The MIB have just reported on the success of Operation Drive Insured.

A great initiative taking uninsured drivers off the road and helping to highlight the issue and the work continues every day.

At HF we’re all too familiar with the ramifications of uninsured driving. Many of the cases we defend involve drivers involved in collisions while uninsured and there are many reasons why they are not insured which aren’t always obvious. They include:

  • Taking out ‘insurance’ via social media or similar and finding themselves the victim of a ‘ghost broker’ criminal.
  • Misrepresentations and non-disclosures when purchasing the policy.
  • Not abiding by the terms of the insurance cover (eg drink driving when the insurance excludes liability for driving while under the influence of alcohol).
  • Assuming there was cover when there was not due to failing to check the policy terms and conditions (such as ‘driving other cars’ cover).
  • Knowingly driving uninsured assuming that they can take out short-term cover at the roadside if they’re involved in an incident.

More often than not they get caught, find they are uninsured and also face additional criminal charges for attempting to defraud insurers.

All these behaviours undermine the integrity of the insurance system, impact victims of road traffic collisions, and lead to increased insurance costs overall. The person driving uninsured may face criminal sanctions, financial losses and greater difficulty taking out insurance in the future.

One notable example demonstrates the consequences of getting it wrong. One of our insurer clients’ customers drove back from a golf club having consumed alcohol and caused a collision with a third party, causing them serious injuries. He was not covered by his insurance due to drink driving. HF, acting on behalf of his insurer, recovered £275,000 from him, reflecting the costs they had been required to pay to the victims of the collision.

Our lawyers and intelligence team continue working hand in hand with our clients, the MIB and IFB to help combat the risks and costs of uninsured driving.