The scamming insurance salesman cartoon is well known to us all, as is the second hand car salesman, and it seems that this is not necessarily a misnomer.

One of our readers recently went to purchase the  legally required insurance for her vehicle. The existing insurance expired three weeks after the end of the quarter, around mid-January 2013.

But the insurance company insisted that the new insurance could only be issued with validity until 31 December 2013, as it had to expire at the same time as the vehicle licence/tax disc.

This is clearly incorrect as insurance cover can be issued for any length of time (according to what the client requires) and in the case of vehicle insurance it is usually valid for one year.

Please be on the lookout for this if you are renewing your insurance and don’t let them rip you off.