punishement, have i any hope with a fine and points, have a clean licence, honest job,. Please someone offer me some hope.,

I'm confused, you said you paid the following day, so what do they want you to pay to get the letter stating you were covered?

Nforce · 22-07-2009 11:05pm

The Mustard wrote: »

As was pointed out, there is a period of grace with insurance cover in many cases.

That is a myth as far as I'm aware. But even if it's not...supposing you had an accident during this grace period....think your insurance company would stump up?

behan29 · 22-07-2009 11:13pm

insurance expired on 2/7, payed on 13/07, initial letter of insurance stated, insured from the 2/7, the insurance company chaned their mind and will now only issue insurance disc stating cover from the 13th.

Pat Mustard · 22-07-2009 11:22pm

Nforce wrote: »

That is a myth as far as I'm aware. But even if it's not...supposing you had an accident during this grace period....think your insurance company would stump up?

The length of the grace period (if applicable) should be set out in the insurance policy document.

Senna · 22-07-2009 11:53pm

Nforce wrote: »

That is a myth as far as I'm aware. But even if it's not...supposing you had an accident during this grace period....think your insurance company would stump up?

Some companies do have an automatic renewal policy, Quinn D will renew policy unless the person cancels it. Some companies will auto renew if you are paying by direct debit, the just continue the DD unless they hear otherwise, AXA done this with me at the end of my very first policy, i got a better quote from someone else and didn't contact AXA, but next month they took the DD out of my bank.

craichoe · 23-07-2009 12:33am

gabhain7 wrote: »

Fine of up to €5,000 normally its high enough €1,500-€2,000 to discourage people from trying to save money by not being insured.

Mandatory ban of 12 months unless its your first offence and the judge is asked not to impose the ban due to the hardship it would impose (such as not being able to drive to work), in which case its a mandatory 5 points.

Endorsement for three years following ban

Possibility of six months in prison.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

more like a 75 euro fine and a "don't do it again"

Run_to_da_hills · 23-07-2009 12:39am

Get yourself a very good solicitor and you should have no worries.

Paj · 23-07-2009 1:50am

A mate of mine was involved in a very similar incident about three years ago, basically if you get a good solicitor, wear a suit to court, admit your honest mistake you'll probably get away lightly.

Dave147 · 23-07-2009 2:02am

It happened me where I forgot to drop my insurance cert into a Garda station and I never received letter for the court date, first thing I heard was I missed the hearing and I was put off the road for 12 months, fine was only 250 or something though.

Seeing as I had insurance I was able to fix recognancies by lodging money in court pending an appeal, so this option will be open to you if you are put off the road, my appeal was successful and everything was wiped, hopefully it will be the same for you as you seem 100% genuine.

Thomasjo · 23-07-2009 2:21am

Is this your first motoring offence, If it is & you genuinely held a valid insurance policy, I'd say you will just get a slap on the wrist. If it does go to court, let the judge know you require your licence for work purposes. The last thing you need is 6 penalty points as they stay on your licence for 3 years & if you reach 12, there is a 6 month ban. It’s the losers out there driving without any insurance, tax, NCT, Licence etc.. that get the book deservedly thrown at them.

irisheddie85 · 23-07-2009 2:26am

I thought insurance companies had to give you a grace period and a warning before cover was revoked.
My insurance ran out last week rang insurance company to renew, only to relaise i had 5 euro to little on my card to pay there and then.
I was a bit worried but girl on the phone told me i had 10 days to pay after renewal date as this was the grace period without any effect on my cover.