The number of claims relating to accidents caused by uninsured or untraced vehicles in County Galway grew by 25% in 2023.
The notable rise in claims in Galway is more than double the national average increase. Accidents caused by uninsured drivers grew by 11 per cent across Ireland last year to 1,927 claims overall. New figures published by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI ) show there were 91 claims in Galway last year, up from 73 claims in 2022.
Galway had the fifth largest number of uninsured driver claims last year. Dublin was by far number one with 822 claims, followed by Cork (141 ), Limerick (112 ), and Kildare (102 ).
Speaking to the Advertiser, insurance industry sources in Galway say the MIBI figures are probably “tip of the iceberg stuff” for uninsured drivers across Galway, especially in rural areas. “For example loads of young drivers on provisional licences are paying big money for policies, but driving unaccompanied means their [insurer] may not cover a claim. We’re also seeing some underwriters asking a lot more questions about van drivers in accidents when they are on domestic use insurance, not commercial.”
Since signing a data sharing agreement last November, MIBI is now providing An Garda Síochána with insurance details of over three million vehicles using Irish roads on a daily basis. This means Gardaí can now check the insurance status of any vehicle simply by scanning its registration plate.
It is understood two unmarked Garda cars and at least one marked patrol vehicle in Galway has this technology on board which can be set to constantly scan number plates for uninsured vehicles. Gardaí can also now instantly access insurance info, tax and NCT status on their 12,000 mobile devices, as well as Garda and PSNI updates on stolen vehicles.
It is illegal to drive on Irish roads without valid insurance, and gardaí may seize uninsured vehicles. Other penalties include automatic court summons, five penalty points and substantial fines.
