The current Labour government have published plans which propose to potentially double the fines imposed for people who drive without insurance.
According to the motor insurance bureau (MIB) it is estimated that there are around 300,000 motorists per day in the UK who are driving whilst uninsured.
Driving without insurance is a strict liability criminal offence for which you can currently be punished to a fine of £300 and 6 penalty points. Under Labour’s proposals, this would see the fine double to £600 and 6 penalty points. The rationale behind this increase, is that the £600 fine will then be in line with the average policy cost.
If you accept a fixed penalty notice, then an endorsement is visible on your driving licence for 4 years from the date of the offence and is taken into account for 3 years in the event of a totting up scenario. An insurance company would require 5 years’ history of endorsements/convictions meaning the consequence of being uninsured is lengthy.
A large number of motorists in the UK are unaware that their insurance has expired which could render them liable to the harsher punishment as the onus is on the driver to ensure they are insured before driving.
In addition to a fine and points, if you drive without insurance you will see your premiums go up, in some cases to more than double. The knock on effect to the general public who are insured, is that the cost of their policies increase to recuperate the costs of uninsured drivers.
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