Driving without insurance

[jonosd]

On Friday i was driving, going about my ordinary business and got pulled over to be told i had no insurance and no MOT. This sounded very odd to me and luckily i keep all my documents in my car so i got them out only to find they EXPIRED 3 weeks ago. Panic set in.
not only have i been driving around uninsured but my car, should it get broken into would not have been covered. More importantly why did Churchill send me a BIRTHDAY card in February but not a motor insurance renewal the following month? Anyways, im aware that its my fault, my responsibility etc so i have to deal with the concequences. My car was impounded, i was fined and my liscence is pending endorsment.
The problem i now have is not having a car over the bank holiday weekend. i called the insurance company, explained my frustration with them and reinsured my car immediatly. they sent me a certificate via email which i took to the station on saturday morning only to be told i have to wait till TUESDAY (because of easter bank hol) so that the police can contact MIB to confirm i have told my insurance company my vehicle was seized and i am pending endorsement and also to confirm that the insurance is valid.
Why is it any business of the police what arrangements i have with the insurance company? as far as im aware the legislation states i only need to present a valid certificate of insurance to get my car back. i dont have a problem if they want to check up on me at all but not if it means i have to pay 4 days impounding charges.
Is this standard practice throughout the country? or just my local station being picky?
They did explain to me they need to check in case i cancel the insurance immediately after getting my certificate but seriously, ive just got 6 points for not having insurance accidentally im not going to then intentionally cancel it and risk my lisence. :bang:

[SB118]

and also to confirm that the insurance is valid.

There is nothing to stop somebody producing a realistic looking insurance note on their laser printer at home, the station just want to confirm that you have a genuine policy.

This is getting more common as insurers go "paper free". (it's similar to how some post office branches won't accept a home printed insurance note, even though that's the only one you can get!)

[jamesson]

Sorry to hear you think the police are being picky, but it is entirely their business what arrangements you have with your insurance company. You would not believe how many people take out insurance in order to get a valid certificate and then cancel just to get their car back. And as you say, you accept it's your responsibility to be insured. Similarly, it's the police's responsibility to make sure that cars are given back to drivers who are covered.

Believe it or not, the vast majority of disqualified drivers just don't care about being caught and aren't as troubled by being uninsured as you are.

[Kris]

I think the above 2 posts pretty much sum it all up. The police want to make you are insured and that you haven't cancelled the policy the moment you got the certificate.

It's up to the driver to make sure they are covered when using a car...and driving uninsured is far more serious than having your car broken into.. what would have happened if you'd run over and killed or injured a pedestrian