Just been pulled over by the police

[Outandabout43]

Fuming right now.

Been on a night out with work, partner picked me up, he is a named driver on my car.

Had issues with insurence when I renewed. Noticed policy was inactive after paying yearly fees. Spoke to insurence who apologised, stated the policy will be activated and gave £100 as a gesture of good will, this was in may

Police just pulled us over. Breathalysed DH driving the car and stayed we had no insurence. Checked policy and it's come up again as inactive. Have been told we have 7 days to prove insurence or DH will get 6 points in his license, this will effect his job.

I'm mortified. Obviously I'll contact insurence on Monday, but what if they say we are not covered. I've attached a screenshot of email provided by insurence but I'm really panicking now. What do I do??

A scam where they replied to the OP's email, refunded her direct debit and gave her an extra £100 cheque as a gesture of goodwill?

@SlashBeef I could actually kiss you. It turns out I also have to portals under the same email. Logged onto the current one and it states insurence is active.

Still need to call them though as when I click onto my documents it states certificate is not yet available.

I think another very large complaint is due.

I think you should google the emergency number and ring that. Check that they recognise your policy number and go from there.

Glad that’s sorted OP, just so you know it’s spelt insurance rather than insurence :D

I would make sure you have the dates and times of all payments you have made this year, the dates and times of telephone conversations re your policy this year and any emails to hand, then contact via the 24 hours claims line - they do have staff on weekends. Now I suspect they will need the Mon-Fri staff to investigate but you can start the process.

Ask for the CEO contact details
Threaten to take your complaint to the ombudsman/Watchdog/Trading Standards.
Get a copy of the complaints procedure.

Good luck!

Phew- glad its sorted OP but yes, complain.

My DH had a similar thing a few years back OP. Police stopped him and told him not insured although he was sure he was. Luckily the police weren't too twatty but asked for proof to be produced within a week. When he investigated with his insurer it turned out that one digit of his license plate was wrong on their documents. It was all rectified without too much stress. It's never nice to be stopped and intmidated by the police but they're just doing their job really. Just contact your insurance asap and it will all be fine I'm sure

Deleted, incorrect post.

You should be able to call them any time if for example you needed to make a claim.

Most are open at least 6 days a week or at least Saturday mornings.

I had a similar experience, but it was my fault in the end.
Pulled over, no insurance apparently. I was confused as to why and upset. I cried. Police were actually lovely!
Got £250 (or maybe £200) fine and 6 points on my license.

Turns out my insurance was up for renewal the month before, which I was aware of, but it hadn't renewed. I naively thought all insurance auto renewed. I'd had a letter saying your insurance is due for renewal soon and they would be in touch nearer the time to sort it. Great/standard.

Never got another letter and I just forgot about it, expecting it would renew anyway.
Found out the hard way, and just had to suck it up. No idea what happened to that letter, insurance company said they sent it 🤷‍♀️

So OP, hopefully I've distracted you a bit before 9, and at least in your case you know it isn't your fault!
Just numpty me

Then don't make a complaint, explain what's happened and ask them to fix it.

I know they are doing a job and I've great respect for the police as any encounter I've had with them they have been very polite to me.

I think it was because it was late and was visibly under the influence and also had young DD in the back. It probably looked bad to be fair but in all honesty I had been on a work night out and DH picked me up, had to bring DD as no family around to have her.

If you open the picture the first line is about a refund.

But OP has now explained that it was for the first DD and she has paid in full so should be fine

On a slightly different note, are the police allowed to do random stop and questioning?

I thought there had to be a reason (unless it's changed) like erratic driving, bulb not working in a headlight or indicator etc.

I wonder why they breathalised him for no reason?

I think it was because it was late and was visibly under the influence and also had young DD in the back.

???

You mean he was driving as if drunk?

https://enquiry.navigate.mib.org.uk/checkyourvehicle

You can log here and check your car is insured. A certificate these days is not enough, if needs to be showing on here.

Stopped because the car flagged up as uninsured.

I’m glad you can see it active. Massive complaint to insurance company stating you’d be claiming against them for any risk to your husbands job and associated stress from their series of mistakes with your policy.

Agree with others that you have to contact the insurance company as soon as possible and demand to speak to a team leader / manager.

Lay out exactly what happened last night and tell them they need to sort it out as a matter of urgency. GET A NAME of whoever you spoke to.

Ask them for the name/email of the person who deals with their complaints and contact them.

I have recently been through a complaints process with the Financial Ombudsman and they were brilliant and quick, BUT you have to go through the company's internal complaints process first and still be unhappy with the outcome to use the service.

First Central are awful. I had a problem with them where they changed my job title (based on what a previous job had been as stated on my previous policy with another insurer) and then charged me for it, failed to show the correct no claims and charged me for asking for it to be corrected, and still failed to put it right.
I went to the financial ombudsman over it.
A friend is having similar problems.
They are useless.

But the OP says he was driving as if under the influence.
I'd assume an insurance check was done AFTER stopping someone. Not as a random check on any passing car.

No I was under the influence, DH doesn't drink, they breathalised him as I had obviously had a drink.

Their computer will have pinged an apparently uninsured vehicle.

They will know that lack of insurance is often just one of many motoring offences so check through the obvious like drink driving, vehicle defects, at the same time.

But surely they only knew that once they'd stopped the car?

Were they waiting outside wherever you were picked up?

I'm sorry to push on this but I thought they weren't allowed to do random stop and questioning .