Where do you keep your car insurance certificate?

[mint]

After 40 years of keeping my insurance, MOT/CT documents in the car, OH suddenly asked me the other day whether that was a wise thing to do and what would I do if the car got stolen?

I mean, it wasn't something I'd ever thought about and, especially since living in France, I am in dread of being asked for my papiers and being unable to provide everything relating to the car.

What do other people do?

[woolybanana]

My insurance certificate is in my man bag but the carte grise is in the car, this latter not being a good idea.

[Mr Ceour de Lion II]

I always thought the little green thing on your windscreen was enough to prove insurance?

Always kept my certificate at home where it was safe.

[idun]

But surely in France one has to have all the papers 'in' the car at all times. OR has all that changed.

[Pickles]

My understanding is that originals of the papers (Carte grise, insurance) need to be IN the car when it is being used, and preferably NOT left in the car when it is unattended (in case of theft).

[NormanH]

I always kept my car 'papers' in my wallet ...

There is little else in it [:'(]

[Anton Redman]

It is a €90 fine if you cannot produce either the insurance or CG if stopped by the police.

[mint]

[quote user="Pickles"]My understanding is that originals of the papers (Carte grise, insurance) need to be IN the car when it is being used, and preferably NOT left in the car when it is unattended (in case of theft).[/quote]

I can see that makes perfect sense, Pickles.

But it's such a kerfuffle to have to remember to take it all when you go anywhere.  For example, when I drive the dog out in the mornings to a suitable walking path, I have to remember sunblock or mac (sometimes both), driving license, mobile (a recent requirement since OH was taken ill), reading glasses (to see the numbers on the mobile), dog lead, poo bag and car keys.

I have to mentally go through the list every morning.

I think I'll do what I have done for the last 40 years, that is, keep everything in the car [:-))]

[idun]

Isn't that why everyone has a bag in France, because they need their papers with them at all times??[Www]

Sounds like you need a little back pack sweet17 with a kit of everything you need in it, and just pick that up on your way out....... just don't forget the dog[:-))]

[Mr Ceour de Lion II]

In today's technological world surely these documents could all be reproduced electronically on a phone? Very impractical to carry stuff around sometimes.

Or why not keep a photocopy of the insurance in the car?

[idun]

. The gendarmes need to see the originals if they stop you and not photocopies. We kept photocopies at home.

[Rabbie]

My Certificate of Insurance was sent to me as an email attachment so no need to photocopy just print out two copies  and keep one in the car and one in a filing cabinet. 

[Mr Ceour de Lion II]

[quote user="Rabbie"]

My Certificate of Insurance was sent to me as an email attachment so no need to photocopy just print out two copies  and keep one in the car and one in a filing cabinet. 

[/quote]

Now that makes sense.

[minnie]

Added to this you should really have your carte vitale with you at all times - which means either keeping it in the car or on your person.....you might need it urgently when you're out.

This is why blokes in France carry man bags

[mint]

[quote user="minnie"]Added to this you should really have your carte vitale with you at all times - which means either keeping it in the car or on your person.....you might need it urgently when you're out. This is why blokes in France carry man bags[/quote]

Ah, minnie, the carte vitale is a different matter altogether.  I NEVER leave home without my credit cards and my carte vitale![:D]

[AnOther]

I think the simple answer is to keep the documents in the car but somewhere a little less obvious than the glove box !

The documents include the CT certificate BTW.

If a car does get stolen though I'm not entirely clear on how having the documents really helps a thief that much, it's pretty hard to sell a car to an unsuspecting buyer when those are all in somebody else's name, would you buy it ?

Paradoxically having the carte grise could even aid in recovering a car because if a thief did actually manage to sell it to an innocent punter then it's history would be revealed the second he tried to register it.

I would have though that a copy of your CPAM attestation would be a better item to carry than a carte vitale which is little more than a payment card.

[DraytonBoy]

When learning to drive our kids were told that you must have the insurance certificate, licence, carte grise and CT available for inspection by gendarmes. However they were also advised not to leave the carte grise in the car as if stolen it could be used to get cloned plates.

[Val_2]

Living in a tourist hot spot you learn not to leave anything at all in your car if you park up, too many cars broken into over the years and people finding their car papers strewn all over the ground if the thieves don't want them. Today with identity theft on the increase, its best to keep everything on you in a bag or wallet and even taking my car five minutes down the port to walk the dog, I take my car papers all neat in a little wallet that fits inside my jacket pocket or a little shoulder bag.Replacing papers is a nightmare as the gendarmes become involved. I don't even leave the dog in the car when its cooler to pop into a supermarket as he was the target of an attempted theft two years ago by manouche! No where is safe these days regardless of what you may think,there is always someone out there with no money ready to steal to buy their drugs or drink.

[AnOther]

If you want cloned plates you can order them on the Internet with no questions asked !

[YCCMB]

Many years ago, I was staying with a friend in La Croix Valmer, and whilst we were all in the house, an opportunist thief walked in through an open door and stole my friend's man-bag which was on the stairs.

It had his insurance, carte grise, carte di'dentite, passport and a number of other important papers. He was off on a business trip a few days later. complete nightmare. I doubt the thief wanted any of this stuff, just money and credit cards.

This whole idea of having to carry so much paperwork around with you does seem a bit ill-thought-out. If you leave them all in the same place, whether they're with you, at home, in the car..there's probably a fairly equal chance of them being stolen.