yup - I’d be one of the latter (which was exactly my point!)
I think his intention was to not do anything until the plates expired in 2023. And without title or registration in his name, how could he get insurance on the truck?
Based on the response to date, I doubt we’ll ever know more details or the resolution. They come and post and are gone like the wind leaving us to develop all kinds of theories. How dare them not come back and be whipped into shape. Save the Queen.
I think the drunk drivers insurance paid it to the owner of record, Not that hard people.
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Of course that is what happened, we are not simple minded, we have been discussing the mistakes that lead to this.
I wonder if the OP presented the previous owners proof of insurance card to avoid a no insurance ticket. If the accident report submitted shows all of the information of the previous owner, the insurance company is going to issue the check to that person.
As far as I remember, California law requires you to register a vehicle bought from out of state that is going to be domiciled permanently in California within 60 days. But how long the registration is good for in the other state doesn’t matter; you have to register it here in 60 days. I don’t recall whether or not you can get an extension to make it smog legal here. So if this is still the law, and the OP has had the truck in California for more than 60 days, then yes, this is probably illegal. However, the truck having been wrecked, I imagine this is now a moot point. I’d recommend an attorney for the OP.
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OK then, let’s assume the car was illegal because the transfer was not made in the 60 day time period. In California what is the penalty for not registering a car in time? Prison, $50 fine, name in the paper? “Illegal” covers a wide variety of consequences. So even if it was illegal, the penalty I’m sure would not be confiscation of the vehicle or denial of the property. Whether the car should have been transferred or not is really not the issue. It’s how to get the insurance payment to the rightful party. No?
The insurance company is paying the registered owner of the vehicle, I see no court case that could succeed, only the benevolence of the owner to pass on the money. Now if I were the original owner I would be really tempted to say screw you, you failed to register the vehicle, and that could have made me liable if you got into an accident.
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That would apply to a new resident whos vehicle is titled and registered to them. When buying a vehicle the title must be transferred within 10 days.
The OP should be able to handle this by submitting proof of ownership, like faxing a copy of the signed title to the insurance company. If a collision occurs 10 minutes after the sale for example it shouldn’t be difficult to prove the vehicle has been sold.
If you sold the vehicle and no longer have the title then you could be sued for undue enrichment. Registration is not proof of ownership, who owns your leased vehicle?
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Toyoata owns my leased vehicle, but I am responsible for insurance, as spelled out in the lease.