A change in policy by the Department for Transport is to make it cheaper and easier to return insurance write-offs to the road whilst also saving the taxpayer money.
Since 2003, a written-off car which had been restored to a roadworthy condition would require a Vehicle Identity Check (VIC) before being given the all clear. A VIC inspection involves a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Inspector checking that the vehicle matches information on the agency’s database. The £41 inspection was introduced to combat ringing – where criminals would swap the identity of written off vehicles to hide stolen cars – but over the past decade around a million checks have been conducted with just a handful of offenders caught.
Transport Minister Stephen Hammond said: “It’s clear the scheme isn’t doing its job and it is hitting honest motorists in the wallet. The VIC scheme is nothing more than unnecessary red tape, which is why we are getting rid of it.”
The change comes into force in October next year, but motorists will still be required to ensure written-off vehicles returned to use are in a roadworthy condition and have a valid MOT certificate.
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