Insurers Given Access to Driving Offence Data

Insurers say they have good news for honest motorists after striking a deal with the DVLA.

They will be given access to a database built by the licensing agency, which provides details of everyone’s driving offences, convictions, points and disqualifications.  The Association of British Insurers (ABI) claims this will reduce fraud and save people money on their motor insurance.

From 2014 motorists will have to provide their driving licence number when they apply for insurance and allow insurers to check with the DVLA what they’ve been up to.

The ABI points to a “data comparison exercise” that was carried out three years ago and which apparently showed 23% of motorists wrongly declared their driving history.  However, of this number 7% had over-declared, usually because they had provided an insurer with five years of information, rather than four.  The remaining 16% had not declared a conviction, or declared a less important conviction (presumably still a motoring-related one).

The ABI says the new system will bring back accurate information on licences and director of general insurance Nick Starling adds:
“Being able to access the DVLA database will not only root out fraud, but also make the process of applying for insurance faster, produce more accurate premiums and reduce disputes in the event of claims.”

We’ll keep our fingers crossed. The DVLA has not had a good few months with it taking a battering on both drink driving and tacho card cock-ups, and then the recent swathe of job losses.

The agency knows more than most that mistakes happen. Let’s hope it’s not you trying to convince an insurer that information about you held on a third party database was inaccurate, incomplete or just plain wrong…

For further information contact Anton Balkitis or Lucy Wood on 0800 046 3066 or visit the website if you are looking for motoring solicitors.