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Another insurance rip off

 
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:31 pm    Post subject: Another insurance rip off Reply with quote

Hi

Latest idea from the department for theiving from motorists is to fine you for any car that isn't insured, irrespective of whether it is on the road.

This, like SORN, is pointless. It solves nothing, it just creates an easy to enforce law that won't affect those who are the problem but will affect those who try to comply with at least the spirit of the law.

Few press releases about this ludicrous idea. As you can see from these, if you get nicked for it and pay the fine but don't insure the car then on top of that they intend to "seize and destroy" it.

DfT

DfT wrote:

Tuesday 20 January 2009 09:30
Department for Transport (National)

Uninsured drivers left with nowhere to hide by new crackdown


Tough new powers to tackle the selfish minority of uninsured drivers who cost law-abiding motorists £400m each year were set out by Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick today.

The new measures will make it an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle - rather than just to drive when uninsured - making it easier to catch uninsured drivers and keep them off the roads.

Jim Fitzpatrick said:

"The selfish minority of drivers who refuse to insure their cars push up premiums for other motorists and kill or injure thousands of people each year.

"Increased police powers already mean more than 400 uninsured vehicles are seized every day but these tough new measures will leave uninsured drivers with nowhere to hide."

Under the new system:

- The DVLA will work in partnership with the insurance industry to identify uninsured vehicles

- Motorists will receive a letter telling them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning them that they will be fined unless they insure it within a set period

- If the keeper fails to insure the vehicle they will be given a £100 fine

- If the vehicle remains uninsured - regardless of whether the fine is paid - it could then be seized and destroyed.

Uninsured driving adds around £30 a year to every motorist's insurance premium - amounting to more than £400m a year in additional premiums. It is also estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year.

The Government has already given the police powers to seize and destroy vehicles being driven uninsured, along with improved access to the Motor Insurance Database to enhance their capability to detect uninsured driving by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) equipment. Police removed around 150,000 vehicles in 2007 - more than 400 a day.

Last year a new offence of causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured was introduced.

Notes to Editors

1. Latest estimates are that around 6.5% (around 2 million) of GB motorists drive uninsured. The penalty for driving without insurance is a maximum fine of £5,000 and 6-8 penalty points. Around 300,000 offenders are convicted for uninsured driving every year.

2. Measures already introduced in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 gave police improved access to the Motor Insurers Bureau database and powers to seize vehicles. In 2007 around 150,000 vehicles were seized.

3. The Road Safety Act 2006 provided the primary powers for a new offence of being the keeper of a vehicle which does not meet insurance requirements. Further secondary legislation is required to bring these provisions into force.

4. The public consultation published today sets out details of how we propose the offence would be enforced. The consultation runs until 16 April 2009 and copies are available on the DfT website.

5. Under the new offence, vehicle keepers who do not take out motor insurance in spite of warnings will be sent a fixed penalty notice and fine. If they fail to take action they may also face court prosecution, and/or their vehicle being clamped, impounded and ultimately disposed of.

Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk

News Release

Client ref 008

COI ref 169734P


Biba

British Insurance Broker Association wrote:

20 January 2009
Vital new insurance enforcement scheme must be implemented to save lives

For Immediate release: 20th January 2009

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has today welcomed the launch of a consultation by the Department for Transport (DfT) into a new scheme of Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) of statutory motor insurance. The new measures should see the DVLA vehicle keeper database and the motor insurance database (MID) join forces to systematically compare the records in order to identify and tackle uninsured drivers.

Uninsured and untraced drivers are responsible for 160 deaths and 23,000 injuries every year. Over £400 million of costs are created by uninsured drivers and paid for by a levy of around £30 on every lawful motorist. The UK has one of the worst uninsured driving records in Europe.

Graeme Trudgill, BIBA Technical and Corporate Affairs Executive, said:

“It is vital that the proposed new measures, making it an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle, are implemented swiftly and with the full force of the law so that it can cut straight to the centre of the UK’s lawless uninsured drivers.

“This new enforcement scheme should systematically identify and fine the offenders and they will then have the option of insuring legally or face having their vehicle seized and destroyed. There should be no escape.

“BIBA urge’s everyone in the motoring community to support the process outlined in this consultation document to establish this new scheme which should lead to fairer premiums and safer roads.”

BIBA, through its work with the DFT and Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) has campaigned for more than five years for reform to introduce this key weapon to tackle uninsured driving.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further information please contact Leighann Burtrand, BIBA Communications Manager, on 020 7397 0223 or at burtrandl@biba.org.uk or Graeme Trudgill, BIBA Technical and Corporate Affairs Executive on 020 7397 0218 or trudgillg@biba.org.uk

2. BIBA is on the Department for Transport Motor Insurance Compliance Action Board, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau Motor Insurance Database Programme Board and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau CIE Project Board.

3. Anyone seeking insurance can contact the BIBA consumer helpline on 0870 050 1790 or use the find a broker section of the BIBA website at www.biba.org.uk

4. BIBA is the UK's leading broker and intermediary organisation, representing professional insurance brokers and intermediaries.

BIBA is committed to playing a central role in the industry, from providing business backing and training for British brokers through to media liaison and high-level industry representation. We also actively participate in helping the industry and its customers deal with some of the major insurance issues of the day.

BIBA members operate to a very high standard of customer service with the aim of ensuring peace of mind, security, financial protection and the professional advice required.

Authoritative, independent and impartial, BIBA a not for profit organisation, is uniquely relied upon by brokers and the consumer.

BIBA – Leading the way in UK Insurance - www.biba.org.uk


I know, lets cut down the murder rate by fining everyone who doesn't fill in a form each year to say they are not going to murder someone.

All the best

Keith
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SORN is bad enough... I keep getting fined for not renewing it. Laughing

This is nonsense.

Although :
Quote:
Part A - The scope of the scheme

The process

11. Under the scheme, if a vehicle registered under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 does not meet insurance requirements, the vehicle keeper in whose name the vehicle is registered is guilty of an offence under Section 144A of the Act. Exceptions to this are detailed in paragraphs 16 to 20 below. As an example, vehicles which are the subject of a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) are not included.


But this still means you have to insure all cars which aren't subjected to SORN. Is this so they can get their new(ishly) introduced VAT on insurance out of everyone?

I bet BIBA are pissing themselves laughing all the way to the bank on this one.

Bob
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just another way to re coup the lack of funds the government are spending keeping banks afloat, labour IMHO have screwed us over and will continue to find ways of making tax payers pay more. They might introduce window tax again which is exactly what it says!!!!.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember window tax... I'm older than you look you know!

Bring back Mr. Lamont. Best chancellor we've ever had in my opinion. That always upsets people! Laughing

Bob
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