The number of claims related to accidents caused by drivers who were either uninsured or untraced rose 11% last year.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland said 1,927 claims were received during the year, up 187 on 2022.
The largest number of claims came in Dublin where there were 822, followed by Cork which recorded 141.
The number of claims relating to uninsured drivers grew in 14 of the 26 counties across the country.
The largest percentage increases came in Mayo, where they rose 80%, followed by Meath, up 55%.
Of the nine counties where a drop in the number of claims was recorded, the biggest percentage decrease came in Leitrim, which was down 55%.
“This jump of almost 200 claims due to accidents caused by uninsured vehicles should be a cause of concern for every law-abiding motorist in the country,” said David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI.
“It is illegal to drive without valid motor insurance, yet as these figures show there are still a significant number of people who are willingly flouting the law.”
“Every one of the uninsured motorists behind these claims is effectively putting their hands in the pockets of law-abiding motorists and taking their money.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Fitzgerald said up to 50 motorists are having their vehicles seized every day because they are driving without insurance.
He said figures from 2022 show there were 188,000 private vehicles on Irish roads without insurance, which is one-in-12 – the second highest in the EU.
Mr Fitzgerald said that once people realise how easy it is to be detected and caught, it will start to change behaviours.
Driving without insurance is a very serious offence, he said, adding that a person can be left at the side of the road and have their vehicle seized, as well as receive five penalty points and a mandatory court appearance, a fine of up to €5,000, or potential prison time for repeat offenders.
The MIBI said the growth in claims reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving.
Last November, a data sharing agreement began which resulted in the MIBI now providing the insurance details for 3 million vehicles using Irish roads on a daily basis to An Garda Síochána.
As a result, gardaí can now check the insurance status of any vehicle simply by scanning its registration plate.
“We’re on record saying our expectation is that this will be a gamechanger for law enforcement in dealing with the scourge of uninsured driving,” said Mr Fitzgerald.
“We hope that as this new weapon begins to bite, it won’t be long before the number of uninsured claims we receive also begins to fall.”
The MIBI is a not-for-profit organisation established to compensate victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles.
But the expense of meeting these claims is borne by law-abiding motorists, with the average motorist contributing €30-€35 at their most recent insurance renewal to cover the claims paid out by the MIBI in the last year, the organisation said.
Article Source – Claims related to uninsured drivers rose 11% last year – MIBI – RTE
