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[w3526602]

Hi,

Did I, or didn't I? Whatever, I cant find it. Did I ever have one?

Google has produced the screed below, and a lot more.

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What is the problem under consideration? Why is government intervention necessary?
As part of the Government's Red Tape Challenge for road transport we examined what policy measures might place unnecessary burden on motorists and proposed to remove the need for a certificate in order to reduce paperwork for motorists and insurance providers. Instead those who require evidence of the insurance status of a vehicle, e.g. police, would use the Motor Insurance Database (MID). Interventionis necessary to remove the requirement in the RTA 1988 to reduce burden on motorists and insurers.
Consultation revealed the industry is fundamentally opposed to this for commercial reasons and withdrew the figure of £1 per certificate saving on which the previous IA was conducted. Instead we will remove the requirement of policyholders to return the certificate if they cancel in mid-term which has significant benefits with no costs. This can only be done through primary legislation.

What are the policy objectives and the intended effects?
The objective is to remove the requirement in the Road Traffic Act 1988 which requires policyholders to return their motor insurance certificate if they cancel their policy or security mid term. The MID would be the evidence the policy has been cancelled. This should save insurers administration costs of reminding policyholders to return certificates, such as ensuring their return and processing returned certificates. The intended effects of the policy is to remove unnecessary burden on motorists by reducing paperwork. If the insurers pass on the full (best estimate) saving of £36m to policyholders, then it would translate to an about £1.20 saving for each policyholder. This estimate is based on figures provided by the ABI and the
insurance industry. Although we have scrutinised them closely we are not in a position to confirm them with any certainty.

What policy options have been considered, including any alternatives to regulation? Please justify preferred option (further details in Evidence Base)

Option 1 – Do nothing.

Option 2 – (preferred option) Allow insurers to retain the certificate because it has important uses in certain situations, such as for fleet policies. However, we will remove the requirement of policyholders to return the certificate if they cancel it mid term. This would save insurers about £27-£46 million per annum with minimal costs (constant 2013 prices), a saving which could be passed on to policyholders.

Option 3 consultation option – We consulted on the removing the Certificate of Insurance as the legal proof of motor insurance and to designate the Motor Insurers’ Database (MID) as the legal record.

The Minister agreed not to pursue this following consultation because insurers did not want it, the savings were based on incorrect figures and the benefits would not be as good as option 2 with considerable costs to improve access to MID.

[DogDave]

Fairly sure that all my insurance now is just electronic documentation so the certificate is just a pdf in an email or a online portal. Cannot remember the last time I was asked for one anyway.

Good chance you only ever had it electronically in which case you still have it if need to produce it, just a case of dining the email from the insurer’s

[Ian F]

John, you can check on-line with the insurers database for any particular car. I can probably post a link if required.
Forget it for today and have a Happy Christmas!!

Ian F

[Ian F]

https://ownvehicle.askmid.com/

Try this to find your answer, or leave it until later!🎅

Ian F

[Porkscratching]

Mine too is just an attachment to the confo email you get from the insurance Co when you renew.. If I wanted a paper copy of the certificate to carry around, I'd just print it out.
I don't remember ever being asked to produce an ins cert at the roadside, and now they can check your insured status fairly instantly anyway..

[Alan Drover]

I still get a proper (paper) certificate.

[Wittsend]

This has been the case for years.

You have an electronic certificate sent as an attachment with the confirming email.
You download this and save on your phone along with the details of your insurance - the policy number etc.
Store in the contacts list on your phone.
When involved in an accident you have all you need on the phone.

When I had my accident (18 months ago now) - not my fault - it was all sorted by my insurers (LV) after 20 minutes before I got home! No excess, rental car for 6 weeks, not a stain on my driving record, it didn't cost me a penny, just the fuel used in the rental car.

If you are ever stopped by the plod, they already know your name and address, if the vehicle is insured and MoT'd.

This is not a problem, how times have changed.

 
Mind how you go .... and enjoy the rest of Christmas.

[kev]

https://ownvehicle.askmid.com/

Try this to find your answer, or leave it until later!🎅

Ian F

Handy site that, thanks.👌

...Apart from having to go through all that Captcha rubbish.🙄

[The Shed]

I have noticed some Insurers require an additional payment if you want a paper copy.
I may be wrong here but I think if I tax my car in the Post Office rather than online I need paper certificates rather than a box tick like online applications ?

[autorover1]

I don't believe any cert. required at a post office now. When I changed the taxation class this year on my Motorbike at PO , and then tax it as Historic .no insurance cert. required, and that has been the same for previous 2 years on different vehicles.

[w3526602]

Hi,

Thanks for all your comments.

Yes, I already realised everybody who needed to know, such as Plod, PO, and myself, have access to whether I am licenced, insured, taxed, MOT'd, etc. They also have access to other information, that is shown on your licence, in code. (I believe that a 2 indicates that you have a medical condition. Ask Google about the other numbers. I don't know if Plod has access to the PNC from inside his car, or if he has to radio his base).

At one time, maybe still, it was quicker for DVLC staff (including myself) to ask our own PNC terminal, rather than wait 24 hours for a reply from our computer. The penalties for unauthorised use were severe. One clerk was pulled into the Big Nebbie's office, to explain why he was making an enquiry about a car that was sitting in the DVLC VISITORS car park. Luckily for him, he had a good reason.

Pre DVLC, your medical condition was written, in manuscript, on your licence. EG - "This poor girl can scarcely control herself, let alone twelve screaming horses" (I am joking!).
Following the Phalidimide scandal, when large numbers of babies were born with limb defects, it was decided not to go into unnecessary detail.

OT, I knew a Phalidimide victim, who had hands but no arms. She could drive a car, and tow a trailer horse box, and fit a bit and bridle onto her horse, using just her feet. Respect! 

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