Can a cop impound my parked car because it has an expired insurance card (but it is fully insured)?

The car was parked in an assigned lot where I live on a college campus. It was legally parked. My car was vandalized and therefore a cop was called. Apparently my insurance card was 7 days expired, and I just forgot to put in the new card. Unfortunely my permnant address was 1 hour away and so thus the new card was there too. The cop said he needed to impound my car unless i show him the new card. Can the cop impound my car even though there is no moving violation involved?

fire4511

The police office was way out of line, and you should file a complaint with his supervisor! You were not driving the car, therefore you were not required to have proof of insurance. You were the victim of a crime, and the officer made you a victim twice.

Pat B

No. First of all the car was legally parked and it wasn't moving. Second he was just being difficult because all they can do is give you a ticket for being uninsured. Once you get the ticket you plead not guilty and go to court with proof of your insurance at the time. Once you provide the proof the judge will dismiss the fine.

Leah

My boyfriend forgot to put his new insurance card in his car but the cop that pulled him over said that the old one was fine and just looked it up. A friend of mine was pulled over and didn't have his insurance info on him but is fully insured. The cop gave him a ticket but told him that he just needed to bring in his proof of insurance to the court with the ticket and that it would be waived. Maybe they just got lucky but It doesn't seem like he should've impounded your car for that considering all he had to do was look up the info.

kramr1971

I know in Canada that should never happen. You don't need insurance to have your car parked, in fact you don't even need plates. Once that car starts to move (not being towed or pushed), you need the insurance and a valid up to date insurace card to prove it (along with registered plates of course). I was rear ended about 5 years ago (nothing serious - about $600 in damage). I had my updated insurance card at home. The one I had in my car expired two days before the accident. I was given a conditional ticket. I had 48 hours to produce to the police that I had/have valid insurance, once that was done the ticket was voided.

UCANTCME

UNFORTUNATELY YES HE CAN AND THIS IS COMMON PRACTICE WITH MANY COLLEGES EVERYWHERE.

ajwatuc

I would imagine he could but it seems unlikely a cop would especially since you can have the cop call your insurance agency and give him all the info he needs. lso is the car in your name? If its not then he wouldn't be able to impound it.

oklatom

There is a violation. You are to have your insurance card so you can show it to an officer when he asks. Since you were not able to show him proof, indeed he can order your car towed.

bubba

You cannot keep your car w/o insurance in a public place, even when you need authorization to get in. Now, as long as I know cops have computers that make the job for them, so he just needed to type your insurance # in his computer and pop the true up. It should not be impounded just b/c you did not have your renewed insurance card. He can give you a ticket for no carrying correct paperwork thou.....

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