My car was in an accident a few weeks back and the insurance company has advised me that they will be writing it off. I've got personalised plates on the car so will want to remove them before the insurance company hauls my car away. When I spoke to the insurance company they said that the car has to have plates on it and that I should go to a VTNZ or similar place that can handle regos and hand my plates in and get a new set to put on the car, and when I get a new car I should go back and get my old personalised plates back.

Is this really how it works? VTNZ hold my old plates until I get a new car (which could be months away)? What if I decide not to get a new car but still want to keep the plates?