A new open consultation has been launched by the Government to see whether uninsured drivers should be stopped from being able to claim compensation from public funds.
The plans look to block uninsured drivers trying to receive compensation from the Motor Insurers Bureau.
Under UK law, drivers must have insurance to be on the road. If a driver is at fault in an accident, victims are able to claim compensation through their insurance policy.
Compensation can be paid to a victim to cover both personal injuries sustained by the victim, and property damage incurred by the victim.
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The Government has called for measures to crack down on uninsured drivers
GETTYHowever, if a driver is in an accident and is either uninsured or untraced, then they can claim compensation from the MIB.
Uninsured drivers can claim up to £5,000 for personal injury, rising to a total of £10,000 for all losses related to the accident.
However, this service does not cover any compensation for pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists.
Drivers can make a claim if they are aged 18 or over, the accident happened in England or Wales, if it happened on or after the 31st May 2021 and the claimant was inside a vehicle.
Guy Opperman, Minister for Roads and Local Transport, commented on the consultation, saying: "Uninsured drivers are a menace to law-abiding road users.
“It is wrong that, having broken the law by driving without insurance, they can then claim compensation for damage to their property following an accident.
“This is morally questionable at best, and a cost carried by all legal motorists.
“When we were members of the European Union, we were obliged to allow this. Now we have left, we can determine our own course of action.”
As part of the Government’s Plan for Drivers proposals, a total of 30 measures were put forward to proactively help drivers.
Under the terms of the Plan, the Government said it would consult on removing the right of uninsured drivers to claim compensation for property damage.
This would mean that drivers who themselves are uninsured, would no longer be eligible to receive compensation if they were at fault.
The consultation began on March 17 and will run until May 12, with drivers encouraged to get in touch and share their thoughts on the matter.
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The consultation could be used to inform future policy
PAIn October 2023, MIB announced a £5million investment boost to increase its work to get uninsured drivers off the roads sooner and make roads safer.