Kansas Lawmakers Seek Tougher Penalties for Uninsured Drivers

The Kansas Department of Insurance recently estimated that nearly 10 percent of the state’s two million drivers are on the roads without the required coverage. Kansas lawmakers have taken those numbers seriously and plan to introduce bills to address the problem.

Republican Senators Ruth Teichman, chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt plan to introduce two pieces of legislation in the Kansas Senate that will crack down on uninsured drivers, according to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

One proposal would require insurance companies to notify the Kansas Department of Revenue when a policyholder either cancels coverage or obtains a new policy. A new KDR computer system would track changes to identify drivers who cancel policies and do not obtain new ones. A funding source for the new computer system has yet to be identified. The bill is based on similar legislation enacted in Kentucky last year.

Proposal two would create stricter civil and criminal penalties for uninsured drivers. Kansas law now requires first time offenders to be subject to fines between $300 to $1000 in addition to losing their driver’s licenses and vehicle plates, both of which can be reinstated through payment of a fee and proof of insurance coverage. Under the new proposal, a third conviction for driving without coverage would be considered a felony and if perpetrator causes the death of someone in the course of an auto accident, the perpetrator would be charged with murder instead of manslaughter.

Senator Teichman’s committee will review both proposals.

NAMIC plans to work with the Kansas Association of Property and Casualty Insurance Companies (KAPCIC) to ensure that the legislative proposals don’t adversely affect insurers.

Topics Legislation Personal Auto Kansas