MID - Food For Thought

The police are now actively using the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to identify uninsured drivers so accuracy of the MID has never been more important to commercial motor and motor trade policyholders in order to avoid fines and disruption to their business.

It is no longer enough just to be insured; it is also a legal requirement that your vehicles are on the MID.

Here are a few interesting facts for you to consider:

• In 2006, 25.4 million enquiries were made on the MID by the police. This figure is rising.
• Since January 2007, over 50,000 uninsured vehicles have been seized by the police. Half of these have been sold or crushed due to failure to provide proof of insurance.
• Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology mobile police units can process 3,000 vehicle registration marks (VRM) an hour even at speeds of 100mph.
• The ANPR system runs each vehicle registration against the databases of the DVLA, MID, Police National Computer and local police intelligent systems.
• The Motor Insurance Bureau estimates that there are over 360,000 vehicles on the MID with the wrong vehicle registration. Simple errors can lead to potential vehicle seizure by the police, because the police will not be able to find a match when the ANPR
• Common errors include using Zero 0 instead of the letter O, number 1 instead of the letter I and 5 instead of S.
• The current cost of retrieving a seized vehicle at the moment is £105 plus £12 a day storage.
• The maximum fine for a policyholder convicted of failing to comply with legislation and provide the relevant data within a timely manner is £5,000.
• Uninsured drivers on average add approximately £30.00 to the premium of each insured vehicles.
• Police crackdowns on uninsured drivers appear to be working, according to new figures. The level of claims made as a result of accidents involving uninsured motorists fell 5.8% in 2007, the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) said.
• The fall from 2006 is now almost 10% and in financial terms the reduction equals savings in claims of at least £30 million a year.