OT: ticket for failure to provide proof of insurance

[CodyRU]

so I'm due in bordentown court tomorrow for a ticket I received for not having a valid insurance card. I was insured at the time, but had failed to put an up to date insurance card in my glove box. Stupid stupid stupid I know.

It's my understanding that if I show my insurance card to prove I was insured they will drop the charge and I will just have to pay court fees. Is this correct? I dont want any suprises tomorrow. This is my first ticket in 10 years driving so I'm not exactly familiar with how all this works
Thanks
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[knightfan7]

When it happened to me a long time ago the charge was dropped, All I had to pay was court costs.

I'd guess it varies from town to town.

 

[jim1666]

what surprises could there be? the worst that can happen is you pay the fine + court costs. they are no going to send you to the electric chair.

 

[RU0517581]

I once got tickets in Franklin Lakes for no insurance card or registration in car. I forgot about the tickets (live out of state) and had fines tacked on. All together I owed $240. I went to court and showed that I possessed the documents at the time (just not in car) and tickets were changed to driving without a seat belt. I had pay $50. Interestingly, there were 6 others guys in court for driving without a license and they only had to pay $200 (and couldn't apply for a license for 6 months - which I'm sure upset them lol)



This post was edited on 3/30 1:07 PM by RU0517581

 

[RU1977]

I assume you were pulled over for some other reason?

 

[knightfan7]

I saw a girl get pulled over outside where I work around Noon Saturday. It's not unusual as there's often a speed trap about a block away. Don't know what happened but they impounded the SUV. Someone had to come and pick her up.

 

[miketd1]

Originally posted by knightfan7:

I saw a girl get pulled over outside where I work around Noon Saturday. It's not unusual as there's often a speed trap about a block away. Don't know what happened but they impounded the SUV. Someone had to come and pick her up.

That can happen if you don't have an updated registration in your car.

Learned the hard way.

 

[Piscataway]

You would think since they require you to give the carrier name and policy number when you renew your registration they would have this information already.

This is just a money making scheme at this point given the ability to verify ANYTHING electronically.

 

[CodyRU]

Originally posted by jim1666:
what surprises could there be? the worst that can happen is you pay the fine + court costs. they are no going to send you to the electric chair.

by surprises I meant having to pay any fines on top of the court fees. Or if simply showing my correct proof of insurance is not good enough. Someone I talked to mentioned that you need some sort of letter from your insurance company, but most people said just bring your insurance card and thats good enough

 

[CodyRU]

Originally posted by RU1977:

I assume you were pulled over for some other reason?

yep. "obstructing passage of other vehicles". they had a sting set up and pulled a bunch of people over for going around slower traffic and then merging onto the ramp for the NJTP. Not a huge deal, supposidly just a $50-60 fine with no points

 

[shu2x79]

There are two possible violations. One is for not having proof of insurance because you didn't have insurance and the other is failing to have proof because you didn't have the card with you. Once you produce the card at court, the judge could either dismiss the case with you paying costs or he could reduce the charge for not being in possession of proof when stopped.

 

[FLKnight]

Did they not give you the option to fax a copy of your insurance card to the Clerk of Courts? I had the same situation a year or so ago and faxing the insurance card cancelled the citation. No fine, no court costs. This is Florida but would not see why they want to tie up a court appearance for no reason.

 

[batts]

You will get a chance to talk the Prosecutor. In fact, it's mandatory that you speak with him. That's your opportunity to show him your insurance card. He will most likely merely have you pay a small fine for failure to have an insurance card in your possession or amend the charge to a small fine offense. Either option will result in your paying a small fine and no points will be assessed against your license. He will present the small fine or amended charge to the Judge who is going to accept whatever the Prosecutor proposes. Believe me, they want you in and out of the Court. It's a volume based money making enterprise for the Court. The last thing they want is a drawn out legal proceeding.

 

[RU85inFla]

I'm sure your insurance carrier has an app. Get it. Then you will always have your insurance card handy.

 

[newell138]

THat happened to me but I did have the expired card on me, the cop was nice enough to take that, call my insurance carrier to verify insurance and let me roll

 

[CodyRU]

Originally posted by newell138:
THat happened to me but I did have the expired card on me, the cop was nice enough to take that, call my insurance carrier to verify insurance and let me roll

would have been nice is she had done this. wasn't my lucky day

 

[sherrane]

Originally posted by miketd1:

Originally posted by knightfan7:

I saw a girl get pulled over outside where I work around Noon Saturday. It's not unusual as there's often a speed trap about a block away. Don't know what happened but they impounded the SUV. Someone had to come and pick her up.

That can happen if you don't have an updated registration in your car.

Learned the hard way.

Seriously? Is New Jersey stuck in the 1980's or do they have to "add value" to the tow truck operators that are licensed by the state to do impounds? I haven't carried my insurance nor registration in Georgia for a good 5 years because it is automated. When pulled over I hand the cop my Driver's License because he already has the other information. I just carry those items with me when I leave the state.

 

[David_RU]

Originally posted by sherrane:

Originally posted by miketd1:

Originally posted by knightfan7:

I saw a girl get pulled over outside where I work around Noon Saturday. It's not unusual as there's often a speed trap about a block away. Don't know what happened but they impounded the SUV. Someone had to come and pick her up.

That can happen if you don't have an updated registration in your car.

Learned the hard way.

Seriously? Is New Jersey stuck in the 1980's or do they have to "add value" to the tow truck operators that are licensed by the state to do impounds? I haven't carried my insurance nor registration in Georgia for a good 5 years because it is automated. When pulled over I hand the cop my Driver's License because he already has the other information. I just carry those items with me when I leave the state.

They don't impound the car for failing to carry the registration papers with you. They impound the car for failing to register it. I'm not sure if that is a state law or if it varies town by town.

What gets me is that with the automated license plate scanners they can tell if you have a current registration on the vehicle. Why do people need to turn over registration cards if that is the information is readily available in a database tied to license plate numbers?

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Originally posted by newell138:
THat happened to me but I did have the expired card on me, the cop was nice enough to take that, call my insurance carrier to verify insurance and let me roll

This is the same situation.....I believe that the technology in the cruisers these days can point something at your plate and tell you if your registration is active or expired....I believe it is the same for insurance as well (although not sure).

When I had this issue years ago, I asked the officer this same question, because the exact same thing happened and I've only had one insurance provider for auto from Day one as a driver.....he saw three consecutive years of proof of insurance from the same provider and explained i probably didn't receive it yet or it may have been mailed and I didn't place it in the car.....when I asked if he could quickly verify that everything (Registration and insurance) could be checked from his car, he knew that I knew he could verify it.

He told me to slow up and let me off.....but lesson learned on placing updated items in vehicle or registering car ahead of the expiration on the sticker/dashboard etc....

If you actually take the time to show up to court in B-Town, they will probably be shocked and 2nd will likely drop to a fine vs anything else.

 

[LadyRU09]

The last time I was in EB traffic court, the people there for lack of insurance cards were told that the court looked it up and found that they did have insurance, so the charge was reduced to a failure to show the proper document.

 

[miketd1]

Originally posted by David_RU:

Originally posted by sherrane:

Originally posted by miketd1:

Originally posted by knightfan7:

I saw a girl get pulled over outside where I work around Noon Saturday. It's not unusual as there's often a speed trap about a block away. Don't know what happened but they impounded the SUV. Someone had to come and pick her up.

That can happen if you don't have an updated registration in your car.

Learned the hard way.

Seriously? Is New Jersey stuck in the 1980's or do they have to "add value" to the tow truck operators that are licensed by the state to do impounds? I haven't carried my insurance nor registration in Georgia for a good 5 years because it is automated. When pulled over I hand the cop my Driver's License because he already has the other information. I just carry those items with me when I leave the state.

They don't impound the car for failing to carry the registration papers with you. They impound the car for failing to register it. I'm not sure if that is a state law or if it varies town by town.

What gets me is that with the automated license plate scanners they can tell if you have a current registration on the vehicle. Why do people need to turn over registration cards if that is the information is readily available in a database tied to license plate numbers?

Yup. I never renewed the registration. Expensive, time-consuming, & embarrassing lesson there.

 

[Abro1975]

Hint- use your phone to take a picture of your license, registration, and insurance, in case you forget your paper copies you have something to show . While not official, you can at least show this, and might get a break. Eventually they will be officially accepted imo.

 

[PurpleR]

Lets all fess up here. Police do not stop you for not having an insurance card, there is no conspiracy theory to make money in most police departments ( ok everyone now provide your crooked police department story here) Dollars to doughnuts the car was stopped for a moving violation the officer rather than giving a ticket that he/she knew was going to cost you considerably more money and earning points and impacting your insurance often times will give a break to the driver and write the insurance card and or seat belt violation. In most instances showing that insurance was in effect at the time of the stop will result in the prosecutor dismissing that charge and paying court costs and or some lesser charge.

 

[RU0517581]

"Lets all fess up here. Police do not stop you for not having an insurance card,"


My case was funny. I exited from 208 for Franklin Lakes. I went from 65 mph to 35 - which the car in front of me was doing as we headed down a wooded side road. I didn't know the limit was 25 mph. When the cop pulled me over, the car in front pulled over too. The cop had two of use pulled over. We were both giong the same speed - which I pointed out. That's when the cop said he would chill on the speeding violation after he checked my documents - which I didn't have in the car (it was a day old) but did have at home.

 

[IL Lusciato]

Just bring your ID card and make sure the effective date on the card encompasses the date you were pulled over. Be polite and speak to the prosecutor 99% of the time its costs or something. Should cost like 44 bucks. If that.

 

[batts]

Originally posted by PurpleR:

Lets all fess up here. Police do not stop you for not having an insurance card, there is no conspiracy theory to make money in most police departments ( ok everyone now provide your crooked police department story here) Dollars to doughnuts the car was stopped for a moving violation the officer rather than giving a ticket that he/she knew was going to cost you considerably more money and earning points and impacting your insurance often times will give a break to the driver and write the insurance card and or seat belt violation. In most instances showing that insurance was in effect at the time of the stop will result in the prosecutor dismissing that charge and paying court costs and or some lesser charge.

The last 3 times I was stopped for a moving violation during the past 5 or 6 years, the cop in each instance cut me some slack by issuing a ticket for a small fine, non-point offense. I thanked the cop on each occasion.

With that said, Municipal Courts are money making operations. That benefits defendants as well as the Courts, since the Court will in most instances plea bargain down the more serious offenses calling for suspensions and points to less serious fine only offenses.

 

[Rnation]

just tell the cops that you are a illegal alien and they would have let you go.

 

[FLKnight]

FYI. As of last week the following states accept digital proof of insurance.

States Accepting Digital Proof of Insurance

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming



States Not Accepting Digital Proof of Insurance

Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia

Consumer Insurance Guide

 

[rurichdog]

Originally posted by FLKnight:




FYI. As of last week the following states accept digital proof of insurance.

States Accepting Digital Proof of Insurance

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming



States Not Accepting Digital Proof of Insurance

Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia

NJ will end up being one of the last states to allow digital proof of insurance. It is much more lucrative to ding drivers for $44 for failure to show proper document (in the least).

 

[Scarletwoman]

Well in Edison, proof of Liberty Mutual insurance was accepted digitally. My husband got hit in the Edison train station parking lot, and did not have his renewed insurance card with him in person.

He remembered he had his App on his iphone and produce the insurance card digitally. The officer went to his car and then told him that he had insurance and told him to make sure to put the new insurance card in the glove compartment and let him go. Police officers can verify that you have auto insurance.

 

[Doctor Worm]

The ironic thing is that the insurance card doesn't prove that you have insurance, just that you had it at one time. With my carrier (who bills me annually) they send the new year's insurance card along with the bill. One could lapse the coverage and keep the card. I wouldn't recommend it, but you could.

 

[RU#1fan]

Originally posted by CodyRU:

Originally posted by RU1977:

I assume you were pulled over for some other reason?

yep. "obstructing passage of other vehicles". they had a sting set up and pulled a bunch of people over for going around slower traffic and then merging onto the ramp for the NJTP. Not a huge deal, supposidly just a $50-60 fine with no points

I think I see that "sting" on Route 18 Southbound ramp entrance heading on to the NJ Turnpike. Most folks stay in the right lane and exit for the Turnpike. Meanwhile some knuckleheads who think they are more privilged than everybody else cut over from the middle lane and cross a solid white lane cutting off everyone else into the right exiting lane. It's great see those clowns fined.

 

[IL Lusciato]

Originally posted by Scarletwoman:
Well in Edison, proof of Liberty Mutual insurance was accepted digitally. My husband got hit in the Edison train station parking lot, and did not have his renewed insurance card with him in person.

He remembered he had his App on his iphone and produce the insurance card digitally. The officer went to his car and then told him that he had insurance and told him to make sure to put the new insurance card in the glove compartment and let him go. Police officers can verify that you have auto insurance.

They can verify if you have it, which is the difference between a "driving without insurance" citation which is a serious offense that carries a much heavier fine, and "failure to produce insurance card" which means they know you have it, but no card.

The cop in Edison cut him a break, but if he wanted to, he could have written the ticket for failure to produce the card.

 

[CodyRU]

Originally posted by RU#1fan:

Originally posted by CodyRU:

Originally posted by RU1977:

I assume you were pulled over for some other reason?

yep. "obstructing passage of other vehicles". they had a sting set up and pulled a bunch of people over for going around slower traffic and then merging onto the ramp for the NJTP. Not a huge deal, supposidly just a $50-60 fine with no points

I think I see that "sting" on Route 18 Southbound ramp entrance heading on to the NJ Turnpike. Most folks stay in the right lane and exit for the Turnpike. Meanwhile some knuckleheads who think they are more privilged than everybody else cut over from the middle lane and cross a solid white lane cutting off everyone else into the right exiting lane. It's great see those clowns fined.

i promise thats not even close to what I did. I hate those people with a passion, and would never do that. those people deserve whatever tickets they get

 

[RUpstream]

Originally posted by PurpleR:

Lets all fess up here. Police do not stop you for not having an insurance card, there is no conspiracy theory to make money in most police departments ( ok everyone now provide your crooked police department story here) Dollars to doughnuts the car was stopped for a moving violation the officer rather than giving a ticket that he/she knew was going to cost you considerably more money and earning points and impacting your insurance often times will give a break to the driver and write the insurance card and or seat belt violation. In most instances showing that insurance was in effect at the time of the stop will result in the prosecutor dismissing that charge and paying court costs and or some lesser charge.

Not true...


I like to consider myself a grandpa when driving esp. on Rt 22. I had a cop scan my plate and get me for an expired license. Totally my fault but the irony is that I am far from an aggressive driver. I stay in the right lane and sometimes go 5 MPH over the speed limit (but never in a 65 mph zone bc I am hypersensitive about gas milage)

Worst part is not the $55 ticket, but that the state of NJ imposes a $100 surcharge for 3 years.

 

[PSU_Nut]

Originally posted by Piscataway:
You would think since they require you to give the carrier name and policy number when you renew your registration they would have this information already.

This is just a money making scheme at this point given the ability to verify ANYTHING electronically.

The requirement to carry proof of insurance is not just for the police. Part of the reason they have that law is incase you are involved in an accident. They want you to be able to provide that information to the other driver.

 

[billhobo]

Speak for yourself, David_RU. Yes, it was 20+ years ago, but a Rutgers cop impounded my car because I didn't have my insurance card in the glove compartment. Pulled me over for "obstructed license plate" and IMO was pissed that (at 1 a.m.) I wasn't a drunk driver, so he effed me just for fun.

 

[UCBearcat]

It varies from Court to Court. Most of the time, the charge will be dismissed with costs of about $30, sometimes dismissed without costs, and other times reduced to not having insurance card in your possession. However, you can be on welfare and get a $1/day policy without liability coverage (only medical coverage) and be free as a bird, since they will not issue a ticket for driving without liability insurance coverage.

 

[CodyRU]

If anyone cares the prosecutor asked if I had insurance and when I said yes dropped that charge before I could even get the insurance card out of my pocket. Plead guilty to the other charge

$55 for obstruction plus $33 court costs
Another $33 in court costs for the insurance ticket

How nice of the township to charge you court costs twice! Gotta love this state....
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