By Elliot Wright, 18th February 2010
Police are stopping motorists for making simple registration
errors on their insurance applications - and in some cases even
confiscating their cars.
Insurance form mistakes, such as transposing letters or numbers
or getting an O and 0 mixed up, mean that automatic number plate
recognition (anpr) technology, which is increasingly being used in
police vehicles and at fixed roadside locations, sometimes won't
recognise that the car is insured.
AA Insurance has reported a sharp increase in the number of
'mistaken identity' cases. The number of calls they receive from
police verifying the details of a motorist they have stopped has
risen from one or two calls per month to more than 20 a week.
Most drivers are usually sent on their way after confirming
they're covered. But in extreme cases, innocent motorists are
having their cars confiscated until a correct insurance document
can be provided along with a statement confirming the car was
insured at the time.
To reduce the risk of being stopped for an administrative error
the AA is urging motorists to double-check their details when
applying for insurance online and to check again when the policy
documents arrive in the post.
In extreme cases, innocent motorists are
having their cars confiscated until a correct insurance document
can be provided
If you spot any mistakes inform your insurer immediately to get
the information amended. They also point out that insurance staff
can make mistakes too, so when talking to an advisor on the phone
ask them to use the phonetic alphabet, such as N-November and
M-Mike, to avoid confusion.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, says: "It is really
important to check that this information is correct - especially
the registration number. The data is used to update the national
Motor Insurance Database, which is used by the police anpr
equipment to check whether your vehicle is covered.
"Simple errors can result in a lot of wasted time and
inconvenience for you, the police and your insurer - quite apart
from the risk of temporarily having your car confiscated."
Claims Financial
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