Mandatory Auto Insurance

#1
W

WA_Vol

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15
#1
GAVol said:
I agree to a point. PAris' behavior throughout this has been appalling, but at the same time, 45 days for driving on a suspended license seems excessive IMO.
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Agreed. Insurance companies might want to keep that in mind the next time they report to the DMV someone's insurance policy has been dropped for non-payment which results in their license being suspended.

IMO the police in this country are excessive in too many things.
 
#3
#3
oklavol said:
True. But they could have lobbied legislatures against it instead of for it. Under the guise of lowering insurance premiums.
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Why would any insurance company in their right mind lobby against a state's financial responsibility laws?
 
#4
#4
GAVol said:
Why would any insurance company in their right mind lobby against a state's financial responsibility laws?
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No offense, IMO saying they have to legally report it to the DMV is just a cop out. Thats the law they wanted and lobbied for.
 
#5
#5
oklavol said:
No offense, IMO saying they have to legally report it to the DMV is just a cop out. Thats the law they wanted and lobbied for.
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This probably belongs in another thread but . . . Why would you NOT want there to be a financial responsibility law for everybody on the road?
 
#6
#6
GAVol said:
This probably belongs in another thread but . . . Why would you NOT want there to be a financial responsibility law for everybody on the road?
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Well here's one example, if you change insurance companies, your former insurance company reports to the DMV that you don't have insurance. The DMV suspends your license for no insurance, when you do have insurance, just not with that company. Then at any minor traffic stop your arrested for driving on a suspended license.

Most DMV's aren't able to handle issuing driver's licenses and license plates in a competent, timely matter much less your insurance information.
 
#7
#7
oklavol said:
Well here's one example, if you change insurance companies, your former insurance company reports to the DMV that you don't have insurance.
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is that a hypothetical example, or do you have proof this actually occurs? I know of no insurance company that will report you to the DMV as being uninsured if you switch companies.
 
#8
#8
MG1968 said:
is that a hypothetical example, or do you have proof this actually occurs? I know of no insurance company that will report you to the DMV as being uninsured if you switch companies.
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No, that happens.
 
#9
#9
Me neither. They have no proof that you are not insured. How could they report that?
 
#10
#10
MG1968 said:
is that a hypothetical example, or do you have proof this actually occurs? I know of no insurance company that will report you to the DMV as being uninsured if you switch companies.
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It can actually happen if a lot of things go wrong; especially in states that try to manage the insurance law with a database. What is supposed to happen is that if the state doesn't receive proof of replacement coverage, they issue a letter asking for proof. If the letter is sent to the wrong place or is ignored . . .

...but it's rare.
 
#13
#13
GAVol said:
It can actually happen if a lot of things go wrong; especially in states that try to manage the insurance law with a database. What is supposed to happen is that if the state doesn't receive proof of replacement coverage, they issue a letter asking for proof. If the letter is sent to the wrong place or is ignored . . .

...but it's rare.
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just every time someone changes insurance and doesn't call their existing insurance company to tell them they have changed insurance companies and they are not simply dropping the policy.
 
#14
#14
GAVol said:
A lot of states have gone to databases that match vehicle ID numbers to insurance policy numbers.
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I assume they do, but I have never lived in a state that does and I have lived in TN, GA, SC, AZ, and OK.
 
#16
#16
allvol123 said:
So I got insurance with someone else.
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Your suppose to call your existing insurance company and tell them your switching companies and not simply dropping your auto insurance. Otherwise they notify the DMV which suspends your license but you should get a notice.
 
#17
#17
the license doesn't get cancelled. if you''ve truly switched companies and get pulled over, all you need to do is provide proof of insurance. If your license is cancelled, you have to be notified in order to receive a ticket for it (the mens rea part of our laws).

I can't imagine this truly impacting someone who's actually trying to abide by the law.
 
#18
#18
oklavol said:
Your suppose to call your existing insurance company and tell them your switching companies and not simply dropping your auto insurance. Otherwise they notify the DMV which suspends your license but you should get a notice.
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Well I would certainly notify them so they would stop billing me.
 
#19
#19
oklavol said:
I assume they do, but I have never lived in a state that does and I have lived in TN, GA, SC, AZ, and OK.
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They just started keeping a database in Georgia about 2 years ago. It has actually worked pretty well. The only downside is when somebody superimposes a digit in the 17 digit VIN#. The state always sends a notice though to allow time to show proof of insurance before suspending a license.
 
#20
#20
BigPapaVol said:
the license doesn't get cancelled. if you''ve truly switched companies and get pulled over, all you need to do is provide proof of insurance. If your license is cancelled, you have to be notified in order to receive a ticket for it (the mens rea part of our laws).

I can't imagine this truly impacting someone who's actually trying to abide by the law.
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That is not true. I know for a fact that they will arrest you and impound your car and you will first have to go to the DMV to get your license reinstated. Then you have to go to court with your proof of insurance to get the charge thrown out. I know that for a fact.
 
#23
#23
oklavol said:
That is not true. I know for a fact that they will arrest you and impound your car and you will first have to go to the DMV first to get your license reinstated. Then you have to go to court with your proof of insurance to get the charge thrown out. I know that for a fact.
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While I think you're entire premise is absurd, how about those actively changing their policy take one final step and ensure that the state knows of the change.

The real problem is the fact that many people acquire a policy for licensing and tagging purposes, then cancel the policy until needed again. The way to fix that is have the insurance companies notify the license issuing state of the cancellation. Prior to any license revocation, the state could contact person and ask for proof of insurance notify them of impending action.

I believe that's how the process works. If it fails and you've lost your license for lack of ability to follow through with the process and get the information in the proper hands, I'd prefer you not be driving alongside me.
 
#24
#24
BigPapaVol said:
While I think you're entire premise is absurd, how about those actively changing their policy take one final step and ensure that the state knows of the change.

The real problem is the fact that many people acquire a policy for licensing and tagging purposes, then cancel the policy until needed again. The way to fix that is have the insurance companies notify the license issuing state of the cancellation. Prior to any license revocation, the state could contact person and ask for proof of insurance notify them of impending action.

I believe that's how the process works. If it fails and you've lost your license for lack of ability to follow through with the process and get the information in the proper hands, I'd prefer you not be driving alongside me.
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Well you may think its absurd, but this entire "premise" happened to a family member of mine. And I know for a fact what happened.

I don't care for your assumptlon that this happens only to uninsured motorist I know for a fact they had insurance that was current. They had insurance a the time and which was given to the officer and it didn't matter.
 
#25
#25
oklavol said:
Well you may think its absurd, but this entire "premise" happened to a family member of mine. And I know for a fact what happened.

I don't care for your assumptlon that this happens only to uninsured motorist I know for a fact they had insurance that was current. They had insurance a the time and which was given to the officer and it didn't matter.
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You've forgotten the part about your family member not notifying the state of insurance change or the fact that they ignored their cancelled license notification. To actually get in trouble for cancelled license, one has to know it is cancelled. Might be a pain to get car back and go to court, but could easily be precluded with just a modicum of diligence in the insurance change process.
 
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