Some insurers, brokers and fleet managers are still failing to forward changes to their insurance policy details to the Motor Insurance Database (MID) within the agreed 14-day period.

This means that possibly thousands of company car drivers are at a greater risk of being stopped by the police on suspicion of driving without insurance.

“Policy holders are starting to get vehicles stopped,” confirmed Tim West from the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), which manages the database.

However, the situation is improving, he says.

Since the start of the year, a target of 95% of commercial and fleet policy details to be recorded on the MID within the 14 days was agreed between the MIB, the Government and insurance companies.

For the first time, this target has been exceeded, with figures for last month showing that 96.4% arrived within the agreed timescale.

However, with 147,000 policy change submissions sent to MID in March, the figures suggest that some 5,000 more failed to reach it within the agreed 14 days.

Mr West said such delays could be caused by a variety of reasons, including the time it takes for fleet managers to inform their brokers of any changes to vehicles or drivers.

Brokers must then pass on the information to the insurer who must then enter the changes on the MID.

To circumvent this, some insurers now allow their policy holders direct access to the database – a strategy that the MIB applauds.

“We are happy with fleet policy holders to have direct access to the database,” said Mr West, adding that it was particularly suited to large fleets that have a streamlined data management processes in place to manage policy changes.

The MIB also points out that drivers are becoming more aware of the need for their vehicles’ insurance details to be on the database.

It said the number of drivers visiting the www.askmid.com website to check their vehicle is listed on the MID has risen to 50,000 a week, or more than 2.5 million hits a year.

“Against a backdrop of police seizures doubling in 2007 to 150,000, and claims that reach the Motor Insurers’ Bureau falling for the second year running, these latest time-to-supply figures confirm the industry’s determination to deliver honest motorists into compliance, and not into the hands of the police!” said the MIB.

Fleet policy holders are advised to speak to their insurance provider for advice and guidance about getting vehicle data onto the MID.