Proof of Financial Responsibility (insurance) tidbit

[para45]

I really didnt know where to post this, so if it needs to be move, I am sorry in advance

Hey I wanted to pass along an experience. I was pulled over about 3 weeks ago, and I had recently cleaned out my glove box. And I forgot the put the copy of the insurance back in there . When I got pulled over and after the DPS trooper approached and everything I reached into the glove box to see there was nothing in it. I said sorry but I dont have a copy of the insurance. He said no prob, that he could look it up in the system when he ran my license. I though hey cool must be something new. I asked him about it when he returned with my warning (deflective headlamp- it was about deem, it had become unplugged a little) He stated that it was something new that they were able to do from there systems in the car. I confirmed it with my insurance company when I paid my bill this month. (They had a big sign trying to get more people to buy insurance stating the now trooper have the capability in the cars.)

Anyways just a tidbit I though ya'll might want to know about.

[sss]

Yep, this has indeed been the case since last August:
http://www.allaboutsa.com/news/texas-drivers-beware" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[AEA]

The main reason for this advancement is to eliminate the fake Insurance Cards that have been floating around in Texas for over 20 years!

If you hand a fake card to a DPS officer now, you better be ready to go to jail.

[txmatt]

Gee golly! Isn't it swell when the government contracts out the construction of a massive database of our personal information to a private company! A company that will, at the request of the government, track information on us that we have no right to know what information they have, and no way to correct errors. Information which can provide the basis for our arrest. And it only costs (IIRC) 20 million dollars!

[/sarcasm]

I would think gun folks would know better than to welcome such a thing.

[ScottDLS]

Gee golly! Isn't it swell when the government contracts out the construction of a massive database of our personal information to a private company! A company that will, at the request of the government, track information on us that we have no right to know what information they have, and no way to correct errors. Information which can provide the basis for our arrest. And it only costs (IIRC) 20 million dollars!

[/sarcasm]

I would think gun folks would know better than to welcome such a thing.

Better that they build it themselves with state civil service workers doing all the programming & design of the system. In fact, maybe we should hire state workers to build the computers too. I never did trust those privately made computers. I hope they grow their own food for the cafeteria too. Don't trust those private farmers.

[Mike1951]

It has been common practice to make the first monthly payment on auto insurance to obtain proof of insurance good for 6 months. No other payments are made and the insurance lapses. The officer writing a ticket or investigating an accident wouldn't catch it because he saw what appeared to be a valid POI.

Having paid my insurance deductible so my insurance would pay on a wreck that should have been paid by the other driver's lapsed insurance, I personally don't have a problem with this.

[Liberty]

Iv'e been printing my own POI for 10 years, It would be super easy to forge it

[txmatt]

Better that they build it themselves with state civil service workers doing all the programming & design of the system. In fact, maybe we should hire state workers to build the computers too. I never did trust those privately made computers. I hope they grow their own food for the cafeteria too. Don't trust those private farmers.

If it were a state run system you would have some right to find out what information they keep on you and correct it if it were wrong. As it is there is no such right and that was by design. Also by design is that this system upon which they can ticket or arrest you is not updated immediately when you purchase insurance. It can take up to a week. So even if you have insurance and proof of insurance you can still be screwed.

They should be going after people who don't have insurance and get in a wreck and can't pay. They don't do it now and this system isn't going to change a thing.

Now I'll admit, I really hate the idea of liability insurance on a car in general anyway and the whole topic gets me a bid irritated. It makes no sense. Is my car going to cause an accident? No! Drivers should be insured based on driving history. Why should I have to pay to insure each car I own? I can only drive one at a time...

[jbirds1210]

It has been common practice to make the first monthly payment on auto insurance to obtain proof of insurance good for 6 months. No other payments are made and the insurance lapses. The officer writing a ticket or investigating an accident wouldn't catch it because he saw what appeared to be a valid POI.

Having paid my insurance deductible so my insurance would pay on a wreck that should have been paid by the other driver's lapsed insurance, I personally don't have a problem with this.

I completely agree. I have heard that the uninsured in Texas has reached 40% in many cities. Put me in the database.

Jason

[G.A. Heath]

Important things to note about this new feature. The penalties are the same for not having proof of insurance, even though the officer can tell if you have it or not. The tax office can also tell when you go to pay the registration on your vehicle. Finally, according to someone in my local tax assessor's office, the database is on state owned/run hardware but the data itself is maintained by the insurance companies.

[TxDrifter]

It depends on where the accident is and the responding units. I was recently in an accident and the damages had to be covered under my uninsured motorists coverage. The guy that hit me let his lapse because he couldn't afford to pay it. Something about a divorce. Anyway, DPS let him drive off. According to the tow truck driver if Shenandoah would have responded his car would have been impounded until he could show proof of insurance fully paid for 6 months. I'm not sure about the 6 months part, but I do think he should not have been allowed to drive his vehicle without insurance. I got mine fixed, but it didn't make me happy paying the deductible.

Of course I'm sure he wouldn't have been quite so chatty with me had he known I was armed and three more were in the truck as I had planned to go to the range with my brother, time permitting.