DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Letter proving that you have vehicle insurance rant

Last monday I was driving to work and I get pulled over at 5:15 am. I'm thinking what the heck am I being pulled over for. The cop tells me I'm driving under suspension???

I show him my proof of insurance but it doesn't matter. This was for back in march. The state mailed me a random letter. I sent in my info, I had nothing to hide, I had insurance. Well something must have went wrong with the mail or how they handled the paperwork. I never heard anything back that something was wrong, and I never got notice I was suspended.

They towed my car, I missed that day of work because I was told to release my car from the impound lot that I needed a court ordered release and my court date was 3 days later. I knew I couldn't wait those 3 days because the cost would be more at the tow yard. You can show up at traffic court at least in Cuyahoga Falls before your assigned date. So I show up that day and miss a days pay. I work five 10 hour days. 10 hours overtime every week. And I blew my perfect attendance for the quarter, a potential 100.00 bonus.

I proved I always had insurance, they drop my case and say I only need to pay court costs. I'm thinking fine, court costs might be 50-75.00. Nope, 181.00. I never did anything wrong and the final tally is I will have lost 150.00 in O.T. pay, 135.00 to get my car out of tow, 100.00 perfect attendance bonus (potentially), and here's the kicker, I didn't have 181.00 to pay the court costs, I went on a payment plan to pay it off in 30 days, so they add another 20.00 to it. But they won't give me my license back until I pay the court costs even though I am no longer suspended and free to drive. I would probably get pulled over somehow and get a ticket for not having a license on me and pay a 150.00 fee or whatever it is. So I had to borrow the money to get it back.

So I'm broke this week and broke next week due to my short paycheck. I'm in the hole 400.00 and I was totally innocent of everything. So my point is if you have to prove that you have insurance, send the paperwork down and FOLLOW IT UP! Because they won't tell you if something is wrong.

Now I feel a little bit better, but still broke. Ramen noodles the rest of the week for me and the family.

Sorry to hear that dude...that sucks.

The whole system is about money. If they just wanted money to begin with, just ask for it!

ndutyme is right - it is all about money.

Ohio has been after me for close to 2 years for not filing a tax return for a business I had - it closed up in 2000. Tax returns WERE sent. I even have a notice from the state that the business does not exist. The problem is, the state says I owe for 2003. With penalties and what not, it was over $3500 they wanted, for a business that did not exist.

They are now down to "we'll settle this for $560". I have the letters, etc. How can a sub S corp. owe taxes when: they were out of business, all returns were filed on time prior to that, there was no income anyway, and the state has recognized that the business was "cancelled"?

They are threatening to seize assets. Being a sub S corp, there are no assets anyway, being as it was dissolved.

Money. They figure if they push and threaten enough, people will give in.

Thats nice of them to tell you that you were suspended Maybe if you follow up with the BMV you can somehow get the money you paid out today. Too bad you ca't tell that judge to stick his court costs right up his you kow what Unreal story,,sorry about your luck man. that stinks.

He wasn't even a judge, a magistrate. A wannabe judge to boot!

Ugh.

I don't believe they still charged you court costs for standing up and proving it was the State of Ohio's mistake. I mean what costs did they incur? Focusing his eyes on your proof of insurance documents? I would seriously contact the State and explain what happened and demand a refund of your costs b/c of their mistake. the fact that they never notified you that you were suspended is a crock of bull.
My little brother has a terrible record and I remember them sending him a letter once saying he was suspended and he needed to send his license plates to Columbus. I just don't believe they can spend the money to mail those letters out (FRA letters) and not send anything to those who don't comply (or do and they mess up)

Well the State of Ohio can always use the ole "we never received our letter back stating he had insurance" But still why wouldn't you notify the person that they aren't in compliance? I know why. because if they don't know they are 10x more likely to get stopped and thus create more income for the State and local Government!! Good plan! I guess if anyone else on here gets one of those letters, make sure you get delivery confirmation when you mail it back.

I feel your pain. I had a vehicle stolen by a kid. The cops caught him and wrote him some sort of ticket but on that ticket the cop checked the box that said no proof of insurance so somehow I got notice demanding proof of insurance. That wouldn't have been so bad except the cop also transposed the numbers in the plate and now the state wanted proof of insurance for a vehicle I didn't own. I had to talk to the cop and he had to write down what happened. He was less than pleased to do this. He didn't want to admit he goofed and went on and on about how thieves steal plates blah blah..I had to beg but he finally relented. Then I had to go over to Snowville which is alot like Disney World without the fun. You start in a big room and wait your turn until they call you. When you're called you think your getting somewhere only to find out your in another big waiting room and have to wait to tell your sad story to someone else.I believe there are three or four of these waiting room mazes. I should have packed a lunch it took most of the day and when I left I still wasn't convinced it was straightend out until I got confirmation in the mail a couple of weeks later.

Okay, I'm sharing your outrage. Once you settle down, please let us know who mailed you a random letter. When you write "the state" that's too ambiguous. Clue us in on specific departments, names would be even better. Then let's start some sort of organized action. From the state to the cop to the judge, I say let's go after these bozos. The crap we take these days would make our country's founding fathers roll over in their graves.

That is unreal. Sorry about all that happened. Hopefully you can reclaim part or all of your expenses.

Stupid state. Sorry you are going through this, but thanks for the warning. I'll send it to them requiring a signature/return receipt if I ever get one.

If I were you, and just for kicks, I would put together a little packet of charges you've incurred and send it to the insurance compliance department demanding payment since none of this was your fault. I would also talk to your local tv station - around here they have segments with consumer complaints and many times going public can help get some resolution.

WOW,, assuming there isn't another side to this story,, that's a shame.

And frankly, I would not stand for it, not one second. But instead of hiring an attorney to go fight city hall, I'll got to one of the TV stations and ask thier investigative team if they would like to work on this.

It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of if it's as you describe.. Don't let it go,, they need taught a lesson.

That is absolutely ridiculous. I hate government.

I smell the plot for another Rambo movie

Really? I've never received one of those letters. Of course, I have a company car, so maybe that's why. It's leased to a corporation as opposed to an individual. But the hubs hasn't received one of those letters either. I'll have to keep a look out for that.

Well, there are lots of people in Ohio. I know quite a few people who have gotten them. They've been doing this for years.

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they send out random checks.

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Maybe next year they will send out random iPods.

By checks I assume you mean checks on insurance and not checks as in money.

If they did, that would be really confusing, but why complain.

OK...another reason not to live in Ohio.

I suppose it possible the state got it messed up, but I also suppose it possible JC didn't comply with all the information requested, or did not do so on a timely basis.

If he feels all of his burdens were met, my next move would be with his local state senator...(state, not federal).

Send a letter or call his/her local office and see if he or she can provide some assistance. They should be able to recover a portion of the funds.

There are two things that bother me about this,

1. I know what others have said, but I've lived in Ohio since 1973 and haven't received a letter of this type and I know of nobody that has.

2. I question whether or not the state has the right to revoke your license for not responding to a letter if the response is untracable.

But let's assume I"m totally wrong... And indeed they do send those letter and indeed can revoke or suspend your license,, it's a bad move by the state and they should be called on it...

I'd fight them with every ounce of my being.

I'm no legal scholar, but it seems that it would, at the very least, be in violation of the search and siezure laws... You can't stop somebody without cause and ask to see their ID... You can't walk up to a guy mowing his lawn and demand to see last years tax documents to make sure he filed... So I don't see how you can send out random letters forcing people to prove they have insurance, if you have no reason to believe they don't....

Am I totally wrong about that? Or is that another right we give up when we get a driver's license?

I remember a story about a guy years ago who had his license suspended and all kinds of stuff went wrong for him at that point and he made a big stink about it. As I recall, he stated that he never got the letter.

That's the thing with this, there is no record of receiving or notification that they have received the information. It's just their word against your's....and you know how that goes.

To you, ballpeen, and damanshot:

I have gotten that very letter being discussed.

It's a random check - that's why some get it and some don't.

Is it legal? Apparently. Keep in mind, the ability to drive is not a right given to us by the state. As long as we, as drivers, abide by the laws, we are allowed to drive. We are not given the right, we're given the opportunity, so to speak.

http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/financial_responsibility/fr_requirements.htm


Ohio Financial Responsibility Law


Proof of financial responsibility is required to be verified under the following circumstances:

When an individual or a motor vehicle owned by the individual is involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in bodily injury to or death of any individual or more than $400 of property damage and a complaint is filed with the BMV alleging that the driver or owner was uninsured at the time of the accident. The law permits the driver of any motor vehicle "which is in any manner involved" in such an accident to forward, within six months of the accident, a written report to the Registrar alleging that a driver or owner of any other vehicle involved in the accident was uninsured at the time of the accident. The BMV must send notice of the allegation to that driver and owner. Within 30 days after the mailing of the notice, the driver or owner must forward a report and acceptable proof of financial responsibility to the BMV.

When an individual receives a traffic ticket indicating that proof of the maintenance of financial responsibility was not produced upon the request of a peace officer or State Highway Patrol trooper during the enforcement of Ohio traffic laws or during a motor vehicle inspection. The individual must submit proof to the traffic violations bureau with payment of a fine and costs for the ticketed violation or, if the individual is to appear in court for the ticketed violation, the individual must submit proof to the court.

Whenever an individual is found guilty of a violation of a traffic offense that requires a court appearance. The court must require the individual to verify the existence, at the time of the offense, of proof of financial responsibility covering the individual's operation of the motor vehicle or covering the motor vehicle if registered in the individual's name.

Whenever an individual is randomly selected by the BMV and requested to provide financial responsibility verification.

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That's the thing with this, there is no record of receiving or notification that they have received the information. It's just their word against your's....and you know how that goes.

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That's why I'm questioning this letter in the first place.. something smells funny to me about this..

DC,, I'm not at all sure you are wrong about the search and seizure comment.. I wonder what the probable cause is..

Here's my guess and please, it's only a guess. I believe in the State of Ohio, if your car insurance lapses, the insurance company is required to send notification to the state. Now, if that's the case, perhaps the state is responding to that kind of letter from an insurance carrier..

But even at that, for them to assume you don't have insurance, is kinda like saying,, your guilty until proven innocent.. Call me crazy, but that is not how it's supposed to work is it?

Well that happend' to me years ago, Got pulled over for failure to signal, and they said that my license had been suspended for the last 4 years! Went to court and the judge asked me if there was anything I would like to say before handing down my fine....So I say if they are suspended then how did I get new one's just last year? long story short, it was an error in the computer from the dmv, But I still had to pay the court cost!

I believe you are thinking about a car you are paying a loan on. The insurance company is to notify the bank if you drop your coverage as it is required by the bank or entity loaning the money. Not the state. This is totally random as the law states.

I still think you could challenge the constitutionality of that law.. I think you should drop everything and go for it Jules.

I'll get right on that.....


(That's actually the secret code sentence for some of us at work. If someone brings us something to take care of and we say that, it means not a chance in hell will it get done.)

here in Nevada if your insuranse laps they send you and the bmv a letter staiting that you have no insurance and you have I believe 10 day's to get it reinstated or lose your driving privlege's.

That's what I was thinking

You are basically right. I do collections for past due premiums.

have you talked to your insurance company, they may be able to help you...

i do know that if you ever get a letter to prove insurance, you can have your company take care of it for you...

that's really dumb and unnecassary what happened to you, plus you lost out on a work bonus, unfair.

My dad said I shouldn't have to pay court costs if they dropped my case and that I should fight it. I'm not going to. I doubt it will be as easy as going down there and they say sure, we'll refund you right away. This would probably mean more time off work to go the the court house etc. It would be hard to get my money back. I'll just take my losses and move on.

Oh by the way because I was so broke this week because of the court costs I had to take out a 100.00 cash advance to cover gas for the rest of the week, daughters school lunch money etc. So now I'll lose another 15.00 when I pay that advance back and be done with it. This has been a lovely experience. Just learn from me and follow up on paperwork that you send down.

Normally that is true.

Did they drop the case or did the judge reduce it to court cost?

Those little details many times make a big difference.

But you are right. Any time you are dealing with serious matters, you need to use registered mail, keep receipts, letters, names, times, etc, because if you end up in a bind and don't have them, you can bet the other side does.