Filenews 29 December 2024 - by Theano Thiopoulou
Approximately 80,000 uninsured actively licensed vehicles drive on Cypriot roads and, simply put, the average driver crosses paths every day with hundreds of vehicles that do not have insurance coverage.
Road accidents have taken the form of a scourge, often entailing, in addition to their physical and mental suffering, which is most important, additional painful burdens, which they have to face in order to be compensated for the damages suffered. Such a case is where the road accident is caused by the fault of a person who was driving an uninsured vehicle.
About one in ten
According to the data provided to "F" by the Motor Insurer's Fund of Cyprus (MIF), at the end of September 2024 the active insured licensed vehicles were 751.530, the active uninsured licensed vehicles were 79.389 and the ratio of uninsured to active vehicles was 9.6%. End of October 2023, the percentage of uninsured vehicles to active vehicles was 9.8%, In 2022 at 9,2%, in 2021 at 8,9%, while in 2020 the percentage was double digit, at 11,1%. Previously, the ratio of uninsured to active vehicles was 9.8% in 2019, 9.2% in 2018 and 8.5% in 2017.
According to the Police, as noted by the Department of Road Transport, complaints for driving without third-party liability insurance from January to October 2024 increased by 45%. A total of 1,870 out-of-court cases have been issued (2023: 1,780, 2021: 1,698) but 4,150 complaints have also been made, which have proceeded in court due to additional charges, e.g. driving with an expired driver's license.
Based on the data, in 2023 the number of claims was 33 in the category unknown vehicle, the material damage paid was €3.855 and for bodily injury the amount of €258.963 was paid. For 2022, the amount paid respectively was €14.822 and €377.864. The number of claims in 2023, for an uninsured vehicle, was 1,012, the amount of property damage was €1,736,738 and for bodily injury €2,599,908. In 2022 the respective amounts paid were €1,459,195 and €1,100,047 respectively.
The number of claims for vehicle theft in 2023 was 23, the amount of property damage paid was €40,779 and for bodily injury €71,751. In 2022 the respective amounts paid were €50.788 and €13.758 respectively. According to the data, the claimant was a cyclist, pedestrian, moped, motorcyclist, driver of a third vehicle, passenger of a third vehicle, passenger of an uninsured vehicle, owner of a third vehicle, owner of other property.
The Fund is a lifeline
The Motor Insurers Fund operates as an effective organization to serve the purpose for which it was established. The purpose is to pay, under certain conditions, fair compensation to third parties, in relation to liability: drivers of uninsured vehicles, drivers of unidentified vehicles and victims of drivers of vehicles insured with insurance companies in liquidation, while safeguarding the financial capacity to fulfil the above obligations, in accordance with Cypriot legislation and the international conventions signed by the Fund.
The Motor Insurers Fund was established in 1969 and continues to operate under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles (third party liability insurance) law.
The Fund is financed by a charge on motor vehicle insurance premiums, currently set at 5% and collected through insurance companies. The Fund collects a premium from the insured (through the insurance companies), which is determined in accordance with the instructions of the Minister of Finance from time to time, issued after consultation with the Fund and based on the needs of the Fund. The amounts collected by insurance companies are remitted to the Fund within two calendar months from the end of each quarter.
What the driver should do
If someone is involved in a car accident with an uninsured vehicle in Cyprus, for which he is not responsible and requests compensation from the Fund, the Police should be notified, informing them of the involvement of an uninsured vehicle, notify the Fund to inspect the damage to the vehicle before the start of repairs, submit a claim on the specified form, by presenting a title deed and the insurance certificate of the vehicle valid on the day of the accident.
If a driver is involved in a car accident in Cyprus with an unknown vehicle (unidentified), for which he is not responsible, he should call the Police to attend the scene or notify them to record the accident within 48 hours. Immediately notify the Fund to investigate the accident, submit a claim on the prescribed form, presenting title deed and the insurance certificate of the vehicle. In the event of an accident with an unknown vehicle for which you are not responsible, you or your relatives may be entitled to compensation from the Fund for bodily injury or death.
Accident with a vehicle with foreign plates or abroad
The Fund's website also provides other useful information, such as what happens if someone has been involved in an accident in Cyprus with a vehicle with foreign registration plates. He should call the police to attend and record the accident, note the registration numbers of the foreign vehicle and its country of origin, ask the foreign driver to present his green card or insurance policy and contact the Cyprus International Insurance Bureau as soon as possible.
If the foreign insurance company has appointed a correspondent in Cyprus, the Cyprus International Insurance Bureau should indicate contact with the correspondent of the foreign insurance company. If the foreign insurance company has not appointed a correspondent in Cyprus, the IF will handle the case under the terms of the consolidated agreement.
It is also noted that the Fund should inspect the damage to the vehicle before commencing repairs. Also, a claim must be submitted on the specified form, presenting the title deed and the insurance certificate of the vehicle that was valid on the day of the accident. In case of bodily injury, all medical certificates and supporting documents must be attached.
If someone is involved in an accident abroad, they should contact the International Insurance Bureau of the country where the accident occurred for further assistance. If someone is involved in an accident abroad for which he is not responsible and claims compensation from the insurance company of the foreign vehicle, he should write down the registration numbers of the vehicle and gather information about the driver/owner. To file a claim against the foreign insurer while you are still in the country of the accident, you will need to gather information about the foreign insurance company and contact them.
