The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has today welcomed the news that the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement regulations have been laid in Parliament.
Under the new powers it will be an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle, rather than just to drive when uninsured.
Graeme Trudgill, BIBA’s Head of Corporate Affairs, explains: “A new system will be launched this spring that compares records on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) with those held on the DVLA Vehicle Database to indentify keepers of uninsured vehicles. “
If vehicle keepers fail to insure, or submit a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN), they could be liable to a fixed penalty of £100, prosecution with a fine of up to £1,000, and/or wheel clamping which could result in the seizure of their vehicle with the attendant costs.
BIBA has been lobbying for the introduction of CIE since 2004 so is delighted that this new system will be introduced. It will create a fairer system for responsible motorists who pay an average £30 each year within their premiums to cover the costs of uninsured driving. It is estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 in the UK every year.
Graeme concludes: “Motorists can check if they are insured at www.askmid.com or should speak to their insurance broker for further guidance.”
Source : BIBA Press Release
