HPI aids FLA clampdown on illegal cars

Leading vehicle information organisation, HPI, is launching CrushWatch in support of the Finance & Leasing Association’s (FLA) new initiative designed to tackle illegal driving. Following its partnership with the motor finance industry, the FLA and regional police authorities, HPI unveiled CrushWatch at the 2009 annual National Vehicle Crime conference, as a solution to vehicle seizure in the clampdown on uninsured, and untaxed drivers, and persistent evaders.

The FLA scheme brings together motor lenders and police to reclaim illegal cars. The national initiative aims to help motor finance companies reclaim vehicles they own, which have been driven illegally by their customers and ultimately seized by the police. “Last year, police seized a record 170,000 uninsured vehicles, with the number of uninsured motorists actually still on the road estimated to be two million,” explains Alan Bishop, Industry Relations Director for HPI. “If a driver is uninsured, the car financing contract is rendered null and void, putting motor finance companies under pressure to raise their premiums to cover their risks.

“We have created CrushWatch in partnership with the Home Office and the Association of Police Officers (ACPO) as a direct response to the FLA led initiative. CrushWatch uses the power of the HPI Check to provide a framework for checking vehicle ownership, status and agreeing settlement terms before repatriation. We specifically designed the service to meet the needs of police and finance companies.

CrushWatch offers an easy solution that is free at the point of delivery and meets FLA Protocol requirements. It is fully automated, via the HPI trade website, enabling checks to be carried out by garages and compounds. If a finance interest is registered it is notified on screen and an email is sent to a dedicated mailbox at the finance company. The finance company then makes contact.

Bishop concludes, “CrushWatch protects the interests of finance companies, which in turn helps reduce the cost of finance for consumers. Our new service ensures alerts go to the right person, reducing risk for finance companies, whilst allowing police to repatriate the vehicle back to the lender, rather than returning it to the persistent evader or disposing of it themselves. CrushWatch allows police to monitor HPI Checks activity without intervening and is available to all finance companies, not just HPI’s own clients.

“The number of uninsured vehicles on UK roads continues to grow and HPI fully supports the FLA’s initiative to tackle this issue. In the current economic conditions, CrushWatch offers the motor finance industry a powerful weapon against persistent evaders, using the depth of data available through the HPI Check to reclaim illegal cars.”