6:39 am, May 25, 2011
CAR dealers are in the ideal position to help consumers understand new insurance rules launched today.
That’s the news from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) who spoke exclusively to Car Dealer.
From next month, it will be against the law for consumers to keep an uninsured vehicle on the road or off the road, even if it’s not used.
However, a vehicle kept off the road does not need to be insured provided the keeper has made a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).
A motorist not abiding with the rules can face a £100 fine, legal action or their car being taken from them.
The DVLA will be working actively with the MIB to enforce the new rules.
‘The shocking statistics speak for themselves,’ said an MIB spokesperson. ‘160 people are killed and 23,000 people are injured a year due to accidents with uninsured drivers, costing other motorists up to £500m in additional premiums.
‘This is good news as the rules will target drivers who should not be on the road in the first place, so this initiative will be able to clamp down on those drivers before they get behind the wheel.’
DEALERS CAN HELP
A campaign outlining the new laws to consumers will hit the UK tonight beginning with a TV advertisement campaign.
Despite this, the MIB is aware that there will still be consumers who won’t be aware of the new laws – but car dealers can help.
‘The role of dealers is crucial in teaching customers about these new insurance laws,’ the MIB spokesperson exclusively told Car Dealer. ‘This is because there will be customers out there for sometime yet who will either not be aware of the laws or are unsure about them.
‘This is an ideal opportunity for dealers to be an authoritive voice to impart the new rules onto customers, reminding them that these laws are in place whenever they are buying a car from that dealer.’
But what about car dealers with brand new cars for sale on their forecourts? What will the new rules mean to them? ‘With brand new cars the cars won’t be registered with the DVLA so dealers do not need to be worried about having them insured,’ said the spokesperson.
Later this week we will report on what the new rules mean to used car dealers
