Gardaí in Kilkenny issue statement on printed insurance discs
Gardaí have taken to social media to bring attention to the topic of insurance documentation.
"We've covered similar stories to this before but the subject remains relevant," gardaí stated on social media.
"Sometime over the past few years many insurance companies decided to give policy holders the online option of printing out their documents at out at home.
"A local Kilkenny driving instructor spoke to one of our members yesterday about noticing one pupil's car with an expired insurance disc displayed.
"Further enquiries confirmed that the policy was in force and indeed paid for in full several weeks before the old policy was due to expire, but that the customer had not been issued documents as a result of ticking a box which she presumed was related to 'cookies' on the site.
"The box was a consent to issuing documents electronically. This instructor also cited an example of a case where a driving tester refused to give a candidate their test due to a poorly printed disc.
"You must remember that inkjet prints can fade over time and are not moisture proof. If your insurance company don't send out proper documents and instead require you to print them, the onus is on you to use a suitable printer, say a colour laser printer, to ensure longevity.
"Statutory Instrument 355 (1984) dictates that an insurance disc must be issued in paper form. If required to produce a certificate of insurance, you will have to request a certificate from your company."