Half a million motorists caught driving without insurance

• Around half a million1 UK motorists were given penalty points for driving without insurance between 2010 and 2013
• Over 5,587 people in the UK received two or more IN10 endorsements on their licence for driving uninsured in 2013 – meaning they have at least 12 penalty points
• Despite a maximum court fine of £5000, the average fine handed out in court for driving without insurance in 2012 was just £3222
   

Almost half a million UK motorists (473,564) were handed penalty points for driving without insurance (an IN10 endorsement) between 2010 and 2013, according to analysis of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Churchill Car Insurance.

Data from the FOI request revealed there are currently 50,544 motorists that hold other driving endorsements alongside an IN10 for driving without insurance. Analysis reveals that 1,414 motorists still hold a valid licence despite having 12 or more penalty points on it, with at least some of these awarded for uninsured driving in 2013. One driver from Cheshire still holds their licence despite having 36 points!

The average fine issued by the courts for this offence was £322 in 2012 (excluding fixed penalties issued by the police). Despite penalties increasing 13 per cent between 2010 and 2012, court fines remain a fraction of the £5,000 maximum penalty.

Churchill’s findings also highlight a lack of national consistency in the level of fines awarded by the court. In 2012, Warwickshire handed out the largest average fines at £385, around 50 per cent higher than the lowest in South Yorkshire, where fines averaged £260.

Being uninsured on the road is a huge danger to other road users and unfair to law-abiding motorists. Yet the maximum court fine for driving without insurance is just £5,000, in contrast to a maximum court fine of £2,500 for littering3 and £1,000 for failure to pay for a TV licence4. Although uninsured drivers could be issued with a fixed penalty of £300, this is unlikely to deter the persistent uninsured driver. Previous research found that motorists would support a higher fine of £900 to deter uninsured drivers5.

Steve Barrett, head of car insurance at Churchill, commented: “A number of improvements have been made to tackle the issue of uninsured drivers over the past couple of years, but there are still a shocking number of irresponsible motorists taking to the roads without mandatory cover. Untraced and uninsured drivers cause 130 deaths and over 26,000 injuries6 every year, so more must be done to stamp out this problem.

“The average motorist prosecuted for driving without insurance is fined only a fraction of the maximum penalty. Higher fines, especially those that exceed the cost of the average motor insurance premium, will undoubtedly help discourage offenders.”

Penalties

The fixed penalty charge for motorists caught driving uninsured is £300 (up from £200 since August 2013) and six penalty points. If the case goes to court, this could rise to a maximum £5,000 fine and be accompanied with a driving disqualification.

The launch of Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) in 2011 made it an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle unless it is declared off the road. While the number of uninsured drivers caught has decreased by 34 per cent since 2011, uninsured driving remains a UK-wide problem.

Churchill protects comprehensive policyholders’ claim free years, also covering their excess if by no fault of their own an uninsured driver hits their car7.
 

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Amrit Nijjer

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Tel: 0207 282 2803

E-mail: amrit.nijjer@citigatedr.co.uk
 

Vicky Bristow

Churchill Press Office

Tel: 001239 637377

Email: Vicky.Bristow@directlinegroup.co.uk
 

Notes to editors:

[1] Freedom of information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), October 2013/February 2014– Ref: FOI3686, FOIR3826, FOIR3844 - IN10 motoring endorsements. Figures for England and Wales only.

2 Freedom of information request the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), November 2013 – Fines for uninsured drivers (UK).

3 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/43/section/87

4 http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/detection-and-penalties-top5

5 Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 2,013 UK adults aged 18+ from 10th to 12th November 2010 for Direct Line Group. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.

6 Motor Insurers‘ Bureau (MIB), 2013

7 When making a claim for an accident involving an uninsured driver, customers should provide the vehicle registration number, the make and model of the car, if possible the driver’s contact details, and the name and address of any independent witnesses
 

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.

Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.  

Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  

Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0800 200300 or visiting www.churchill.com