Chuck
November 2nd, 2005, 02:35 PM
FRANKFORT — The implementation of 2004 legislation to better track uninsured drivers is nearly complete, Transportation Cabinet officials told lawmakers this week.
House Bill 29, passed in 2004, required insurance companies to report every covered driver as well as cancellations by January 1, 2006. The information will go into a database so that state officials can monitor which vehicles lack insurance, which is mandatory in Kentucky. Currently, insurers only report cancellations, meaning the state cannot effectively track who does not have insurance.
Rep. Carolyn Belcher, D-Preston, said it's a common problem for people to buy insurance, register their vehicle, then cancel the insurance. The new database, which will be updated monthly, will allow state officials to know who lacks insurance and send them notices to renew their insurance. All insurance companies should be on board by Jan. 1, with notices being mailed out in the months after, vehicle licensing officials said.
"House Bill 29 required that we send out the notices on a monthly basis. We won't be waiting for an accident to happen before we notify them," said Willie Payton, Assistant Director of Motor Vehicle Licensing.
State police and other law enforcement agencies will also have access to the database as it is implemented, Payton said, allowing them to catch drivers who attempt what Rep. Belcher described.
House Bill 29, passed in 2004, required insurance companies to report every covered driver as well as cancellations by January 1, 2006. The information will go into a database so that state officials can monitor which vehicles lack insurance, which is mandatory in Kentucky. Currently, insurers only report cancellations, meaning the state cannot effectively track who does not have insurance.
Rep. Carolyn Belcher, D-Preston, said it's a common problem for people to buy insurance, register their vehicle, then cancel the insurance. The new database, which will be updated monthly, will allow state officials to know who lacks insurance and send them notices to renew their insurance. All insurance companies should be on board by Jan. 1, with notices being mailed out in the months after, vehicle licensing officials said.
"House Bill 29 required that we send out the notices on a monthly basis. We won't be waiting for an accident to happen before we notify them," said Willie Payton, Assistant Director of Motor Vehicle Licensing.
State police and other law enforcement agencies will also have access to the database as it is implemented, Payton said, allowing them to catch drivers who attempt what Rep. Belcher described.