Faked papers raise costs

Six per cent of cars tested by the RAC during a voluntary safety check were found to have counterfeit insurance documents.

The safety checks, carried out in October, offered motorists the chance to get their cars tested for the winter by RAC inspectors.

However, during the checks, inspectors found at least 24 of the 400 cars offered for testing by the owners had forged insurance documents.

According to one RAC inspector: "These documents were of excellent quality and only on close inspection would you realise that they were actually scanned and photocopied. It is hard to believe that motorists are willing to take such a huge risk."

Robert Taylor, managing director, RAC Ireland, believes it is likely that the situation may be worse than the test revealed as the inspection service was voluntary, and likely to appeal to the more conscientious motorist.

However, with the introduction of the new driving licensing laws and a stricter Garda presence throughout the country, Mr Taylor says this will hopefully bring an end to the more unscrupulous and "artistic" driver, making for a safer and more responsible driving environment."

He adds that motorists who have been driving with false documents are now running out of time. "As thousands of motorists rush to comply with new licensing laws, those with other fake documents will have to come clean, which for many may mean having to give up their car completely due to the high cost of insurance."

In 2001 13,432 motorists were charged with failure to conform with insurance disc regulations, which includes the use of false or imitation insurance documentation. If found guilty a motorist can face a fine of up to €1,000 and/or a three-month jail sentence.

In 2001 the number of tickets issued for non-display of tax disc increased by 27 per cent to 65,825.

Michael Horan, of the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF), says that anyone convicted of what he describes as "insurance fraud" can expect significant loading on their future insurance policies, in the realm of a 100 per cent increase.

Mr Horan says: "The fact is, if one of these people with false insurance documents is involved in an accident, the claim has to be dealt nonetheless. It will be handled by the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), but ultimately the money comes from insured motorists."

At present uninsured driving is costing about 10 per cent of the total cost of car insurance, according to the IIF. There were outstanding claims of €350 million at the end of 2001 from incidents involving uninsured drivers.

Horan says: "In effect all the law-abiding policy holders are paying for the insurance on these drivers."

The RAC safety checks also found that of the 400 cars tested, 60 per cent failed on at least one criterion and a quarter were found to have faulty tyres.

Meanwhile, a BBC consumer affairs programme tomorrow night claims that RAC roadside patrolmen are being pressurised into selling car batteries and parts to motorists who may not need them.

The investigation in Rogue Traders features hidden camera footage of patrolmen selling car batteries, that the programme claims were not needed, to undercover journalists who were posing as stranded motorists.

However, says Robert Taylor: "The content of the programme is irrelevant to the Irish market as RAC Patrols here do not sell batteries by the roadside.

"However, RAC UK takes the BBC's allegations very seriously but refutes any suggestion that its patrols would knowingly mis-sell batteries to members."