More than a million uninsured vehicles have been taken off the road by police as part of a clampdown on uninsured drivers.
A big part of the police's efforts has been on improper use of company insurance policies. Road risks insurance, along with fleet insurance policies, have been highlighted by Allianz as one of the main areas of abuse.
While a road risk insurance policy can cover an individual or multiple staff members to drive other vehicles as part of their business operations, it is important not to misuse this type of cover. Using road risks insurance to drive vehicles not associated with a motor trade business or allowing family members to use the policy as cover in their personal lives are examples of fraudulent uses of the insurance – not only could this affect the price of future quotes but it could also result in the policy being revoked all together.
The research by the insurers found that uninsured drivers are five times more likely to be involved in road collisions, while they are also involved in the deaths of 130 people and injure 26,500 every year. Furthermore, police seize nearly 2,500 vehicles from uninsured drivers each week and the annual cost of uninsured driving is estimated to be £400 million.
By using the Motor Insurance Database (MID), police can easily identify the owner of a vehicle, whether it is privately owned or owned by a dealership. Motor traders are encouraged to ensure any vehicles they acquire or sell are updated on the MID accordingly.
