Originally Posted by -ralph-

Brilliant news, but I think it will lead to more untaxed vehicles as people stick it on direct debit and forget about it and something at the DVLA, the bank, or the available funds in the account screws it up.

For the first half of ths year one of my bikes was uninsured because the insurance broker failed to place the policy with the underwriter, but they sent me all the paperwork and were taking the direct debit for the other policy, so I never noticed that I wasn't paying for the second one. The insurance company said they would have honoured a claim as it wasn't my fault, but if stopped by the police I would have been riding uninsured and in he eyes of the law hat would be the end of it, my responsibility.

At least with the bit of paper, if you have it, you've paid for it, no argument.