Driving uninsured

[MercedesDriver]

Not so drastic as the title suggests but as a caution, here is the story.
I have just renewed my car policy with Axa, by the way for 15% less than last year, and have noticed that my renewed policy will start at 0:01 on 28th March, while my current policy expires at 23:59 on 27th March.
This means that I will have uninsured car for 1min 59sec!
I don't expect to be on a road at the midnight but if for any reason I have to I will be breaking the law and if caught by ANPR, I will get a £300 fine and 6 penalty points and if caught by the police the car could be seized too.
Is this the system glitch (sort of millennium bug) or accidental mistake by insurance company/ies?

 

[RonFleet]

I queried this when I renewed my insurance and was told that I would be covered - it's just the way the systems work.

 

[23 Romeo Tango]

It's to avoid confusion as to when your policy actually covers you.

If they said your policy starts at 00:00 on 28th March, would you think that was at the beginning of the day or the end of the day ?
Stating 00:01 indicates that it is in fact the beginning of the day, thus avoiding all confusion (I think ).

During 23:59 (27th) and 00:01 (28th) I'm sure you will also be insured.

This also happens with airlines and flight times. A flight that is due to leave at midnight will sometimes have a documented time of 23:59 to avoiding people turning up 24hrs late or 24hrs early.

 

[Scott_F]

I queried this when I renewed my insurance and was told that I would be covered - it's just the way the systems work.

But what happens if you are changing insurer rather than renewing with the same insurer ?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Its been like this since beginning of time, its 23:59:59 and 00:00:01 isnt it?

 

[John]

Its been like this since beginning of time, its 23:59:59 and 00:00:01 isnt it?

I thought it was 23:59:59 and 00:00:00.

 

[400ixl]

Its so that systems do not have overlapping policies and has been like that for years. Essentially your existing provider covers you up until the stroke of midnight and then the new provider takes over. There is no lapse in cover.

Insurers also have up to 7 days to update the MIAFTR database with the new policy details which is where the ANPR data comes from. Most do that update daily (even several times a day in some cases) through batch processing, so there is always a chance your data in the ANPR system is out of sync for a short period if you change policies late in the renewal process.

At no point are you uninsured, so nothing to have a concern about.

 

[PenelopePitstop]

This also happens with airlines and flight times. A flight that is due to leave at midnight will sometimes have a documented time of 23:59 to avoiding people turning up 24hrs late or 24hrs early.

There's ferry from Dover at 23.59. It make sense.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I queried this when I renewed my insurance and was told that I would be covered - it's just the way the systems work.

Mmmm, I wouldn't care to try that out unless I had it in writing.

 

[320Alan]

If you have an accident at midnight 00:00 which policy do you claim off company a who said it runs to 23:59 or company b who said it runs from 0:01?

 

[John]

If you have an accident at midnight 00:00 which policy do you claim off company a who said it runs to 23:59 or company b who said it runs from 0:01?

Policy B as 00:00 is the start of a new day - the same day on which 00:01 falls.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Well, I’ve just checked my old policies, renewals and changes of insurers and on previous ones the cover was from dd/mm/yy from 0:00 to dd/mm/(yy+1) noon, must be that’s why this 23:59 and 0:01 got my attention.
0:00 was always the begining of a day in my village so can’t understand how can anyone think it’s the end of the day when it starts with all zeros.

 

[23 Romeo Tango]

0:00 was always the begining of a day in my village so can’t understand how can anyone think it’s the end of the day when it starts with all zeros.

I totally agree with you, it's not too hard to figure out is it..............................BUT some people can't figure it out, hence the reason they changed it to 00:01 and 23:59.

Look at it this way, do you agree that 00:00 is midnight ?
So is midnight the start of the day or the end of the day ??

I guess that's why some people get confused and a change was required to make it more obvious.

 

[kianok]

If I was unlucky enough to have an accident it that 1 second I’d be scared to leave the house again!

Okay so maybe not but I’d probably give the lottery a miss that week.

 

[RonFleet]

If you have an accident at midnight 00:00 which policy do you claim off company a who said it runs to 23:59 or company b who said it runs from 0:01?

I would expect that those involved would agree that it happened at either 23.59 or 00.01, as it is unlikely that it would be in anyone's interest to state a time when there was no cover for any of those involved and equally unlikely that they all checked their watches as the accident happened.

 

[Dippo]

I would expect that those involved would agree that it happened at either 23.59 or 00.01, as it is unlikely that it would be in anyone's interest to state a time when there was no cover for any of those involved and equally unlikely that they all checked their watches as the accident happened.

It would matter a lot to the insurance companies. The situation would only arise if you were changing insurers. The insurer you were leaving would not want to assume responsibility because they would have the full expense of the claim and no means of recovery through higher premiums; the new insurer would also not want the cost, as they could only increase the premium at your next renewal in 12 months time.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

Don't believe everything you read and the "Arm Chair" Lawyers.. they don't know until it happens to you!

So don't risk it... mine was a long story to tell, and cost me over £1200 notes that I couldn't get back as both parties had "Good Covering Excuses"..

And the chuckle at the end... "Guess the names of the PCs involved??"
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Sgt Pepper & PC Elizabeth Potts

I still have the court document with their names on it - you couldn't have made this up, it would only happen to me! Its Called "Bruce Millar Luck " I think....

 

[RonFleet]

It would matter a lot to the insurance companies. The situation would only arise if you were changing insurers. The insurer you were leaving would not want to assume responsibility because they would have the full expense of the claim and no means of recovery through higher premiums; the new insurer would also not want the cost, as they could only increase the premium at your next renewal in 12 months time.

Sorry, I was referring to those involved in the accident.