The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles . . .

[asahi]

I’ve lived in several states and I’m moving again. I dread DMVs. There’s not a single one that doesn’t give you a headache.

[TruCelt]

@BwanaBob

I thought it was common knowledge that the very last thing you do with any vehicle disposal (sale/transfer/junking) is inform your insurer to cancel the policy. All states go crazy over uninsured vehicles. It may cost you a few bucks to have coverage on a vehicle you no longer “own” but it is really the only right way to do it.

Actually, something I’ve learned in my research on this nightmare: It’s illegal to insure property that doesn’t belong to you, and in which you have no identifiable interest. Also, Va DMV procedure functionally requires - without openly stating such - that you do this.

[TokyoBayer]

It may have been said in here, but what is the exact procedure you needed to have done?

After you sell a car, turn in the plates first, then cancel the insurance?

Fortunately Japan isn’t that insane about their requirements.

[Folacin]

@TruCelt

Actually, something I’ve learned in my research on this nightmare: It’s illegal to insure property that doesn’t belong to you, and in which you have no identifiable interest. Also, Va DMV procedure functionally requires - without openly stating such - that you do this.

I think (IANAL or insurance guy) that you would only be in jeopardy if you submitted a claim after you sold the vehicle.

[ivylass]

Our local DMV runs pretty smoothly. Check in, tell them what you need, then wait until they call you. They have about 10 or so staff so you can get in and out pretty quickly.

The only glitch we ran into was trying to replace a handicap placard. We took one on vacation and lost it. We still had another current one but wanted to replace the one we lost. They wouldn’t do it without a doctor’s note, despite the fact that we had a current one.

Oh, but selling us two handicap license plates? No problem, fill this out, have a seat, and we’ll call you shortly.

[doreen]

@TruCelt

Actually, something I’ve learned in my research on this nightmare: It’s illegal to insure property that doesn’t belong to you, and in which you have no identifiable interest. Also, Va DMV procedure functionally requires - without openly stating such - that you do this.

From what I found it seems that you do not have to insure a vehicle you don’t own - you simply have to first notify DMV when you no longer own the vehicle and then cancel the insurance so that you don’t have a registered but uninsured vehicle rather than cancel the insurance today and wait to notify DMV. Nobody is tracking anything so closely that they could tell that you signed the bill of sale at 1pm, notified DMV online at 1:30 pm and cancelled the insurance at 2pm. And even if they could, it doesn’t matter - it’s not illegal to insure something that’s not yours in the sense that it’s a criminal offense. Insurance companies simply won’t sell you insurance if you don’t have an insurable interest. No one gets arrested or even a ticket because everything couldn’t happen simultaneously.

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