Seized cars saved

Published: 21 December, 2012

A DEAL between the Metropolitan Police and finance body HPI will see uninsured cars in London that have been seized by police returned to their rightful owners - namely the finance companies that lent money on them. Previously the vehicles would have either been sold at auction, or crushed.

As a result of this deal, known as 'CrushWatch' during the first three months of it joining the Scheme, the Met Police enabled HPI to alert lenders to over £10.5 million worth of 'at risk' vehicles.

"In London alone, an estimated 10% of drivers are uninsured, making this a very real issue for the Met Police and a threat to road users and the finance providers who own the offending cars," explains Daniel Burgess, MD of HPI.

Earlier this year, HPI extended its CrushWatch service to also alert motor finance lenders to vehicles impounded by the DVLA for being driven without road tax. This means finance companies can decide whether to recover the vehicle for selling on to recoup bad debt, or allow it to be destroyed. Plans are being made to extend the scheme nationwide.