Call for new system to reduce uninsured vehicles on roads

The Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) is calling for the introduction of a new system to help reduce the number of uninsured vehicles on Irish roads.

The call comes as the latest MIBI research suggests there was a 3.5% increase in the number of uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads between 2024 and 2025 to 105,429.

In addition, it estimates in 2025 there were 105,942 non-private vehicles either uninsured or not registered on the National Fleet Database (NFD).

The organisation wants to see the use in Ireland of a system called Continuous Vehicle Coverage (CVC) to lower the level of uninsured driving.

Under the CVC system, which is already used in 25 European countries, the owner is legally required to insure their vehicle at all times once they take ownership.

Registered vehicles can then be compared with insured vehicles, allowing any that are uninsured to be easily identified.

According to the MIBI, the system has "proven very effective in the UK, where the number of uninsured vehicles dropped from approximately 6% to 2.5%, following its introduction".

It said under the UK system, notice of fines are issued to owners of vehicles that have been uninsured for 28 days.

Then if the insurance status is not changed after 56 days a fixed charge notice is issued, and if there is no response from the owner within six months, the matter is referred to police who can pursue a prosecution.

The MIBI says currently in Ireland someone is only penalised if they drive a vehicle without valid insurance, which "puts all the pressure on identifying and apprehending the uninsured on An Garda Síochána.

"Under CVC a different approach is used, which moves the focus from apprehending those driving an uninsured vehicle, to requiring motor insurance based on the ownership of road vehicles," the MIBI said.

Number of uninsured private vehicles down since 2022
The number of uninsured private vehicles has fallen sharply since 2022, when it was estimated 187,000 vehicles were uninsured.

The NFD is part of the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID), which was introduced in 2024.

The IMID system allows gardaí to check the insurance status of a vehicle in seconds, using automatic number plate recognition technology or through a mobile device.

The data contained in the database includes policyholder details, vehicle registration numbers and names of drivers who are permitted to drive the vehicles, which are covered by each policy.

Progress on uninsured driving 'flatlining' - MIBI
MIBI Chief Executive David Fitzgerald said that Ireland "still has a very high level of uninsured vehicles on our roads despite the strong and effective work of An Garda Síochána," adding that "progress is flatlining and further measures are required".

"That’s what Continuous Vehicle Coverage would provide.

It would reduce the pressure on the gardaí and make enforcement against uninsured vehicles an administration-led process first.

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"Under this system, unless the vehicle is formally put off the road, then the vehicle owner must ensure it is insured, rather than requiring the Gardaí to catch an uninsured driver in the act," he said.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Fitzgerald said: "We have 6.5% of our vehicles driving around uninsured.

The norm in the EU is 2.4%.

Our closest neighbours, the UK, is 2.5%.

Almost all of those countries have a system of continuous insurance.

"So that's what we're calling for here, is a change in the law to introduce continuous vehicle coverage."
Mr Fitzgerald said although there has been an increase in the number of vehicles seized by gardaí, they cannot be everywhere at once.

"It's a road safety issue and it's also a consumer issue because we're fully funded by a levy and motor insurance policies.

We estimate just €30 in every policy contributing to compensating the victims of uninsured driving.

"Whatever we need to reduce that, it's good for people's pockets and it's also good for road safety.

Uninsured drivers are risky drivers."
The reported increase in the level of uninsured vehicles comes despite 19,673 vehicles seizures for driving without insurance in 2025, and a further 25,009 charges and summons issued for that offence over the same period.

The MIBI was established to compensate victims of road crashes caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles.

It estimates that claims involving uninsured drivers add around €30 to the cost of every insurance policy.

Read more: Over 19,600 vehicles seized for being driven without insurance in 2025