The percentage of uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads has dropped significantly, nearly halving since the introduction of the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) system. According to recent findings by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), there were 101,881 uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads last year, accounting for 4.2% of all private vehicles. This marks a nearly 50% decrease from 2022, when the figure stood at 187,000, or about 8.4% of vehicles.
This reduction represents a major improvement in the fight against uninsured driving, with the number of uninsured vehicles now dropping from one in every 12 to one in every 25. Despite this positive shift, Ireland’s rate of uninsured vehicles had previously been four times higher than the EU average.
The IMID system, which became operational last year, allows An Garda Síochána and the Department of Transport to easily detect uninsured vehicles in real-time. The database includes critical information such as vehicle registration numbers, policyholder details, and the names of authorized drivers, all of which are submitted by motor insurers, brokers, and fleet owners.
In 2024, the system enabled Gardaí to seize 18,676 vehicles and issue 26,094 summonses and charges for violations related to uninsured driving. MIBI Chief Executive David Fitzgerald praised the new system, noting its effectiveness in identifying uninsured vehicles quickly, helping authorities take swift action.
While the drop in uninsured private vehicles is encouraging, Fitzgerald warned that the fight is far from over. He pointed to the commercial vehicle sector, where around 60,000 vehicles remain unaccounted for in terms of insurance status. A legal requirement to upload commercial vehicles’ details to the National Fleet Database daily, which was enforced in November 2023, has led to some gaps, with the MIBI estimating that about 60,000 commercial vehicles have not been listed.
Fitzgerald emphasized that while the decline in uninsured private vehicles is a positive step for road safety, the industry must continue to address the issue of uninsured commercial vehicles to maintain progress.
In parallel, the Government has launched a public consultation on insurance reform, focusing on encouraging competition in the market and improving transparency and affordability across all types of insurance. The consultation, open for three weeks, invites submissions from consumers, representative groups, and industry stakeholders.
The Alliance for Insurance Reform welcomed the consultation but expressed concerns that previous reforms have mostly benefited insurance company profits rather than reducing premiums for consumers. The group is urging that further reforms be made to attract new entrants into the liability market and facilitate quicker settlements for claims.
