The number of claims in accidents caused by uninsured drivers grew by 11 per cent in 2023, according to figures from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI).
The MIBI was established in 1955 to compensate victims of road accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles.
It said the average motorist will have contributed €30-€35 at their most recent insurance renewal to cover the claims paid out by the MIBI in the last year.
It said that in 2023, it received a total of 1,927 claims, up 187 on 2022.
The largest number of claims it received were from Dublin (822), followed by Cork (141), Limerick (112), Kildare (102) and Galway (91).
The number of claims relating to uninsured drivers grew in 14 of the 26 counties, with the largest percentage increases occurring in Mayo (up 80 per cent), Meath (up 55 per cent) and Kildare (up 42 per cent).
Nine counties recorded a drop in the number of claims, with the largest percentage decreases coming in Leitrim (down 55 per cent), Offaly (down 29 per cent) and Sligo (down 21 per cent).
It comes as the gardaí and Government clamp down on road policing in response to an increase on road fatalities; 70 people have been killed on Irish roads so far this year, compared to 51 people in the same period last year.
Chief executive of the MIBI David Fitzgerald said: “This jump of almost 200 claims due to accidents caused by uninsured vehicles should be a cause of concern for every law abiding motorist in the country.
“It is illegal to drive without valid motor insurance, yet as these figures show there are still a significant number of people who are willingly flouting the law.
“Every one of the uninsured motorists behind these claims is effectively putting their hands in the pockets of law abiding motorists and taking their money.”
The MIBI provides An Garda Siochana with the insurance details for three million vehicles on Irish roads, meaning gardaí can instantly check whether a vehicle is insured by scanning its registration plate.
Mr Fitzgerald said: “We’re on record saying our expectation is that this will be a gamechanger for law enforcement in dealing with the scourge of uninsured driving.
“We hope that as this new weapon begins to bite, it won’t be long before the number of uninsured claims we receive also begins to fall.”
Reporting by Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA
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