Instant impound' ordinance now in effect

EL PASO -- If you're driving around town with no insurance, your car will be impounded and getting it back may end up costing more than a $1,000.

Sunday, the city's recently adopted "instant impound" ordinance went into effect. Police officers will use a variety of methods to verify if drivers pulled over for a traffic violation have insurance. The ordinance will also apply to drivers involved in crashes.

However, police officials have said officers will determine if the severity of the traffic violation warrants the implementation of the ordinance.

Some El Paso drivers believe the ordinance will actually help them save money. "If more people would buy insurance for their cars, our rates would go down because they wouldn't have to subsidize for the people that don't have insurance," said Barron Fletcher, an insured driver.

In fact, nearly 70 percent of ABC-7 viewers who participated in a recent KVIA.com poll said they were in favor of the ordinance.

Prior to passage of the ordinance, Mayor John Cook and City Representative Carl Robinson expressed some concerns. Cook said 50,000 citations were issued to uninsured drivers in 2008 and added the city did not have the capability to take care of the vehicles of thousands of uninsured drivers. Robinson said the ordinance would place an extra burden on a police force already spread thin due to budget cuts.

The city's fine for not having auto insurance is $275. This is in addition to a $260 fine imposed by the state of Texas that will have to be paid for three consecutive years. The total in fines will easily exceed $1,000 under current figures.

The company that impounds vehicles for the city charges $66 for impounding. It also charges a one-time fee of $50 if the vehicle remains in their lot for more than 24 hours. After that, a fee of $15 is placed for each day the vehicle remains in the lot.

Once you take care of all these fines, you will also have to display proof of insurance to get your vehicle back.



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Buying Car Insurance, Easy as 1, 2, 3 at a Yacht Expo

Elmo Insurance, for the third consecutive year, participated in the September Boat Show. This year the event took between the 24th to the 27th September. Boat owners and yacht importers exhibited luxury yachts and support services while children ran around the marina with their Elmo Insurance balloons flying up high.

Besides handing out boat quotations to the eager new boat owners, Elmo Insurance launched for the first time their Click, Quote and Buy Online Car Insurance to visitors attending the four-day expo. Furthermore, Elmo introduced its Renew Online facility for car insurance.

There was great interest in the Elmo Buy Online option, especially because the whole process was done via a mobile internet technology on a simple laptop. Elmo insurance advisors had the opportunity to show their new customers how to generate an instant online quote. They guided them through the easy online steps to purchase their new insurance cover and all was concluded direct during the boat show. Elmo’s staff reminded their customers that they can avail themselves of the instant online renewal option, when their insurance and car licence expires.

Online purchasing is an easy 3-step process involves: 1. inputting the basic quotation details, additional details in step 2 and a final quick purchase cover option in step 3.

If you wish to find out how much you should be paying for your car insurance, or if you just wish to get an instant online quote, visit www.elmogroup.com and click on the Buy Your Car Insurance Online button.

Alternatively you may contact Elmo Insurance Ltd. in Ta’ Xbiex on Tel: 2343 0150 and they will guide you through the 3 quick and easy steps to fill in your insurance details. All documentation will be posted to your address hassle free.


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