A new legal requirement has come into effect today requiring all motorists in Ireland to provide their driver number when taking out or renewing motor insurance.
Insurance providers and brokers are now legally prohibited from issuing motor policies unless the driver numbers of all named drivers are provided. The unique driver number, found under section 4(d) on all driver’s licenses, will be added to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID).
Over 2 million individual driver numbers have already been collected by insurers for the database. The IMID system aims to enhance road safety by giving gardaí immediate access to driver information, including insurance details, addresses of policyholders, and insured vehicles.
“We would advise anyone who is renewing their motor insurance or taking out a new policy to make sure they have the driver numbers to hand for all the named drivers on their policy,” said David Fitzgerald, CEO of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). “From now on, if they don’t have that information then they won’t be able to get motor insurance. It’s that simple.”
The system is designed to prevent drivers from evading responsibility by claiming offenses were committed by namesakes. Last year, gardaí seized 18,676 vehicles for lack of insurance following the introduction of the IMID system.