MORE than half of UK businesses could be liable for fines of up to £5,000 following the introduction of new legislation requiring them to file insurance details of company cars and vans, says fleet management specialist, Interleasing.

While figures from the Motor Insurers' Information Centre claim that only one in four fleet vehicles have been registered with them, evidence from Interleasing suggests these are concentrated among larger fleets and that the proportion of companies with unregistered vehicles could be much higher as businesses are caught unawares by the new regulations.

Nick Brownrigg, managing director of Interleasing, said: “While most fleet managers have been aware of the impending need to supply details to the MIIC, we estimate that the level of ignorance among smaller, owner managed businesses is very high. There has been an overall lack of clarity regarding the communication of the requirements, deadlines and penalties surrounding the new legislation which has left most businesses in the dark.”

Fleet managers and insurers face fines if they do not comply with the EU's 4th Motor Insurance Directive, which requires that insurers of all vehicles are identifiable via an information centre using the vehicles' registration number as the identifier.

The government decided to use the MIIC database to address problems relating to uninsured private motorists. While the exercise was relatively straightforward for private motorists, the complexities of the fleet sector have highlighted some issues for those affected by the regulations.

Interleasing, in conjunction with a specialist systems provider, has developed a bespoke software-based solution that takes away the hassle of submitting insurance details to the MIIC.

“Our service has been a godsend to many clients, especially those with complex fleets made up of a mixture of leased, bought and rented vehicles,” added Mr Brownrigg.