Thought I would post my woeful tale so you all might take note:
In october my brother went on holiday and gave me his car keys to get the lights sorted on his MX5, now being a lowly little Punto driver I thought this was great. Got the lights sorted at the garage and paid for it as a nice little thank yuo to my bro for being so trusting (ironic part number 1).
Next day I took my misses for a drive, no sooner had I left the house got to the first roundabout to turn left, lost the backend and straight into a lamp post writing the car off. I'm putting this down to my first experience of a rear wheel drive car as oppose to excessive speed because I didn't floor it or anything.
Lo and behold two police officers were on the scene on their bikes. So they witnessed the entire thing.
A day or two later the officer rings me up to check so he could come round and pick up the documents. "No problem" I said, and went to gather them.
Now this is where it gets interesting, managed to get hold of my brother who was on holiday to ask him for his insurance. "What do you my details for, your covered aren't you?".
And my reply "urm nope, thought I was covered on yours.". Since I was fully comp on mine he thought I was automatically 3rd party covered. Oh dear!
Rang up my insurance people and they stated I wasn't covered.
So being the honest guy I am, I contact the police man explained the situation and he came over.
Now basically there was three pretty crappy choices for my story...
1) My bro gave me permission, I get done for driving without insurance and he gets aiding and abetting for not checking out my insurance. (Huge cautionary note here for those who let other people drive their cars on occasion).
2) I bought the car the morning of the accident. I get done for driving without insurance.
3) I took the car without consent.. uhm huge no no I don't want a TWOK record thanks.
So because I had caused my brother so much grief already it was only the second option I could go for.
Time passes, I get the form tick the box pleading guilty and off it goes for court to pass verdict.
£200 and 6 points on my license.
I inform my insurance about the 6 points, and leave it at that.
This morning I find a letter from my insurance company with my new insurance documentation. Lo and behold whats on the new one but "covered for driving with owners permission", I had a good laugh and though how ironic so I rang them to find out why it was only just now added.
"Oh because you turned 25, because you were 24 on your last policy you didn't get it". So I explained I had just got done for the IN10 offence to the gentlemen on the phone who then turns around and says "Well you were 25 when the offence was committed, but because it wasnt on your initial policy its up to us whether we would cover you." After speaking to his superior it was noted upon the policy that they would have considered my covered in case I would try to appeal the "Driving without insurance" verdict.
Which is pretty pointless now because of my story being I bought the car, I wouldn't be able to appeal anyway unless I changed my story to the actual truth which is another offence.
Morale of the story, always check with your insurance company before driving a car and if you get stuck never take the first guys opinion of whether your covered or not before making your story.
Thanks for reading............