My son crashed his car last Christmas day and totaled it. He was out of state. I paid a junk yard $100 to take the car (including towing fees). He got another car and changed his insurance to cover the new car. Now, almost a year later, Maryland (where he lives) has notified him that he has an uninsured auto (the old car) and they will fine him $150 a day until he gets insurance. They will not believe that it is totaled. How do we get around this? Any ideas on what it will take to get them to listen to reason?
Send an email to Breeze. You can email her by clicking here. It will send her an email automatically without having to know her email address. She is an insurance guru and should be able to help you answer your question. I am insured in MD and had a problem with that law when I first moved to the DC area. I also have a friend who was hit hard by that law. It can get expensive very fast. Good luck! -Peace, Dave
You are required by law to return the license plates to the motor vehicle department. You are lucky, in georgia, they will suspend your license and write you later (to tell you they did). Suspended license = trip to the kaboose here. You need to take the receipt of payment, and the person down to the motor vehicle dept and sign an affidavit the car is no longer in your possession.
I am in Georgia too...Once I had this car that was out of commission and damn Geico turned me in for no insurance. Thing is I had cancelled it since the car was down and the repairs would be more than the value of the vehicle. Anyway, I get this letter from the DMV talking about suspension of my license, I called them and said hey this vehicle is no longer operable, the girl said okay...we'll reinstate your license. Probably not as simple in MD, but you should have been given a paper, certificate or form stating that vehicle was a total loss (from insurance co) to present as proof.
He did not have collision insurance because of the value so there was no claim and no insurance company involvement (no injuries). I assume the license plates were crushed with the car. I just called downtown and they are pulling the accident report to see of the officer listed the car as totaled. Then we will see of the state of Maryland will accept that.
I sent you an email - you just need proof that the vehicle was destroyed/sold/disposed of in some way. That should do it. And file a complaint that this law is not publicised in your state. That is the big problem - folks don't know they have to let DMV know they disposed of the car.
Thanks. Just got off the phone with my son. He finally got someone to help. They want the police report and will accept that. So I am off to the police department downtown to get the report.
Next time, keep the liability insurance even if you're temporarily without your car -- liability insurance covers a temporary vehicle also (borrowing your neighbors car while yours is in the shop, etc) AND you won't have problems when you go to get new insurance (some insurance companies require you to have current insurance or puts you in a worse rating plan) I know that doesn't help in the mean time, sorry - you could always sue the state for not making their policy known to the consumer.
