No Insurance ticket / charges in Ontario – Lesson 1 – The Police
- This article is based on a very important topic regarding a No insurance ticket / charges in ontario, “the police.”
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Can the police stop me for something minor, but then charge me with No Insurance?- Absolutely. In fact, often, the police may stop you for a minor offence (eg – lane change, stop sign, etc) and then end up checking your insurance, which can lead to the No Insurance charge (if you do not have a valid policy)
- An insurance check is standard procedure for most routine traffic stops. The police often check insurance, license, etc as a matter of course for all traffic stops.
- Regardless of the original reason for the traffic stop, if you do not have a valid insurance policy, you can be charged with a $6,250 ticket under section (2)(1) of the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (CAIA) in Ontario
How do the police know I have No Insurance?- The police have access to the Insurance database. When they run your insurance, they get a quick notification if your policy is active or not.
- The system is quite accurate, and rarely gives a false positive response. If, for any reason, there is an error, you can simply bring the valid policy to court, and the charges would get withdrawn
- However, you cannot simply show your pink insurance slip. The prosecutor would require a validation of insurance on the date and time that you were pulled over, and have it on the Insurance company’s letterhead. You cannot submit a letter from a broker or a printout of your policy. As stated above, you MUST have a confirmation directly from the Insurance company on their letterhead, or have the prosecutor contact the insurance company for proof of a valid policy at the time of the charge
- Showing a policy that expired just before the charge, or a policy that started after the charge, will not get the charge withdrawn. The prosecutor (the Province) must simply prove that you did not have a valid insurance policy at the time of the road stop.
So that’s it? There’s nothing I can do? I have to pay $6,250?
- The police have access to the Insurance database. When they run your insurance, they get a quick notification if your policy is active or not.
- The system is quite accurate, and rarely gives a false positive response. If, for any reason, there is an error, you can simply bring the valid policy to court, and the charges would get withdrawn
- However, you cannot simply show your pink insurance slip. The prosecutor would require a validation of insurance on the date and time that you were pulled over, and have it on the Insurance company’s letterhead. You cannot submit a letter from a broker or a printout of your policy. As stated above, you MUST have a confirmation directly from the Insurance company on their letterhead, or have the prosecutor contact the insurance company for proof of a valid policy at the time of the charge
- Showing a policy that expired just before the charge, or a policy that started after the charge, will not get the charge withdrawn. The prosecutor (the Province) must simply prove that you did not have a valid insurance policy at the time of the road stop.
So that’s it? There’s nothing I can do? I have to pay $6,250?
Absolutely not! Just because you have been charged with No Insurance, it does not mean that you will be convicted of No Insurance or have a $6,250 fine. The charge is just the beginning of the legal process.
Now it’s time to get some legal advice and proceed carefully. While No Insurance may seem like a “traffic” charge that many people may not take seriously, think more about how you would function if you had to pay $6,250 or more out of your bank account.
That’s how serious this charge can be if not dealt with properly…
This is not a pitch to get your business. Rather, it is an article to get you to reach out and get free legal advice. A proper law firm (that specializes in No Insurance) may have a strategy and legal course of action that could prevent these huge fines. And best of all, this call is free.
You can scroll down below and book a free meeting with Dan Joffe or myself, Jon Cohen. There is no obligation, but the call could change everything.
