Penalties for driving without insurance to get harsher

The government plan to punish uninsured drivers by crushing their cars and imposing much larger fines, if the recommendations of a report are taken on board.  The aim is to have a purge on uninsured drivers, who currently cost the insurance industry £500 million a year adds £30 to the average annual motor insurance premium.  The government also propose that the police and insurance agencies exchange data to assist in catching motorists driving with no insurance.

The police have piloted schemes in Liverpool and Cumbria, confiscating and crushing the vehicle where the owner could not prove they had it insured.  The clear message is that uninsured driving is unacceptable.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) report that the average fine for not having motor insurance is £150 - still much cheaper than an annual car insurance policy.  They also report that 1 in 20 motorists are uninsured.  To deter uninsured driving the aim is to increase the penalties and custodial sentences.  The Motor Insurance database (MID) is already used by the police and integrated into their national computer, allowing mobile officers to catch uninsured drivers via number plate recognition technology.

It is hoped that the provision of one day car insurance by dayinsure.com will reduce the temptation to drive uninsured in a vehicle not belonging to the driver, and reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the road. Even if it represents only a small percentage improvement, it will help towards keeping annual insurance premiums at an affordable level.