UNINSURED DRIVERS RISK
HAVING THEIR CARS SEIZED,

MIBI Warning follows jump in number of uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) is warning uninsured drivers they face major penalties if they do not meet their legal obligation to hold a valid motor insurance policy when driving on Irish roads. The penalties applying to uninsured drivers include having their vehicles seized on the spot, an automatic court appearance, five penalty points and a significant fine if they are caught driving without insurance. As well as these penalties, any accidents involving uninsured drivers will see the MIBI pursue the individuals involved for costs under their right of recovery.

The MIBI issued this warning following a significant increase this year in the estimated number of uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads. As of the end of November there were over 151,000 uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads. This represents approximately 7.4% of the total 2,039,040 private vehicles in the Republic of Ireland.

The MIBI figures also show the growing number and proportion of uninsured vehicles in Ireland over the last 6 years. In 2011 there were just over 85,000 uninsured private vehicles in Ireland which represented 4.5% of the 1,887,810 total. While the total number of uninsured private vehicles dropped in 2012 and 2013, the figure grew considerably in 2014, 2015 and over the course of this year.

*All yearly figures cover the situation as of 31st December in the respective year apart from 2016

Speaking about the level of uninsured driving, Chief Executive of the MIBI David Fitzgerald said, “Motorists need to understand just how significant a risk they are facing if they drive without insurance. Not only can their vehicle be seized on the spot but they will also face a mandatory court appearance, a heavy fine and five points on their licence. If they were involved in an accident the situation they face is even more severe. The MIBI will rigorously pursue them personally for costs under our right to recovery.

“The rise in the number of uninsured private vehicles is a significant cause of concern. Uninsured vehicles operating on Irish roads represent a real threat to Irish road safety. Every driver knows the law requires all vehicles using our public road network must have proper motor insurance in place. Drivers who do not are in immediate violation of one of the most basic road safety principles.

Anyone who drives without insurance is rolling the dice in a very high stakes game. Given the jump in uninsured driving we thought it was important to bring further awareness to the full severity of the consequences uninsured motorists can expect. Having a valid motor insurance policy is not a choice, it is a strict legal obligation which carries a heavy price for those who don’t comply,” Mr. Fitzgerald concluded.

ENDS.

Note for Editors:

• Please note that the figures relate only to private vehicles and do not cover commercial vehicle data.  A National Fleet Database (NFD) has been established to provide accurate and up to date information relating to commercial vehicles.  Unfortunately at the time of writing, compliance has only reached approximately 40 – 50% impacting on the veracity of the data provided. 

About The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI)

The MIBI was established in 1955 by an Agreement between the Government and the companies underwriting motor insurance in Ireland for the purpose of compensating victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles. All insurers underwriting motor insurance in Ireland are required to be members of the MIBI. The MIBI is funded entirely by motor insurance companies operating in Ireland and ultimately by premiums paid by all insured motorists. In the year ended December 31, 2015, the MIBI paid claims of €65m.

You can learn more by visiting www.mibi.ie