"Fail to have insurance card"?

[keross1ve]

Hey guys, I searched for forums and found an old thread on this which was somehwat relevant, but my case is a little different.

I got pulled over a couple hours ago by a cop who was generally very nice. I was driving my buddy's car because he wanted to eat. Anyhoo, I got pulled over and the cop asked me for the usual insurance and license. So I handed her my license and my buddy's papers/insurance card. She came back a couple minutes later with a ticket saying "fail to have insurance card". The insurance card my buddy handed her was outdated:(. However, he did have the correct one with him. He told her he had the updated card with him and proceeded to pull it out of his wallet, but I guess she didn't hear that and walked away, then drove away.

It is a $65 ticket, and my question is, what should I do? We had the right card but my friend just didn't give it to her on time. Should I fight this ticket and set a court date? Should I try to go to the station and explain that we had the right card and show it to them? This is my first ticket>:(.

I feel really stupid for driving my buddy's car without checking all his info first lol.

Please give me some suggestions...Thanks!

Edit: Oh and from doing a few quick searches (on here from the previous thread and on google), some people say that your insurance goes up if you are convicted for this. Does that mean my insurance would go up because I was driving the car, or my buddy's insurance because he owns the car and gave the wrong card by accident?

[Nermal]

What were you pulled over for in the first place?

As far as your insurance rates going up, I can't really see that being a problem with your insurance company. They know better than anyone that you have insurance!

[stealth]

I had this happen a few yrs ago. I simply forgot to put the renewed card in my glove box. The cop said he believed I had insurance (remember failure to provide proof is NOT the same as driving without insurance). he gave me the ticket, I paid it, end of story. No increased rates. Forgetting or losing a slip of paper is not really much of a reason to jack up rates, even for our insurance companies.

[m0cha]

I had this happen to me a couple years back. The photocopied version of my insurance slip was outdated and I received a ticket (I forget the actual charge). When going to settle the ticket I simply presented my current insurance slip and the ticket was thrown out (no fines, no need to go to court).

[jetway1212]

LOL i just got the same thing.

Does a fix-it ticket means show the proof and it will get throw out? I have no idea what fix-it ticket means.

But a cop told me not to worry, show the proof to the prosecutor and it will most likely taken out. Its the exact word from him. He knows i just forgot to have the newer one on me.

[Tomy]

had the same ticket before..

1. file court date
2. went to court
3. show insurance slip to prosecutor
4. when it's my turn to trial, prosecutor says case dismissed.
5. went home.


if cops want to give u a ticket, there's no way u can avoid it. in my case, because he asked for my license, I simply gave him my license, he gives me a ticket for not giving him the insurance slip. :lol:

[keross1ve]

I had this happen to me a couple years back. The photocopied version of my insurance slip was outdated and I received a ticket (I forget the actual charge). When going to settle the ticket I simply presented my current insurance slip and the ticket was thrown out (no fines, no need to go to court).

You mean when you go to the courthouse to present the ticket? I called the courthouse and they said I need to pick one of the three options, nothing they can do :(.

Can I set an appointment with the prosecutor before the court date and present the updated card to avoid the hassle?

[Mayoo]

Sorry but since when cops started asking insurance card??? I though they only ask License and Ownership??? Do they have access to pull over the secondary insured or all the insured names cause in the insurance card it only has the primary insurers name .. :confused:

[sixer]

Insurance companies look at this like a minor conviction. So if you run a red light, no seatbelt, 10km/h or 35km/h over, same thing, all minors.
Only when you get a major conviction then does it rate even higher, and criminal is the highest conviction type.

[angel_wing0]

Edit: Oh and from doing a few quick searches (on here from the previous thread and on google), some people say that your insurance goes up if you are convicted for this. Does that mean my insurance would go up because I was driving the car, or my buddy's insurance because he owns the car and gave the wrong card by accident?

It depends on the insurance company. But since this is a non-moving violation, it should not affect insurance. I dont understand why u have to be driving his car if he wants to eat...but i guess it's off topic :P

Sorry but since when cops started asking insurance card??? I though they only ask License and Ownership??? Do they have access to pull over the secondary insured or all the insured names cause in the insurance card it only has the primary insurers name .. :confused:

no they always ask for insurance because there is a chance that the person driving might not have insurance...or in this case, hand out an outdated slip. I have been hit with one of those and now awaiting trial.

Insurance companies look at this like a minor conviction. So if you run a red light, no seatbelt, 10km/h or 35km/h over, same thing, all minors.
Only when you get a major conviction then does it rate even higher, and criminal is the highest conviction type.

actually speeding (10 km or 40km over) is an automatic raise for insurance in most cases.

[m0cha]

You mean when you go to the courthouse to present the ticket? I called the courthouse and they said I need to pick one of the three options, nothing they can do :(.

Can I set an appointment with the prosecutor before the court date and present the updated card to avoid the hassle?

Yep, that would be the courthouse. I presented the ticket, then had to go to a different area of the building (where people pay their fines I believe). I presented my insurance slip there and that was the end of it.

It's probably best to just go to the courthouse with your insurance info, and see if anything can be done right there.

[sixer]

actually speeding (10 km or 40km over) is an automatic raise for insurance in most cases.

That's what I meant, sorry I thought most people knew that with one minor conviction is an increase in rates. So this ticket for no insurance card means increased rate for most companies.

[COSMIC5]

That's what I meant, sorry I thought most people knew that with one minor conviction is an increase in rates. So this ticket for no insurance card means increased rate for most companies.

Alot of companies don't charge for one minor at all, 2 could be surcharged with some. Some will not apply a conviction free discount for 1 minor....etc etc etc...

[hightech]

Show up in court and tell the judge that you provided the expired one and then proceeded to provide the cop the correct one and she didn't acknowledge it.

[Skirby01]

Hey guys, I searched for forums and found an old thread on this which was somehwat relevant, but my case is a little different.

I got pulled over a couple hours ago by a cop who was generally very nice. I was driving my buddy's car because he wanted to eat. Anyhoo, I got pulled over and the cop asked me for the usual insurance and license. So I handed her my license and my buddy's papers/insurance card. She came back a couple minutes later with a ticket saying "fail to have insurance card". The insurance card my buddy handed her was outdated:(. However, he did have the correct one with him. He told her he had the updated card with him and proceeded to pull it out of his wallet, but I guess she didn't hear that and walked away, then drove away.

It is a $65 ticket, and my question is, what should I do? We had the right card but my friend just didn't give it to her on time. Should I fight this ticket and set a court date? Should I try to go to the station and explain that we had the right card and show it to them? This is my first ticket>:(.

I feel really stupid for driving my buddy's car without checking all his info first lol.

Please give me some suggestions...Thanks!

Edit: Oh and from doing a few quick searches (on here from the previous thread and on google), some people say that your insurance goes up if you are convicted for this. Does that mean my insurance would go up because I was driving the car, or my buddy's insurance because he owns the car and gave the wrong card by accident?

Typically one ticket won't affect your insurance...but if it does, it's on you as the ticket follows the driver.

[chilicat]

Yep, that would be the courthouse. I presented the ticket, then had to go to a different area of the building (where people pay their fines I believe). I presented my insurance slip there and that was the end of it.

It's probably best to just go to the courthouse with your insurance info, and see if anything can be done right there.

Are you kidding me? Showing your insurance card to the court administration clerks got you off the ticket? Highly unlikely...

[m0cha]

Are you kidding me? Showing your insurance card to the court administration clerks got you off the ticket? Highly unlikely...

I don't know what to tell you, but that's exactly what I did. The officer who wrote me the ticket told me to do exactly that.

[keross1ve]

I don't know what to tell you, but that's exactly what I did. The officer who wrote me the ticket told me to do exactly that.

I'm gonna try this today and update you guys on what happens.

[keross1ve]

I don't know what to tell you, but that's exactly what I did. The officer who wrote me the ticket told me to do exactly that.

I went to the courthouse yesterday and this worked. Thanks m0cha!

Although it didn't go exactly as m0cha's case, it was pretty similar. I went to the court clerk and he gave me a sheet with a copy of my ticket on it and "First Attendance" written on it to take to a file folder. I waited about half an hour and spoke to a very nice prosecutor and explained my case, she said she will withdraw the ticket and told me to go back to the waiting room and wait until she calls me into the small courtroom. After another 20 minutes or so, she came out, I went in front of the judge and he dropped the ticket. I am so glad I didn't have to wait months for a courtdate or anything and got it over with this quick!

[m0cha]

Glad to hear it worked out for you :)