There are a growing number of motorists in Ireland driving without valid car insurance in place. According to the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), in 2022 there were 188,000, or 1 in 12 drivers on Irish roads without cover*.
And it’s no surprise that with a rise in uninsured drivers the number of claims relating to uninsured or untraced vehicles rose by 11% in 2023**.
These drivers are putting themselves at risk of gaining penalty points, a fine of up to €5,000 or potential prison time for repeat offenders.
Meanwhile honest motorists are paying the price, with MIBI estimating that every driver is charged an extra €30 - €35 on top of their existing insurance premium, to cover the cost of uninsured drivers**.
Your insurer, MIBI and An Garda Síochána have come together to take action
MIBI is a not-for-profit organisation established to protect the victims of uninsured and untraced drivers.
Insurers including AXA Ireland have entered into a data sharing agreement with MIBI which effectively provides An Garda Síochána with a database of over 5 million drivers and 3 million vehicles on Irish roads. This enables gardaí to check the insurance status of any vehicle by scanning its registration plate, helping them detect and reduce the number of uninsured drivers on our roads.
National Insurance Enforcement Day on 24th May 2024
To step up their efforts, An Garda Síochána will be out in force on 24th May for a planned National Day of Action to identify uninsured vehicles on the road and penalise drivers.
We’re proud to support MIBI and An Garda Síochána in this joint initiative.
AXA customers are fully protected
The rise in uninsured drivers may cause concern, but AXA customers have nothing to worry about.
If you’re involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver, you are protected.
Thanks to AXA’s Claim Without Blame promise, if an identified uninsured driver hits your car and is at fault for the accident, you won’t lose your No Claims Discount.
If you have Comprehensive Cover, we’ll handle your claim and pay for repairs to your car. If your cover is for Third Party, Fire and Theft, then your claim will be dealt with directly by MIBI. You can find out everything you need to know and complete an online claim form on their website at https://www.mibi.ie/.
Find out more about the benefits and features available with AXA car insurance and tailor your level of cover here.
What to do if you’re involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver
Being involved in a car accident can be very stressful so try to remain calm.
As with any incident it’s important to call the Gardaí and make sure there’s an official record of what happened.
It will really help when submitting a claim if you can collect as much information as possible at the scene of the accident including:
• The time, date and location of the incident. • The other driver’s name and address if they are willing to provide it. • The make, model and registration number of the other car. • Photos of the damage caused. • Contact details for any witnesses.
You should contact us as soon as possible so that we can support you. Our claims team are available 24/7 and you can report an accident online, through your MyAXA account or by calling us on 0818 736 524 (or 0035318583200 if you’re calling from outside Ireland.
