Did I dream this?

[Chancer]

I tend to agree with your hypothesis BAF but would like to be sure.

I still dont understand why the UK government does not just enact legislation requiring cars to display an insurance vignette, too simple? too cheap?, too obvious?

I think they are more concerned about fining people for abiding by ever increasing beaurocracy than catching uninsured drivers, with a vignette they would not even have to release any coppers from their desks, donuts and internet to find the culprits, there are enough  RA's (concerned citizens) left in the country to do it for them [:D]

[Sunday Driver]

The requirement for motor insurance is set out in the code des assurances Art L211-1:

Toute personne physique ou toute personne morale autre que l'Etat, dont la responsabilité civile peut être engagée en raison de dommages subis par des tiers résultant d'atteintes aux personnes ou aux biens dans la réalisation desquels un véhicule est impliqué, doit, pour faire circuler celui-ci, être couverte par une assurance garantissant cette responsabilité, dans les conditions fixées par décret en Conseil d'Etat. Pour l'application du présent article, on entend par " véhicule" tout véhicule terrestre à moteur, c'est-à-dire tout véhicule automoteur destiné à circuler sur le sol et qui peut être actionné par une force mécanique sans être lié à une voie ferrée, ainsi que toute remorque, même non attelée.

Les contrats d'assurance couvrant la responsabilité mentionnée au premier alinéa du présent article doivent également couvrir la responsabilité civile de toute personne ayant la garde ou la conduite, même non autorisée, du véhicule, à l'exception des professionnels de la réparation, de la vente et du contrôle de l'automobile, ainsi que la responsabilité civile des passagers du véhicule objet de l'assurance. Toutefois, en cas de vol d'un véhicule, ces contrats ne couvrent pas la réparation des dommages subis par les auteurs, coauteurs ou complices du vol.

L'assureur est subrogé dans les droits que possède le créancier de l'indemnité contre la personne responsable de l'accident lorsque la garde ou la conduite du véhicule a été obtenue contre le gré du propriétaire.

Ces contrats doivent être souscrits auprès d'une entreprise d'assurance agréée pour pratiquer les opérations d'assurance contre les accidents résultant de l'emploi de véhicules automobiles.

Les membres de la famille du conducteur ou de l'assuré, ainsi que les élèves d'un établissement d'enseignement de la conduite des véhicules terrestres à moteur agréé, en cours de formation ou d'examen, sont considérés comme des tiers au sens du premier alinéa du présent article.

That seems to suggest that if a vehicle is physically capable of being driven, then one must have third party insurance in place to cover anyone who may drive it - with or without your permission.

 

[Boiling a frog]

Official translation from Legifrance

 

 

Article L211-1
(Act no.81-5 of 7 January 1981, Article 2-i, Official Journal of 8 January 1981 in force on 1 July 1981)
(Act no. 85-677 of 5 July 1985, Article 7 and 8, Official Journal of 6 July 1985 in force on 1 January 1986)
(Act no. 89-1014 of 31 December 1989, Article 50, Official Journal of 3 January 1990 in force on 1 July 1990)
(Act no. 93-1444 of 31 December 1993, Article 18, Official Journal of 5 January 1994)
(Act no. 99-505 of 18 June 1999, Article 5, Official Journal of 19 June 1999)
       Any individual or legal entity other than the State, whose public liability may be incurred due to damage sustained by third parties as a result of personal injury or material damage, during the occurrence of which a motor vehicle as well as its trailers or semi-trailers is involved must, to drive such vehicles, be covered by insurance covering such liability in accordance under the terms defined by decree in Conseil d'Etat.
       Insurance contracts covering the liability referred to in the first paragraph of this article must also cover the public liability of any person who has custody of the vehicle or who drives the vehicle, even if not so authorised, with the exception of professionals involved in the repair, sale and inspection of the car, as well as the public liability of passengers of the vehicle covered by insurance. However, in the event of the theft of a vehicle, said contracts shall not cover compensation for losses sustained by the perpetrators, co-perpetrators or accomplices.
       The insurer shall be subrogated in the creditor of the compensation’s rights against the person liable for the accident when the custody of the vehicle was obtained or when the vehicle was driven against the owner’s will.
       Said contracts must be contracted with an insurance firm that it is authorised to provide motoring accident insurance.
       The members of the driver’s or the insured’s family as well as the pupils of an authorised motor driving school during training or examination shall be deemed to be third parties within the meaning of the first paragraph of this Article.

 

 

The first paragraph clearly states that motor vehicles being driven must be covered by insurance as well as trailers.

Second paragraph is perhaps the one that assurance coys rely on but why the custody or drive. I would suggest that this paragraph is designed to cover third parties if the car is stolen or if it loaned to someone else who is not the insured.  

[Chancer]

SD

I disagree with what you think the code des assurances "suggests", it is a clear code, not intended to make suggestions or be extrapolated.

The article refers to the insured(s) as toute personne physique ou toute personne morale, as in all Europe it is the person that is insured under the conditions of the policy not the vehicle.

What it says is that anyone who drives a vehicle must carry insurance, not every vehicle must be insured in case it is stolen from where it is stored.

I like the bit where it says that contracts of motor insurance must cover civil liabilities even when driven by unauthorised people but  thieves, co-thieves and their accomplices cannot claim against the insurance if they suffer loss or damage [:D]