Miss Robinson from Derbyshire knows the true cost of failing to insure your vehicle when she was hit by an uninsured driver. Miss Robinson was turning into her driveway when another car drove straight into the back of her. She managed to get out of the car and stop the other driver long enough to take down his contact details. But when she later tried to call him about the accident she found the number she had been given was fake. Miss Robinson immediately phoned the police and was told that there was no record of the cars registration details. It was at this point it became clear that something was wrong.
Miss Robinson suffered from whiplash and psychological trauma, but there seem no chance of compensation. When the awful realisation dawned that the other driver was most likely un-insured Miss Robinson phoned the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and was given the contact details for the Motor Insurance Bureau. Unfortunately there were limits to what could be compensated for, in this situation and Miss Robinson was forced to pay for all repairs to her vehicle and use her vacation time to attend medical assessments for her whiplash injury.
It took a whole year for the claim to be settled and Miss Robinson was finally compensation for the accident. It was a horrendous drawn out experience that Miss Robinson is now trying to forget, and the money offered little consolation for the trauma she experienced. The payout is also of no consolation to the other 500,000 legally insured drives in Derbyshire whose premiums were forced up last year to pay for these incidents. The Motor insurance Bureau said that £15,477,000 was paid out in 2006 to 19,674 cases of traffic accidents with an uninsured driver.
The problem in catching uninsured drivers is that they are very difficult to detect. Derbyshire police did prosecute 5,000 uninsured drivers last year but admit that they are nowhere near to catching everyone who commits this crime. It is believed in Derbyshire alone there could be as many as 20,000 insured drivers on the roads, three quarters of whom are not being caught. Motorists who decide not to insure their cars know the risks they are taking and aware of the risk of getting caught and this is not enough to deter them. In addition the penalties for driving without insurance are low. In Derbyshire during 2007 the average fine awarded for driving uninsured was £367.00, which considering the average insurance premium for the same year was £629 you can see why some people may be tempted to take the risk.
Something needs to change in this system to prevent more people from not insuring their car so that repeat occurrences of Miss Robinson’s situation can finally be stopped.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Insurance Articles
Tips for Buying Commercial Auto Insurance
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
Many people are opting for auto insurance due to its immense importance. However, there are certain things that must be taken care of before buying any auto insurance. Car insurance is equally beneficial to both the personal users and those using vehicles for their businesses.
Why Buy Auto Insurance?
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
Auto insurance serves as the future planning for the unforeseen damages to the car. It is a planning that can protect oneself against cost required to recover from damages. Auto insurance is like a financial plan and a tool that helps in various ways. Below are some of the reasons for understanding why buying auto insurance is a wise decision.
Making Driving Safe – Beware a Single Mistake Can Affect Your Life
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
Making driving safe is the best decision to take. If each person follows safety rules and curtails speeding limits, the number of accidents which are growing by the day would reduce considerably. Another method of safe driving is to ensure that the car you drive functions properly and safely.
Auto Insurance Discounts – Lets Do Some Bargaining
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
Auto insurance is an essential part if buying new or used car. There are different types of auto insurances available in the market. The auto insurance can be bought at lower rates. The best part is that some of the auto insurances are available in discounted prices too.
Auto Insurance Rates – Easy to Get One
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
The auto insurance is considered as the most important accessory bought along with the automobile. Every vehicle, be it two - wheeler, four- wheeler, truck or a bike, needs auto insurance. Buying auto insurance is both a duty and necessity. The primary objective of buying the car insurance is to provide protection against losses caused by an accident or theft.
Auto Insurance Myths – Lets Face Reality
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
There are people who believe certain stories related to car insurance which hamper their decision making when it comes to selecting the right auto insurance. Some of these are mentioned below so that if you have heard of any such story, stop worrying and discard it as a myth.
Pay as You Drive Car Insurance
By: Andries Malan | 13/10/2008
There is a car insurance option where your premiums are determined on the distance you travel each month.
Auto Insurance Quotes – Search and Then Decide
By: Alien | 13/10/2008
Like any other insurance quote, auto insurance quotes also provide detailed information on auto insurance rates. When searching for cheap car insurance, these quotes help a lot. There are a large number of websites available on the internet, which provide auto insurance quotes.
More from Danielle Fletcher
Police Force Face Claims for Race Discrimination
By: Danielle Fletcher | 10/07/2008 | Personal Injury
Over recent months the British Police Force has found itself dealing with a number of claims for compensation due to discrimination in the workplace on grounds of race and ethnicity. One Police officer has submitted a claim for £500,000 pounds because he believes he was discriminated against and denied a promotion unfairly.
Moving House in the UK is an Expensive Business
By: Danielle Fletcher | 10/07/2008 | Mortgage
The whole process of buying and selling houses can be very expensive and is additional stretch on people’s finances. Two of the biggest costs are conveyancing and tax which can add thousands of pounds on both the buyers and sellers bills.
More People Choosing to Rent
By: Danielle Fletcher | 10/07/2008 | Mortgage
Recent figures show the number of houses sold in the UK in the last five months has fallen by 32 percent compared to the same time last year. Figures by the HM Revenue and Customs which record the houses purchases of properties worth more than the initial forty thousand pound tax band, show that the number of properties sold between January and May 2008 was only 504,000 which is down from 743,000 last year.
Loans Lead Companies Branching Out
By: Danielle Fletcher | 10/07/2008 | Loans
For banks and other financial institutions finding enough people who want to use their loan products has not typically been a problem in the past. However due to recent events within the global financial markets, lenders have tighten up their lending criteria across a range of their products to ensure they are not going to lose money by lending to high risk individuals.
Brits are Taking More Cash on Holiday to Avoid Credit Card Charges
By: Danielle Fletcher | 10/07/2008 | Credit
Credit cards have become a prominent part of modern day life with British consumers using them to pay from everything from the household bills to purchasing a new car. More people have also started to use them abroad on their holidays as a convenient way to pay for goods and services or as a means of withdrawing cash.
Legal Firms Struggling to Find Conveyancing Work
By: Danielle Fletcher | 09/07/2008 | Mortgage
Legal firms who specialise in offering a conveyancing service are beginning to struggle to make the profits they were once used to. The downturn in the housing market has meant there are far less buyers and therefore fewer houses are actually selling.
Cap on Compensation for Whiplash Injuries to be Reviewed
By: Danielle Fletcher | 09/07/2008 | Personal Injury
Car insurers in Canada are predicting a steep hike in insurance premiums if a current cap on compensation payments is removed. The average increase in rates is estimated at around eleven percent, which is a huge increase and way above the rate of inflation.
Asbestos Victims are Dying Before They Can Receive Their Compensation
By: Danielle Fletcher | 09/07/2008 | Personal Injury
People living in Australia, suffering from mesothelioma, a disease caused by asbestos poisoning are passing away before their claims for compensation are being heard. One Sydney Judge believes this is due to a cost saving measure which was implemented in 2005.
Finance 
