Just need to vent...

YouTube is replete with knuckleheads willing to challenge a policeman's authority - all preserved on the officer's body cam. It never goes well. Often, the knuckleheads end up on the ground yelling & screaming, "he killin' me - he killin' me !!!" ..... thinking that will make the cop NOT take them to jail .

.... or the Sovereign citizen whack jobs flashing their home made laser printer I.D. - proving constitutional right to drive with no registration or license. (sigh)

 

all vehicles sold off the lots must have temporary "plates" posted in plain view on the car

and that's just the beginning you had better have proof of insurance as well as the proper papers for the vehicle in case a policeman stops you or you are involved in an accident - in our area and I would think all of the USA you could quickly end up in jail without these.

the USA is not the wild west enterprise some would have you believe

 

Around here, the usual informed-consumer advice is to prefer lining up your own insurance with your own chosen insurer, your own financing through your chosen financial outfit if you're going to finance, and handle your old car, if you have one, as a separate transaction, declining dealer offers to bundle this stuff in.

When I lived in Michigan, I couldn't renew a car registration without bringing my current proof of insurance with me to the counter.

Here in Indiana I can, which is a little scary, having grown up the other way. The question isn't even asked. Instead of checking at registration time, they require proof that you had insurance in effect at the time of any reported accident, or certain moving violations, or at any other time the BMV just feels like asking (though I've never heard of that happening). You get 90 days to arrange for your insurer to send in a certification that your coverage was in effect on the date in question.

So it's not like you'll be riding away from the scene in the back of the squad car. But 90 days later, if you didn't come up with the certificate, you'll have your license suspended then, and possibly face a fine up to $10k, or up to 60 days in jail if it's not your first time.

 

In our state - which is directly below you - you are required to present proof of insurance at registration - also our state somehow receives notification if insurance is cancelled (not switched) after you've registered your vehicle.

Not having insurance when stopped by a policeman or if you have an accident is grounds for immediate arrest and jail but unfortunately often results in just a warning and court appearance for minor incidences.
...i would like to see driving without insurance result in a $500 fine or defined community service worth $500 or force jailed time with monitored community service worth $500.

..wonder if Indiana doesn't do an active check on the records for an insurance policy when a citizen does a registration?

 

Obviously insurance companies have a picuniary interest in keeping people insured - so one would expect them to notify their local DMV - at least in some states. Once in the system, & with the advent of license plate readers (past decade or more), there's a potential income stream that (one might imagine) wouldn't ignored. Thank you for the heads up George Orwell

 

In Indiana, if you do certain Bad Things, you can be required to have your insurer file an SR-22 form that confirms your ongoing coverage and that they will notify the state if that changes. Otherwise, you don't have to, and it's all handled by the certificate of compliance after an event.