RT8891 offence code, No insurance cover Options

[James:)]

The Police stopped my wife for not having insurance on the car. The officer also checked our MOT and Tax. and confirmed they had recently been renewed, so felt we weren't trying to pull a fast one with the insurance and it was clearly an oversight.

Nevertheless, she was cautioned. A few days later, we received a "conditional offer of fixed penalty", a £300 fine & 6 penalty points—offence code RT88191. 
I misread my motor insurance renewal email and thought it auto-renewed like it did the previous year—a significant oversight on my part, which could potentially cost us quite a bit in insurance renewals £3000+. 

I am now trying to get insurance quotes online, and the above offence code isn't recognised. Is there an alternative code I can use?

We are happy to take the six points and pay the fine, but an offence code that can increase our insurance by that amount for the next four years will significantly affect our livelihood. Should I consider appealing the offence code (is that even possible) as it was an error and, we weren't knowingly driving without insurance.

Thanks all

[The Rookie]

I do all the insurance on my wife's car, but forward her all the communications so she KNOWS she is insured, but that's just us!

Any postal communication from the insurer will be addressed to the insured. Any phone conversations relating to the policy should only be with the insured (DPA) unless they give specific permission during the call for someone to act on their behalf.

Close, its on file that I have blanket authority to discuss it. No need each call.

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[James:)]

The Police stopped my wife for not having insurance on the car. The officer also checked our MOT and Tax. and confirmed they had recently been renewed

Just wondering, did your insurance run out just after the excise duty was renewed?

Yes, by a week.

The obvious question to ask is have you contacted your insurance company and ask them if they will retrospectively cover you on the day the offence was alleged?

Especially if you are a repeat customer it cost them nothing and gives you a certain defence.

The law requires you to be insured on the day, not whether the insurance is prospective or retrospective. Obviously in general insurers do not allow you to purchase cover after an event but there is nothing stopping them providing cover should they wish.

Worth asking as IN endorsement codes tend to load premia in future. Don't ask, don't get - especially if you have subsequently renewed with them.

That is a very good suggestion. I will give them a call and ask the question.

Thank you

Definitely worth speaking to insurance company. If the policy has always auto renewed before I would argue that one line in the renewal email wasn’t sufficient to alert you to the change. It should have been prominent and ideally a separate letter should have even sent prior to the renewal emails.

Have you got the previous renewal email that says the policy is on “auto renewal”? If so that would be very useful in both talking to the insurance company.

In your shoes I would:

Talk to insurance co- see if they will write letter and retrospectively cover you. If that doesn’t work:
Make a complaint to insurance co that they didn’t adequately inform you of change
If they don’t uphold complaint take it to the ombudsman
And only if all that fails got to court with guilty but special reasons plea.

Unfortunately, I no longer have a copy of the previous auto-renewal email. I will, however, give them a call and see what they say. Thank you