Hi all,

I was happily driving home this morning and get to the end of my road (last 2-300 yards of 200mile joUrney) when I get a police with the blues on.

Lady officer tells me there is no isnsurance, I say there is they end up taking the car, even though I have the policy papers to hand - but that's a whole other matter.

Now, the car is in perivale maximum security car prison,from previous visits I know they are total arseholes and pick at every little detail.

I have all the relavent paperwork, only thing is that my current policy from the as does not permit me to use it to remove the car from the pound. it allows me to use it anywhere in Europe, but not the 20 feet tothere gate.

My question is, what company's do people know of that do cover it, I have used admiral inthe past but they don't let you know exactly what the policy will cover until ou take it out for a year. If you ask then about it they simply say it isn't covered and hang up.

Anybody has any advice?

If you've got insurance and they took the car anyway then I would look into claiming for expenses and damages.

Just walk in there with the paperwork and drive the car out?

Yep, for some reason the AA didn't put it onto the m I d, so it doesn't show as insured. No matter how I argued the point they still didn't let it go. Then later when I phoned the AA they said that the policy is still active and there are no problems with it, it was only renewed 8 days ago. Either way, they have it now and I will have to pay to remove it and then maybe claim it back when it goes to court.

What the impound ask is that the insurance company knows it's impounded and has a term in the agreement that me or any other driver on the policy is permited to use it for purpouses of removal from a police impound. The AA doesn't won't anything to do with it.

So I'm asking, what conpanys are oaky with this and can put it in wriring. I don't mind paying for another year's premium, as I really need it as its the only car I have that isn't in pieces.

push it out or ask them to drive it to other side of the pound?

If only it was that simple. They charge £25 a day, so they keep turning you away, even though you are right, you could just push it out and rrailor it away or even back a recovery truck in and haul it away as this way it wouldn't be on the road but no, it's a danger to other road users, and will no doubt kill a few small children etc.

Every one I've talked to about this says that I shoildnt even bother going until at least five days time as thats when it reaches there quota of £250 (150 for towing + storage) after this they will hardly even check the papers. I don't mind even paying that now, I just need the car :(

Also, this isn't a normal pound, I mean I've seen actual people prisons with less security. And the queue to get in to the offices are a minimum of two hours wait. So that's why I would much rather have all the paper work ready so they can't say anything.

Yes, that's correct.it's private but authorised by the met police. So they have police computers to check your licence etc for pints or disualifications and I think to also follow up on insurance. But there requirements are proposturous, I mean if you are insured to use the car on the road, what difference is it if it's in a pound? But as i said it's all about the money with these guys.

I'm willing to bet that the only insurance company to provide this bit of paper is co owned by the people who run this place.

Had the same sort of thing a month or so ago, pulled me over no insurance. I knew I had it and was baffled - turns out I had out the private plate on through DVLA but forgot to notify my insurance company.

Luckily she followed me home and let me show her my documents where we resolved the matter. Could of impounded it luckily she didnt feel for you big time!

Pay someone with a recovery truck to recover it for you, no doubt there will be people local to you that do this for a living And would be a hell of a lot cheaper than taking out a new policy

That aside I would be making some complaints to both the police and the AA, there is a legal limit of how many days an insurance company has to put a policy on the mid and I'm sure its 7 days. Also the police can find out if a car is insured even if its not showing on the mid as the police data base is a download system rather than a live one and can be upto a few days out of date at any given time.

i take it that there's a statement like this on your insurance certificate (may be worded differently):

"the insurance does not cover, use to secure the release of a motor vehicle, other than the vehicle identified above by it's registration mark, which has been seized by, or on the behalf of, any government or public authority".

basically what it's saying is that you cannot use your insurance to release a car your insurance doesn't cover so you can use it to release your car provided that your insurance policy covers your car.

I've heard of this carry on happening. Its bullyboy tactics by the police and punishing honest motorists for admin office mistakes. Use an AA/RAC callout to get it outa there. Join the AA/RAC for the £10 a month right now to get you are car back m8. If not get somebody else to come with u n use their AA membership to get it out for u. It is perfectly legal. I know of people who have had to do this before. If the police refuse to let it out get a hold of the inspector. Dont let this drag on. Stay in their face and make every legal attempt to get your car back. Also take the name and badge number of every cop u speak to about this, times and dates. You will need it to sue them afterwards and get you are compensation out of them.

Hi all,

I was happily driving home this morning and get to the end of my road (last 2-300 yards of 200mile joUrney) when I get a police with the blues on.

Lady officer tells me there is no isnsurance, I say there is they end up taking the car, even though I have the policy papers to hand - but that's a whole other matter.

Now, the car is in perivale maximum security car prison,from previous visits I know they are total arseholes and pick at every little detail.

I have all the relavent paperwork, only thing is that my current policy from the as does not permit me to use it to remove the car from the pound. it allows me to use it anywhere in Europe, but not the 20 feet tothere gate.

My question is, what company's do people know of that do cover it, I have used admiral inthe past but they don't let you know exactly what the policy will cover until ou take it out for a year. If you ask then about it they simply say it isn't covered and hang up.

Anybody has any advice?

Thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it.

The same thing happened to my old man a few months ago and we tried three seperate recovery call outs each with their own insurance to both recover and drive any car, and on top of that the car would go straight on the back of their truck so woupdnt even be on the road. But alas they still wouldn't recieve it, and when we finally lost our cool (6th visit, 2hours a pop) they then called the police to remove us from the building. It is deffinarly bullying, and it's all to squeeze an etra few quid out of us. I wouldn't really mind if they just said we need x amount before we can release it pay up and be on your way.

On my current policy it just says that I'm excluded from using this policy to remove a vehicle held in a police impound, doesn't specify if it's this vehicle or another not on the policy. They are just not picking as it doewnt make a difference I'm still named to drive this car and I'm licenced and the vehiclw itself is taxed and tested. Am I missing something?

Also I've noticed that these guys wear what to me looks like an imitation police uniform, but I know full well they aren't police officers. Again it's scare tactics as no one will question what they say.

I should also mention that this happened to me when I first started driving and I was up north somewhere,it was a totally different experience, I litterly showed them the paperwork and paid the fine then they gave me the keys and away I went, in and out in 20 minutes. Why the soap opera?

I would loose my cool if it happened to me.

I would personally see if I could get a Dictaphone or a Dictaphone app on your phone to record convos inside the impound , although it might not be allowed. If anything happens further down the line you'll have something to go on.

& also record and copy everything I could

ifthe police or any other authority have impound your vehicle upon release they should bring the vehicle to the gate of the p[ound where upon it is placed outside the entrance or gate so as you are legally insured to drive it away once it is off private property i dont see what the problem can be only that you have to pay for them to release it and then claim back when you take it to court

Something doesnt quite add up, from where I'm standing the police shouldnt have taken the car full stop.

They will only take the car if you cannot provide any proof of insurance, if you cannot provide this they should call your insurer directly. If its late at night most of the time they will give you a producer if you have a certifcate but its not showing as insured on there databases.

If they impounded your car on the assumtion you didnt have insurance wouldnt you be recieving 6 points aswell?

The whole thing is wrong from the ft go. I was down the street from my house, all the documents they could want are there. But they told me to sit in the back while they do some checks. The female officer I think it may have been her first day as she had no clue what she was doing and kept asking the male officer. She gave me paper after paper to sign and then took it back afaian and tor itup then did anpthr one. The male officer checked with their trace department and u told him ores with the AA and gave him my adress etc, to which a call came back that I didn't have a policy and I only got a quote, which is obviously wrong asi have been with them for a year. I said that I could walk to my house to Bettie papers to which they started playing good cop bad copamd offering me a deal. "If you don't have insurance then just tell us now..." They didn't appear to want me to actually prove anything and to me it semed like they wanted me to lose it so they can arrest me.

Then after they let me go, I went home and they knocked the door, female officer again giving me another price of paperto sign sand took the producer away, saying that il recieve a court date in six months.

I'm still tying to understand it, the more I think about it the less sense it makes. I'm certain il get some points for this and a hefty fine, and it'll probably be at least a year before an appeal will be heard.

As for the pound, I like the idea of coins,that would be nice . And as for the insurance, as you say one of their artendannts will bring the car through agreat and it closes behind them they thengo outaback door leaving the car running then your door unlocks, you get in and the frontgate open. So once the gate open your insurance take over, meaning any level of five willbe in force as you are the named driver on that policy for that vehicle. It doesn't male any sense, but at the end of the day they have the car and they can do and ask for whatever they want , it is extorsion after all.

Also,I read my trade policy from work and it also covers me to use this car, as I'm listed as staff and the car is listed as a curtasy car and there are clauses that say I can use any car as long as I'm licenced to do so to get to and from work, as well to carry out any tests or checks. But they will not accept this either.

everything you sign you get a copy of..either they wern't police or you arnt telling the whole truth fella.

All I curently have is the pink slip which says the car details and my details, where the car is and what was in the car. They where definatly police, I've got their details. I originally had a producer for the mot and my licence, which I was happy to produce, but then she came back and said it was the wrong proceedure and they had to take the producer back and I needed to sign next to a statement of what happened and what I said. She gave me the tore up pieces, and said they aren't valid.

If I kept driving and parked on my drive way, none of this would have happened,but because I was certain I'm legal, I had no reason to do this. Wish I had now.

At the end of the day, it was the polices mistake. They shouldn't have impounded your car because you had the legal documents. Get down to the station and make your point, they should cover any costs that have come from this and have your car removed from the impound lot. Do not let them get away with it, if it goes to court they don't have a leg to stand on. Citizens advice bureau is a good shout.

Get on to the IPCC sharpish, this is definitely not cricket.

If your policy is new can you cancell it on there cooling down period? Maybe seek help from a solicitor as they will be cheaper than taking new policy and hoping? Some policies are stupid and this just seems like a good money spinner.. best of luck.

Also log an official complaint with AA insurance as it's their fault too.

I will do, that's what the c a b told me to do, but even they said that waiting around isn't going to help as the police haven't got control over the pound. They said the best thing to do is pay the charges and keep the reciept. The best outcome is they void the charges if they feel the supporting evidence is okay, but to get the charges back is a little harder.

Either way its still a huge headache. I've managed to get my 6n back together so I'm mot'ing it now and taxing it. At least il have something to use for now. And I'm checking its on the system daily before I even sit in the thing, I really don't need any more of this crap.

Thanks guys for the help..

Well i have just read my insurance certificate and it states : EXLUSIONS

Use to secure a motor vehicle, Other than the vehicle identified above by the registration mark which has been seized by or on behalf of any government or public

authority

So in plain english metz you are insurance covers u to get you are car out if it gets impounded. yeh.

Well i have just read my insurance certificate and it states : EXLUSIONS Use to secure a motor vehicle, Other than the vehicle identified above by the registration mark which has been seized by or on behalf of any government or public

authority