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[Mr Skrunts]

We all know that driving a car without an MOT voids the insurance cover unless of course it is booked in advance for Mot/Work

Was chatting last night and the same was said about the not displaying a valid tax disc and that it voided the car insurance.

Could someone clarifay this for me please.

[hotel21]

One of the caveats of the car insurance industry is that you will, on the taking of insurance cover, ensure that your vehicle is at all times road legal when on the road and 'on risk'.

It is a loophole that is becoming ever more used, apparently, and yes, having a valid VEL on display is part of the road legal bit and thus, if not on display, a possible open door for the insurance company to escape through.  Along with many others in this ever more money hungry financial world we live in.

Or so I am now told by some former workmates who are still in the job.

[Danny]

unless the law's changed, if the car is infact taxed, the only offense is "failure to display"

pretty sure it shouldn't void the insurance

[Mr Skrunts]

unless the law's changed, if the car is infact taxed, the only offense is "failure to display"

pretty sure it shouldn't void the insurance

So change that round a little.  Not displaying and not taxed.

Plod pull the car, no points but a fixed penalty, or is it now illegall as to have the car on the road as it voids the insurance    Ahhhh just thought, all the police TV shows, do they not impound the car for no tax?

[Lizzie_Zoom]

unless the law's changed, if the car is infact taxed, the only offense is "failure to display"

pretty sure it shouldn't void the insurance

So change that round a little.  Not displaying and not taxed.

Plod pull the car, no points but a fixed penalty, or is it now illegall as to have the car on the road as it voids the insurance    Ahhhh just thought, all the police TV shows, do they not impound the car for no tax?

And/or no insurance Skruntie

[Dishevelled Den]

unless the law's changed, if the car is infact taxed, the only offense is "failure to display"

pretty sure it shouldn't void the insurance

I would tend to agree - should the car be taxed - H21 was using the example of an untaxed vehicle.

If a vehicle is taxed but the disc isn't displayed it would be surprising indeed if that fact altered the tax status if it.

[hotel21]

unless the law's changed, if the car is infact taxed, the only offense is "failure to display"

pretty sure it shouldn't void the insurance

I would tend to agree - should the car be taxed - H21 was using the example of an untaxed vehicle.

If a vehicle is taxed but the disc isn't displayed it would be surprising indeed if that fact altered the tax status if it.

Quite correct.  I used the example where there was no tax in force and, yes, failure to display is distinctly different to failing to have....   

[Gaffers]

unless the law's changed, if the car is infact taxed, the only offense is "failure to display"

pretty sure it shouldn't void the insurance

I would tend to agree - should the car be taxed - H21 was using the example of an untaxed vehicle.

If a vehicle is taxed but the disc isn't displayed it would be surprising indeed if that fact altered the tax status if it.

Quite correct.  I used the example where there was no tax in force and, yes, failure to display is distinctly different to failing to have....   

Coincidentally, what about the situation I find myself in.... Car is taxed as of 01 Jan 2011, but still waiting for the disk to come through.  Can I still be done for FTD?

[hotel21]

Coincidentally, what about the situation I find myself in.... Car is taxed as of 01 Jan 2011, but still waiting for the disk to come through.  Can I still be done for FTD?

Strangely, yes.  Failing to have and failing to display are two quite distinctly different offences.

If, say, the disc had fallen from the screen and was lying face down on the floor, a Traffic Warden etc could quite rightly give a ticket for fail to display despite there being a disc in force....

[Danny]

it's still technically an offense but hopefully an officer would use discretion if you explain how mail deliveries have been severely delayed over xmas

especially while they have the ability to check a car is genuinely taxed on the spot

[hotel21]

it's still technically an offense but hopefully an officer would use discretion if you explain how mail deliveries have been severely delayed over xmas

especially while they have the ability to check a car is genuinely taxed on the spot

Unsure if Traffic wardens and attendants and the like can check PNC for tax details though....

[Danny]

it's still technically an offense but hopefully an officer would use discretion if you explain how mail deliveries have been severely delayed over xmas

especially while they have the ability to check a car is genuinely taxed on the spot

Unsure if Traffic wardens and attendants and the like can check PNC for tax details though....

me neither, plod tho

[Chris_H]

I thought we decided the other day that there was 5 day's grace on displaying provided you had purchased said tax in time for it to arrive.

If you use the electronic vehicle licensing service or tax by post at the end of the month, there’s now an exemption for not displaying a tax disc. This exemption covers the first five working days of the month to allow time for the new disc to arrive in the post. While you are still waiting for your tax disc you will need to display your current tax disc(sic). The exemption only applies if applications are made before the current tax disc or SORN expires.

Also go this off MotorLawyers.co.uk

I've been involved in an accident and discovered by vehicle tax has expired, will this void my insurance?

Possibly. Although the situation is not ideal, lack of a road fund licence does not give an insurer adequate reasons to void a policy, unless the reason that the tax had not been renewed is because the vehicle was unroadworthy.

[hotel21]

I thought we decided the other day that there was 5 day's grace on displaying provided you had purchased said tax in time for it to arrive.

If you use the electronic vehicle licensing service or tax by post at the end of the month, there’s now an exemption for not displaying a tax disc. This exemption covers the first five working days of the month to allow time for the new disc to arrive in the post. While you are still waiting for your tax disc you will need to display your current tax disc(sic). The exemption only applies if applications are made before the current tax disc or SORN expires.

Also go this off MotorLawyers.co.uk

I've been involved in an accident and discovered by vehicle tax has expired, will this void my insurance?

Possibly. Although the situation is not ideal, lack of a road fund licence does not give an insurer adequate reasons to void a policy, unless the reason that the tax had not been renewed is because the vehicle was unroadworthy.

Quite correct ref the 5 days, it used to be 14.   

Today is the 6th of the month though, despite there being 2 PH's over a weekend carried over to Mon/Tues (up here anyway).  As said, hopefully a common sense interpretation would be applied in Guffers circumstances but, who knows...   

[Mr Skrunts]

it's still technically an offense but hopefully an officer would use discretion if you explain how mail deliveries have been severely delayed over xmas

especially while they have the ability to check a car is genuinely taxed on the spot

Unsure if Traffic wardens and attendants and the like can check PNC for tax details though....

me neither, plod tho

Give them time and they will probably have a portable ANPR unit to walk round with.   :-/