Uninsured drivers costing motorists £500m a year

Motorists in the UK are being charged £500 million a year on their cheap car insurance to cover uninsured drivers, according to a price comparison site.

Comparethemarket.com states that motorists are having to stump up an extra £31 a year each to cover those who are driving around uninsured.

This figure also fails to take into consideration the financial costs caused by an accident involving a motorist with no car insurance.

The research from YouGov, released by comparethemarket.com , found that one in ten motorists have been involved in an accident with an uninsured driver and 49 per cent have ruined their chances of cheap car insurance by claiming on their insurance.

Jeremy Moll, head of insurance at comparethemarket.com, said: "At present motor policies are hit by the knock on effect of uninsured drivers and the financial implications they create; so any steps to deter uninsured drivers would be a move in the right direction."

He added that one way the government can help would be to reduce the number of illegal drivers on Britain's roads by enforcing more severe penalties.

Get cheaper car insurance with lots of added extras when buying online with eCar Insurance.