Motor Insurance Certificates by E-Mail

Road Safety Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, has confirmed that drivers are to be allowed to receive their motor insurance certificates by email - the announcement made at the Association of British Insurers' (ABI) Motor Conference

The move by the Department For Transport, which will save the motor insurance industry £5 million - £10 million a year, not surprisingly was welcomed by the ABI, which also says it will have "significant benefits for motorists".

Justin Jacobs, the ABI's assistant director of property, motor and liability said: "The insurance industry will in the future be able to provide quicker, more convenient and more reliable delivery of these important documents to their customers."

James Harrison, CEO of online insurer comparison service, Insurancewide.com said: "We know that the police are cracking down on uninsured motorists. Drivers who do not keep a copy of their insurance certificate in the car right from the outset are risking an unnecessary fine and vehicle confiscation if they get stopped by the police."

Harrison added that the arrival of electronic motor insurance certificates will allow drivers to have access to their motor insurance documents almost immediately and will reduce the risk of drivers being wrongly perceived as uninsured.