High-cost insurance deters strapped drivers
IT appears we are starting to reap the rewards of our shambolic insurance industry as more drivers than ever are on the roads without any insurance. According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) there are now more than 150,000 uninsured vehicles on the roads in Ireland or more than seven per cent of all the country’s vehicles.
This figure is ridiculously high and the only reason for it is spiralling policy costs.
Compared with 2011 when there were 85,000 uninsured cars recorded, there can be no other plausible reason.
Motor insurance is a legal requirement so how is it that a more affordable service is not available to motorists.
The prices people are being quoted are way over the odds and in just a couple of years, some people are paying twice or three times the amount for the same cover.
However, it appears that our no claims discounts are larger than ever – just to fool us into thinking we are getting a good deal.
For years, young male drivers in particular, were the group singled out for the highest premiums and the logic behind these hikes is to regulate prices in fairer, yet affordable way.
However, prices just aren’t fair and when you have an insurance quote that costs more than the value of your car - then something is really wrong.
Similarly insurance companies won’t even entertain taking on a car of a certain age, even if it has a valid NCT cert.
That speaks volumes of the industry’s faith in the national car testing system.
Because prices are so unaffordable, the numbers of people taking silly and irresponsible chances on the roads have spiralled and will continue to do so until a system that works is introduced.
We need to have some sort of price cap to stop this danger because it is those who end up in an accident with an uninsured driver who will once again pay the biggest price.
The MIBI has described the 33,000 new uninsured drivers who are now on the roads as playing a ‘ high stakes’ game.
Some of these are just careless, or don’t really fear being disqualified from driving or fined, if they are convicted.
Others know the risks, and cannot be without a car, so they take the chance every day hoping that they won’t get caught and putting the consequences to the back of their minds.